As a William Roache waxwork is defaced, his friends announce that he fears being attacked himself
The actor who plays Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow, William Roache MBE, is due at Preston Crown Court tomorrow. Mr Roache, who has been charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in the 1960s, supposedly also fears that he could be the victim of a vigilante attack.
The latest bizarre turn in the John Goodman case
Rather like the twisters that often hit the coast of Florida, the story of the case of the polo mogul and multimillionaire Goodman stereo manufacturing heir John Goodman has again taken another turn.
On Friday, it was revealed that a juror in the case that had resulted in Goodman’s conviction had lied about his ex-wife’s own DUI during jury selection. As a result, a retrial has now been granted.
Stuart Hall admits 14 counts of indecent assault
The former It’s A Knockout and BBC Five Live presenter (James) Stuart Hall OBE admitted to being a rapist and paedophile this morning.
Whether innocent or guilty of the murder she’s repeatedly been accused of, this American has made $4 million from her memoir deal with HarperCollins. The family of Meredith Kercher, the true victim in all of this, have rightly stated that they “do not believe anyone should profit from the murder” but Knox, whose conviction for calunnia stands, is therefore indeed proof that crime can indeed pay.
The “Devil’s Advocate” is jailed for 14 years
Bogus lawyer Giovanni di Stefano was jailed for 14 years yesterday after being found guilty of nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, eight counts of fraud, three counts of acquiring criminal property, two counts of using a false instrument, one count of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception, one count of obtaining property by deception and one count of using criminal property.
The latest in a series of bizarre comments from actor William Roache
William Roache MBE, who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, is no stranger to controversy.
The grandson of a Freemason who was interested in hypnotism, theosophy and esotericism, Roache is a vegetarian and spiritualist who was photographed participating in Druid rituals in the 1970s.
The tragic story of Oscar Pistorius and the death of Reeva Steenkamp
Oscar Pistorius was a man many rightly came to admire. He achieved the unthinkable on the track and was, as his father, Henke, pointed out “a man strong beyond his years”. In an advert for Nike, he himself is quoted as saying:
“I was born without bones below the knee. I only stand 5ft 2. But this is the body I have been given. This is my weapon. How I conquer. How I wage my war. This is how I have broken the world record 49 times. How I became the fastest thing on legs. This is my weapon. This is how I fight”.
Our picture of the week is of another advertisement in which Pistorius featured for Nike. Titled, rather unfortunately, “I am the bullet in the chamber”, these are words that will now haunt the athlete forever more.
Whatever the truth is behind this tragic story, one person is dead and another’s life and career is now ruined. May the case of Oscar Pistorius be a lesson to us all.
Read statements from the family of Oscar Pistorius on his official website at: http://www.oscarpistorius.com
A former supporter of Julian Assange denounces his behavior
Jemima Khan has shown great courage in turning on Julian Assange. In a feature in the New Statesman, she described him as being “more like an Australian L. Ron Hubbard” than the crusader he has portrayed himself. Suggesting Assange thinks himself like a real life Jason Bourne, she commented:
“It may well be that the serious allegations of sexual assault and rape are not substantiated in court, but I have come to the conclusion that these are all matters for Swedish due process and that Assange is undermining both himself and his own transparency agenda – as well as doing the US department of justice a favour – by making his refusal to answer questions in Sweden into a human rights issue.”
‘There have been three rounds in the UK courts and the UK courts have upheld the European Arrest Warrant in his name three times.”
“The women in question have human rights, too, and need resolution. Assange’s noble cause and his wish to avoid a US court does not trump their right to be heard in a Swedish court.”
“I don’t regret putting up bail money for Assange but I did it so that he would be released while awaiting trial, not so that he could avoid answering to the allegations.”
In a firm but fair article, Khan stated: “I remain convinced that if Assange is prosecuted for espionage the future of investigative journalism everywhere would be in jeopardy” but added “[Julian Assange] has been guilty of the same obfuscation and misinformation as those it sought to expose, while its supporters are expected to follow, unquestioningly, in blinkered, cultish devotion.”
Jemima Khan talks sense. Some of what Assange did was in the public interest but his behaviour now is ridiculous and his attitude to justice perverse. Julian Assange should walk out into Hans Crescent and hand himself in.
Read Jemima Khan’s New Statesman article at: http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/02/jemima-khan-julian-assange-how-wikileaks-founder-alienated-his-allies
Jailed for 14 years in March 2013 on charges of deception, fraud and money laundering, Di Stefano is a man who is often referred to as “The Devil’s Advocate”. He has been variously linked to such luminaries as Saddam Hussein, Harold Shipman and Nicholas van Hoogstraten. Others he’s associated with include Jeremy Bamber, Kenneth Noye and John “Goldfinger” Palmer. He plainly should have kept better company.
This “Boswell of the bluebloods” was a writer whose tips came from unnamed sources and “waiter[s] serving [him] risotto at dinner parties”. (more…)