BBC uses licence fee cash to 'gag its staff': Broadcaster accused of
'corporate bullying' in bid to buy the silence of alleged sexual harassment
victims Up to 20 former staff made to sign
contracts to stop them whistleblowing
They thought they
could not give evidence to inquiry because of clauses
BBC
insists no one is barred from giving evidence, despite
agreements
Countryfile's Miriam O'Reilly said use of
gagging clauses is 'insidious'
By Sam Greenhill and Paul
Revoir
2 March 2013
The BBC was accused of 'corporate bullying' last
night after spending licence-payers' cash to buy the silence of up to 20 alleged
harassment victims.
The gagging orders threaten to make a mockery of an
inquiry set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal to uncover the depths of
sexual harassment at the corporation.
Up to 20 former staff – all of whom
claim to have been victims of bullying or sexual harassment – believed they had
effectively been banned from giving evidence to the internal review.
Each
had been paid off and made to sign contracts to stop them turning
whistleblower.
The absurd situation could mean licence-payers funding an
expensive inquiry on the one hand, only for potential witnesses to think they
cannot give evidence.
The inquiry, overseen by human rights lawyer Dinah
Rose QC, is expected to report next month.
In another twist, a lawyer
last night claimed a further 'two dozen' BBC women – some of them famous names –
have come forward in the past week complaining of sexual discrimination,
bullying or harassment.
Ann Olivarius, said there was 'a culture full of
male bias at the BBC'. Following a talk she gave to 150 women in the arts, two
dozen 'talked about sexual discrimination and about bullying and inappropriate
sexual advances'....
The BBC insists no one has been barred from giving
evidence, despite any previous agreements which may have been signed....
http://goo.gl/iNprV http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287278/BBC-uses-licence-fee-cash-gag-staff-Broadcaster-accused-corporate-bullying-bid-buy-silence-alleged-sexual-harassment-victims.html
Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Satanic Thrill Kill March
4, 2013
Hayward, WI (NNCNOW.com) --- A Wisconsin man will spend the rest of
his life in prison for his part in a brutal murder in 2009.
30-year-old
Christopher Roalson was shown no mercy for what authorities dubbed a "thrill
kill" with satanic overtones. A jury found Roalson guilty of stabbing
93-year-old Irena Roszak to death over three year ago in Raddison,
Wisconsin. Just minutes to his sentencing on Monday, he still denies
taking part in the murder, blaming Austin Davis for the murder. "I'm very sorry
about what happened to Ms. Roszak and I know that she didn't deserve that but
that was not the intent that night. Our intent was only to go out and commit a
burglary," said Roalson at his sentencing hearing. Burnett County Judge Kenneth
Kutz didn't buy Roalson's plead for leniency.
http://goo.gl/mXUiy http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/crime/Man-Sentenced-to-Life-in-Prison-for-Satanic-Thrill-Kill-195039801.html