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Old 07-02-2019, 15:58
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mishima mishima is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: The Great North
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Wasn't going to, but as everyone else has had their two penneth..

Since reading the Wales Online article and the following discussions on here, like everyone else I have been bothered by the insinuation that the band have been lees than transparent in their statements regarding the periods up too and following Richey's disappearance. It has been bothering me because of the legal implications of the suggestion.

When Richey went missing, statements will have been given to the police. Martin will have had to make one when he reported the disappearance, as James was the last 'close associate' (I'm ignoring any suggested casual acquaintances) to see him before he absconded he is also likely to have given a statement. Other members of the band/management may also have spoken to the police. Whatever was said in those interviews will have had to be truthful to their knowledge, and would also have had to fully reckon with whatever the band told Richey's family.

For his sister and these authors to imply that the band have been less than truthful in their statements, would thus imply they told falsehoods to the police. Now that is serious, it is also possibly libellous. If any redactions have been made to the book (or interviews removed), as has been suggested, then I'm wondering are they relating to this? The libel laws in the UK are antiquated and brutal (which is why the UK is a favoured place for libel cases) if the band decided to take the author/publisher to court claiming libel, as the accusers they would not have to prove that they did not tell falsehoods, it would be for the defendant (ie. publisher /author) to prove that they did. You can't prove someone told a falsehood on hypotheticals ('well your Honour, you can see from the pictures stuck to this box which was left behind...'), you need actual factual, hard incontrovertible evidence ( 'well your Honour, as you can see from Mr Jones diary entry of 3rd Feb 1995, where he writes ' Dear Diary, today James fibbed in the statement he gave to PC Particular..'), which does not exist except in the conspiratorial minds of a small number of, whatever you wish to call them.

Also how can you tell a lie, word for word for 25 years without a slip up? All it would take would be a loose tongue after a couple of beers, and hey presto! DCI Particular is at your door waving a piece of paper, ''ere thats not what you told me in your statement Jimbo'. You would have to be a complete psychopath to repeat a lie seamlessly for 25 years!

Anyway rant over, it's off my chest, off to watch an episode of Endeavour (now he would have cracked it!!) Ciao.
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