Apologies if I have missed something important but does it really matter even if JM did negotiate a deal with the NOTW before the end of the trial? If she had actually spoken to them about the specific details that would have been contempt of court but would just arranging a deal have actually been illegal? Ethically and morally it wouldn't have been the greatest move and the timing could have been better. However, she may well have been pestered by journalists a lot (as she has been since) and just agreed to get them off her back perhaps. And don't the people on the other forum realise that Bamber himself also arranged a deal before the end of the trial?
Again, I'm not pretending to be a legal expert but when pursuing a criminal prosecution don't the police quite often decide whether or not it is in the public interest? Obviously pursuing a prosecution for a multiple murder will always be in the public interest. Pursuing a prosecution for a minor misdemeanour (in comparison to a murder), especially one which may discourage an important witness from testifying in a more important prosecution, may not necessarily be in the public interest and of course wouldn't necessarily be followed up. Nothing sinister about it at all IMO.
The point is that Bamber and Co. wanted to discredit Julie at trial; if they could have showed the jury she had a finacial interest to help get Bamber convicted they would have jumped on that! "She had a reason to lie". If they could prove at appeal Julie lied aout having a deal and that the jury should have been told they could get some mileage out of that.
Of course Julie couldn't have known about any financial benefits for her when she walked into the police station to expose Bamber so it's a moot point in my opinion! And of course the fact she MAY have made a deal does not mean she was lying but the defense will say it may have effected the jury's opinion!
It's all pointless McChancer propaganda though because it was covered in the 2002 appeal and Bamber's lawyers could not prove Julie (or her solicitor) made any deal before the trial. Unlucky Bamberistas!
For what it's worth I imagine Julie's solicitor did make the deal before or during the trial but was careful enough not to sign any contract until the verdict came in. That's what I would have done too as Julie's solicitor!
