PRESS COUNCIL REPORT: PART TWO
CHEQUEBOOK JOURNALISM
The following are the conclusions by the Press Council from the book "Press Conduct In The Sutcliffe Case", a report by the Press Council (1983), in regards to the chequebook journalism which took place, both payments to persons who could reasonably be expected to be witnesses in criminal proceedings, and offers or payments to relatives and associates of the suspect. (NOTE: The "Brief Summary" sections in Chapter 16 are a paraphrased version of the report to give the salient points from the publication. The two adjudications in Chapter 17 are an edited and condensed version of the original text of the report.)
News of the World (Brief Summary)
The News of the World, on 7 June 1981, had a front page exclusive interview with Mrs Sonia Sutcliffe and stated that it had not paid any money to her. Mr Henry Douglas, the legal manager of News Group Newspapers, on behalf of the editor, stated that the paper had decided not to approach possible witnesses, but when it appeared Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe would not be a witness, it made approaches for her story. Two letters, both dated 7 January 1981, were from Mr Kenneth Donlan, then the editor of the News of the World. The first letter stated that after conversations between Mr Macgill and the paper's chief crime reporter, Mr Charles Sandell, and another reporter, Mr Keith Beabey, the editor was confirming the News of the World's interest in Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe's, her parents' and her husband's stories and was prepared to pay a substantial fee for the exclusive rights.
The second letter announced that the News of the World wished to withdraw from negotiations for her story and stated "if there is any change in our policy I shall contact you again but this is most unlikely."
Another letter, dated 7 April 1981, from Miss Rosalie Shann, introduced herself as a freelance journalist writing on behalf of the News of the World and stated there obviously would be a considerable amount of money involved, that would be sorted out by the editor and Mr Macgill or Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe. A further letter, dated 27 April 1981, by the assistant editor, Mr Kuttner, to Mr Macgill, reiterated the News of the World's interest in a contract for exclusive publication of Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe's story and mentioned a fee of not less than £110,000.
Findings--News of the World
16.75 The curious alternating pattern of the News of the World's expressions of interest and disinterest in buying Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe's story appears to the Press Council to have been related to the expectation at different times of whether she was likely to be called as a witness.16.76 In the beginning, the News of the World expressed interest through Mr Donlan's first letter. But it quickly withdrew that interest later the same day. In the Council's view the withdrawal was probably prompted by the reflection that Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe could be expected to be a witness at her husband's trial.
16.77 Later, after mid-April, it became apparent that there was unlikely to be a trial of the facts in view of the information given to newspapers by the Director of Public Prosecutions' department. In that event, Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe would probably not be called as a witness; the News of the World's interest in buying her story revived; and it made the offer of 27 April 1981.
16.78 Soon afterwards, on the judge's refusal to accept her husband's pleas of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe became a potential witness again. The News of the World's interest in her story was not pursued.
16.79 The newspaper did not, therefore, act in breach of the Declaration which bans payments to potential witnesses and is not to be criticised by the Council on that account.
16.80 In future, however, approaches of the kind it made to Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe will be judged against the Council's view that payments should not be offered by newspapers to the relatives or associates of persons accused of crime.16.81 The Press Council regrets the lack of candour shown towards it by the News of the World in this inquiry, leaving it to discover the full nature and extent of the approaches which that newspaper made to Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe. The News of the World knew that those approaches were highly relevant to the Press Council's inquiry and ought to have disclosed them.
16.82 The Council has considered the News of the World's view that the correspondence it had with Mrs Szurma-Sutcliffe and her solicitor should remain confidential. If the Press Council is to discharge its duty to investigate press conduct and maintain press standards it must not only have access to such material but be able to make such use of it as the Council finds necessary."
Rosalie Shann was one of the NOW journalists who produced JM's storyhttp://www.execulink.com/~kbrannen/press2.htm
