Category Archives: David Hencke

Wrecked: Graham Wilmer’s Apology to John Hemming

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EstherBaker

Esther Baker has made numerous allegations of sexual abuse. Now two of her supporters have entered into restraining agreements in settlements of libel claims against them. Baker is presently under police investigation herself.

Graham Wilmer, Director of the Lantern Project, has humiliatingly apologised to former MP John Hemming as part of the settlement of Hemming’s claim against him for libel and harassment. Hemming was supported by myself and I assisted him before Mr Justice Andrew Baker as McKenzie Friend at an ex-parte hearing on 5th January 2018. Wilmer had backed Esther Baker’s allegations against Hemming and claimed repeatedly that they were true. Now he has entered into a legal agreement never, for the rest of his life, to make any statement that might mean Hemming has committed any crime at all.

The Daily Mail (archive), the Telegraph (archive), the Times, Barthsnotes (archive) and Real Troll Exposure (archive) have published articles about the settlement but there seems to have been some confusion about what the claims were for and what the settlement actually says. So just to be clear –

  1. David Hencke was sued for libel as per my article on that settlement, but Graham Wilmer was sued for Harassment and Libel.
  2. Wilmer agreed to pay nearly all Hemming’s costs – £9,028. Hemming’s costs were very low by the standards of libel cases because he had a pro-bono legal advisor – me. Whilst I am not a solicitor I have an LL.M LPC (Commendation). John had paid a court fee of £3,028 and over £6,000 in various other expenses. Most of this was that I also recommended he seek an opinion from a barrister on a few issues. The barrister, Richard Owen Thomas was extremely helpful and professional and I recommend him.
  3. Wilmer agreed to pay £1,000 as a donation in lieu of damages to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
  4. Wilmer agreed to apologise.
  5. Wilmer agreed never to make any publication or statement that expressly, by imputation or innuendo conveys the meaning that Hemming is guilty of any crime. This includes specifically the alleged rape of Esther Baker or the crime of Blackmail. This agreement lasts forever.
  6. The order settling the Hencke case states that there is no admission of liability, but the Wilmer order does not.

Fairly obviously, if John had won at a trial, he would have received his costs, damages, a judgement and some form of restraint on Wilmer. In short this agreement is exactly the same as what Hemming would have got on a successful judgement except with a discount on costs and damages for settling early. The letter of apology is below –

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Miele: Information Commissioner Investigating after Alleged Disclosure of Complaints About Alan Goodwin

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The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has many eccentric characters very excited about it. Most of these are harmless, well meaning but a little bit credulous towards conspiracy theories. Some are victims of real abuse, others however, are vile. One exceptionally unpleasant character is the operator of the @Ciabaudo twitter account. MHN can reveal that @Ciabaudo is in fact Alan Goodwin, a British man living in Germany and working for domestic goods manufacturer Miele. Goodwin frequently seems to spend his days churning out tweets expressing his concerns about gays, Jews, Israel and / or alleged Jewish / Israeli / gay paedophiles. When third parties complained to Miele, they believe their personal data was disclosed. Now the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is investigating.

CiabaudoNeptotistJews1

Alan Goodwin, Miele employee expresses concerns about ‘nepotist’ Jews – by implication in some work context.

David Hencke’s recent humiliation in a libel claim brought by former MP John Hemming has caused great consternation in the ever-shrinking portion of the conspiracy-sphere who are willing to back Esther Baker’s allegations. The difficulty is that for all Esther Baker’s coy hints about the ‘truth’, her claims of abuse have gone nowhere. Baker has alleged extraordinary, cult-like abuse in multiple countries over a period of years. The police took statements from 30 people, with the interviews of Baker alone lasting 91-and-a-half-hours (source). Yet the only outstanding police investigation regarding the ‘historic abuse’ is into allegations against Esther Baker. Even for true believers it is getting a bit passé.

Ms Baker herself admits in public on Twitter to significant mental illnesses including references to auditory hallucinations and home visits from the mental health team, yet even after the police investigation some of her supporters do not appear willing to consider that she may be mistaken about the identity of her abusers or other details.

The only promising bit of excitement is Baker’s libel case against Hemming and his counterclaim. A preliminary hearing is now likely to be listed in late February or early March. As reported at IICSA, Baker is suing Hemming for libel for allegedly accusing her of lying. Hemming countersues over her allegedly accusing him of rape on Twitter.

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Hencke Humiliated

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A Scary Legal Hammer

Former Guardian journalist has had a long-overdue taste of real justice.

Former Guardian ‘journalist’ David Hencke, who was ‘Head of News’  at ill-fated Exaro News before it collapsed, has agreed to a settlement order in John Hemming’s claim against him on humiliating terms. Although he has made no admission of liability the terms of settlement require him to make a public statement, pay a donation to the charity Victim Support in lieu of damages and agree to significant restrictions on his reporting. The case proves that anyone who describes historic rape complainant Esther Baker as a ‘victim’ or ‘survivor’ is at risk of being sued for libel and losing. Indeed Hencke has now agreed to restrictions on his use of those words.

Exaro news has a lot to answer for. During its brief period of prominence Exaro extensively covered and promoted a series of child abuse allegations, many of which have been investigated at vast public expense. Now, their star accuser Carl Beech is on trial himself for fraud and perverting the the course of justice (archive).

David Hencke’s article of 18 May 2018 was utterly despicable. The article covered another Exaro complainant, Esther Baker, whose unsubstantiated allegations of abuse by a number of VIPs have led to no convictions whatsoever. In the article, Hencke named former MP John Hemming and referred to Baker’s father. He used the word ‘survivor’ even though the Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) he was reporting on has specifically decided not to use that word in relation to people like Esther Baker whose allegations are not proven. That got him sued for libel in the High Court.

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IICSA: Unsubstantiated ‘Rape’ Accuser Esther Baker Under Police Investigation

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Esther Baker has made numerous allegations of sexual abuse. Now it is revealed she is under investigation herself by two police forces, one for nearly a year.

In a recent ruling by Professor Alexis Jay the Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), Esther Baker has been revealed as the latest alleged ‘victim’ of child abuse to come under police scrutiny themselves. Baker is one of several individuals who came forward making allegations of child abuse by VIPs in the wake of the revelations about Jimmy Savile. These individuals were given significant support by the now defunct Exaro News, but there have been no charges of alleged abusers in relation to many key allegations. One high profile, Exaro-backed allegator, known only by the pseudonym ‘Nick’ is currently on trial for Perverting the Course of Justice (archive).

Baker had told the national media, including the Daily Mirror and Sky News, that she was abused by a faith-related paedophile ring. However, with each public telling the story seemed to change –
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