Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Lord Advocate’s lawyers issue interdict on behalf of Sheriff in Hollie Greig case as journalist bailed, home raided by Police in files hunt

NMG0505123Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini. LEVY MCRAE, the same law firm which represents Scotland’s Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini and has long standing ties to JUSTICE SECRETARY KENNY MACASKILL, who worked at the law firm for several years and secured his solicitors apprenticeship there, is now also representing an Aberdeen Sheriff who stood accused of allegations in connection with the Hollie Greig case, recently reported in the Scottish media and by many online outlets. The England based journalist & broadcaster Robert Green, who was investigating the allegations, was arrested on Friday morning in Aberdeen, and bailed earlier today at Stonehaven Sheriff Court after desperate attempts by the Courts Service & Police to vary the trial venue in an attempt to prevent media and Mr Green’s supporters from attending.

Peter WatsonPeter Watson of Levy McRae, now also represents Sheriff as well as Lord Advocate. It has been revealed today that Levy McRae, acting for the Sheriff, sent letters to one of the publications which recently reported on the Hollie Greig case, the “UK Column”, informing the newspaper’s editors they had secured an interim interdict at Scotland’s Court of Session last week, 11 February 2009, seeking to prevent the publication and spread of information or allegations relating to their [new] client, identified in the court documents as one Sheriff Graeme Buchanan. The “UK Column” has now published the letters & correspondence between themselves & Levy McRae, along with a copy of the interim interdict, secured late last week in Edinburgh.

Levy McRae & Interim Interdict :

Levy McRae to UK Column Interdict (Scotland) Court of Session 11 February 2010

The above interdict, the terms of which can be published according to the Scottish Courts Service, now makes reporting any allegations specifically regarding the Sheriff, impossible, and earlier today, the interdict was apparently waved at several UK newspapers reminding them of their duty to adhere to the terms of the law.

However, a solicitor speaking on behalf of a London based newspaper noted the Scottish interdict, gained by Edinburgh law firm Simpson & Marwick on behalf of Levy McRae's client, Sheriff Graeme Buchanan v George Robert Green, had no effect in England & Wales or anywhere else outside Scotland, and until such time as an injunction was gained under the English legal system, news outlets outside Scotland remain able to report developments in the case.

Robert GreenJournalist Robert Green, bailed after 3 days in custody over ‘breach of the peace’. Meanwhile Robert Green has been freed on bail after an appearance earlier today at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, and is to report to a Police station until such time as the full hearing into his charge takes place. The hearing was, according to supporters of Mr Green present at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, held “in camera”, meaning not accessible to the public (a bit heavy handed for a breach of the peace charge – Ed) Also today it was reported by sources close to developments that Grampian Police had requested Cheshire Constabulary to raid Mr Green’s home, confiscating documents and computer equipment.

This morning, legal insiders were questioning the political impact of the same law firm which has ties to the Justice Secretary representing two key figures of the Scots legal establishment who face a number of allegations connected with the same abuse case.

One solicitor said this morning : "If this had occurred in England, television news would have been all over it, but due to the peculiarities of the Scots legal system, which some at the top appear to treat as their own personal fiefdom, wider coverage of Mr Green's three day detention on a charge of breach of the peace connected to allegations of abuse which drag in the country's top law officers, has effectively been censored from the wider public arena." (nothing new to us - Ed)

Anne GreigHolly Greig with her mother Anne – forced to flee to England after abuse. Since the journalist’s arrest by Grampian Police on Friday, reports of Mr Green, and his work investigating the allegations into the Aberdeen based paedophile ring have spread around the internet, along with a sequence of video clips of a talk the journalist gave to audiences on his work and the allegations into the abuse which had taken place in the Aberdeen area, leaving many to question why Scotland’s Crown Office had stamped on any chance of mounting prosecutions against people well known in the area who have been identified by one of the abuse victims, Hollie Greig, who, despite no one being charged after a Police investigation into the abuse claims, received £13,500 compensation (hush money ? – Ed) from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in April of 2009.

Hollie has been described by a Grampian detective inspector who himself gave evidence, as “a truthful witness to the best of her ability and an entirely innocent victim”, and medical evidence has apparently verified that Hollie has been abused.

Grampian Police are now known to have received hundreds of calls from people all over the United Kingdom and around the world, concerned for Mr Green’s wellbeing. It has also been revealed today that Anne Greig, Hollie’s mother has not been allowed to speak to Mr Green to establish if he is ok, or has the necessary legal representation for his court appearance on Monday.

The video clips, well worth a look while they still exist, can be viewed on You Tube at the following link : JusticeforHollie

You can read our earlier coverage of events in the Hollie Greig case, HERE and here follows today’s report from the Aberdeen Press & Journal on Robert Green’s court appearance yesterday. The ‘breach of the peace’ Mr Green is charged with, is alleged to have spanned 8 months (must be the longest breach of the peace in Scots legal history & so much for the Crown Office’s attempt to cap media attention to the story … – Ed)

Robert GreenLegal aide to Hollie’s family in abuse claim appears in court

Man accused of breaching the peace

By Leanna MacLarty Published: 16/02/2010

THE legal adviser to the family of a disabled woman who claims she was abused by a paedophile ring as a child has appeared in court charged with breach of the peace.

Robert Green, 63, appeared from custody at Stonehaven Sheriff Court yesterday accused of an offence spanning eight months. The political hopeful represents the mother of Hollie Greig, a 30-year-old woman with Down’s Syndrome. Hollie claims she was sexually assaulted by a Scottish sheriff, who is still serving, and a senior Grampian Police officer who is now dead.

Green is alleged to have committed a breach of the peace between June 9, 2009, and February 12 this year in the Ferryhill, Bridge of Don, Bieldside and Woodside areas of Aberdeen. A handful of Green’s supporters gathered at the court for yesterday’s hearing, while a few more arrived at Aberdeen Sheriff Court expecting him to appear there.

Green, of 4 Birchdale Road, Warrington, Cheshire, appeared in private on petition before Sheriff James Hendry. He made no plea and was released on bail. He was represented during the brief hearing by Stonehaven solicitor Denis Daun.

Green was arrested on Friday as he made his way to the centre of Aberdeen to hand out leaflets. He is understood to have been heading for Union Street to tell people about Hollie’s case and his plans to contest the Aberdeen South parliamentary seat as an independent candidate. Green had been staying at a bed and breakfast in King Street. The B&B was searched by police following the arrest.

Hollie claims she was abused for 14 years from the age of six and has given the police the names of some of the men she alleges assaulted her. The 30-year-old and her mother, Anne, have been campaigning for criminal proceedings since 2000. The abuse is alleged to have taken place in Aberdeen, and Hollie and her mother claim to have made a statement at Bucksburn police station in July that year naming those involved. The family moved to Shropshire and two Grampian Police officers travelled to Shrewsbury in September last year to re-interview Hollie at a special facility.

Last month, the Crown Office said there was not enough reliable evidence to proceed with the case.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who wrote the injunction ? someone still in kindergarten ?

Anonymous said...

What a surprise Simpson & Marwick - the Law Society's favourite pets.

If that is the best they can do as an interdict I will remember to take my business elsewhere !

Anonymous said...

Next thing we will hear Watson will be begging to represent Hollie too

Sick people indeed.

Anonymous said...

A Policeman told me yesterday in Aberdeen he feels like resigning after reading about the case in the P & J.

Just goes to show even some on the inside who are forced to take orders from this lot dont even believe them.

Anonymous said...

edtheball69
So the plot thickens the corruption stretches all the way to scotland so our whole country is indeed in a dire state when those in power can attack innocent peoplefor making the public aware of those in power that are corrupt WAKE UP scotland and see the corruption join us at tpuc.org

Anonymous said...

This is all political of course.Levy McRae are SNP all the way from their beginnings.Check out who they have represented over the years.If we ever got independence guess where their partners would end up (shudder to think)

What the Scottish Papers didn't say said...

appropriate to this story I feel :

http://thesatirestall.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-scottish-papers-didnt-say.html

Let this be to the shame of every Parliamentary MP who did not stand up in Holyrood or Westminster of his own volition and sense of duty and ask – “WTF is going on?” – cos something stinks in Denmark and it isn’t Hamlet’s socks?

So, if you ever wondered why Hadrian and his lads built a wall across the Scottish border – now you know – to keep the tartan-skirted kiddie fiddlers out of England’s green and pleasant land - because we have more than our fill of the scum already permeating the establishment’s ranks.

Anonymous said...

This is going on worldwide but I would like to point out that people think that being interviewed by the police will cause action. Not so. Sometimes these interviews are for the purpose of finding out what the allegations are, the better to cover it up.

No, it won't, for one of two reasons. Either the interviewing police are in on it, or they will get orders from above to backpedal.

Anonymous said...

@ 12:19 AM

A very good point, as in many cases after the interviews take place and famous names are named, no action is ever taken.

Bringing in the Police in many instances often kills a case before it can even get off the ground.

Bringing in the Crown Office usually means certain death to a case, and a disrespect for life itself.

jonnymac said...

The way I see it, those who try to cover this up must have been in that ring of scumbags, there is no other valid reason for trying to sweep it under the carpet, If you live in Aberdeen you should be really worried, however this is a time bomb ticking on its last few seconds.

Anonymous said...

If someone covers up ,are they also involved??? I am obliged to think they must be.

Anonymous said...

wonder what Emslie thought about it all ? cant he spell either ?

Anonymous said...

Ed, your coverage of this matter (as far as it is permitted under Scots law) is very good and gives a clear picture of events to date.

However I would take issue with your interpretation of the Levy McRae letter published on the UK Column website and reproduced here.

You say: “Peter Watson of Levy McRae, now also represents Sheriff as well as Lord Advocate. It has been revealed today that Levy McRae, acting for the Sheriff, sent letters to one of the publications which recently reported on the Hollie Greig case, the “UK Column”, informing the newspaper’s editors ….[Emphasis added] and I don’t agree with your interpretation.

The letter in question begins “Dear Sirs ELISH ANGIOLINI QC We act on behalf of Elish Angiolini QC, the Lord Advocate for Scotland.”

After summarising the terms of the injunction granted against Robert Green which prevents anyone making defamatory statements against Graeme Buchanan the letter goes on to say that the UK Column website: “contains defamatory material of our client and Graeme Buchanan.” [Emphasis added]

The Levy McRae reference to the letter is PW/CA/AN/ANG009/1; all of which suggests to me that the letter from Peter Watson was one written when he was acting for Elish Angiolini, and not “acting for the Sheriff” as your commentary indicates.

If, however you are correct in your understanding of whom Peter Watson was acting for, he must be doing an inordinate amount of “name dropping” or perhaps “sabre rattling” to use the name of our Lord Advocate so often.

Are you sure this letter is genuine? It contains one glaring error in the penultimate paragraph where it repeats the words “in question”. This is not a dodgy dossier is it?

Anonymous said...

@11:10AM

Name dropping & sabre rattling are Peter Watson's speciality.

He appears to be acting for both the Sheriff and the Lord Advocate.

Anonymous said...

the interdict is written by C Richardson (who happens to be the Clerk of Court to Lord Emslie)