Local bloggers and twitter account users (FOI)

Produced by the Freedom of Information office
Authored by Government of Jersey on behalf of the States of Jersey Police and published on 31 July 2019.
Prepared internally, no external costs.

​Request

With regard to the recent UK News Story about the ex-children’s nurse Carl Beech being found guilty of making up countless Westminster paedophile ring lies in 2014. Which ended up almost ruining many high profile people's reputations, some of whom died before being able to properly clear their names.

A

I would like to know whether the Police are considering in taking action against any local Bloggers or Twitter account users who attempted to capitalise on these Westminster paedophile ring lies during the same period by making up similar lurid and uncorroborated stories about Jersey's alleged involvement?

B

I would also like to know whether similar legislation is in place in Jersey to the UK where a serial liar about historic child abuse can be similarly charged, and if found guilty of making up lies about non existent paedophile rings or any un-collaborated allegations against any named local person online, can be dealt with in the same manner.

Response

A

In accordance with Article 10 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011, the States of Jersey Police neither confirms nor denies whether any action is being considered against any local Bloggers or Twitter Account users in similar circumstances to that described above.

B

Jersey has its own common law offence of “Perverting the Course of Justice” – “Any person who does any act which has a tendency and is intended to defeat or pervert the due course of justice shall be guilty of an offence”.

Article applied

Article 10 Obligation of scheduled public authority to confirm or deny holding information

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), if –

(a) a person makes a request for information to a scheduled public authority; and

(b) the authority does not hold the information,

it must inform the applicant accordingly.

(2) If a person makes a request for information to a scheduled public authority and –

(a) the information is absolutely exempt information or qualified exempt information; or

(b) if the authority does not hold the information, the information would be absolutely exempt information or qualified exempt information if it had held it, the authority may refuse to inform the applicant whether or not it holds the information if it is satisfied that, in all the circumstances of the case, it is in the public interest to do so.

(3) If a scheduled public authority so refuses –

(a) it shall be taken for the purpose of this Law to have refused to supply the information requested on the ground that it is absolutely exempt information; and

(b) it need not inform the applicant of the specific ground upon which it is refusing the request or, if the authority does not hold the information, the specific ground upon which it would have refused the request had it held the information.