2000 Trees: First Letters of Claim Drop

If a solicitor is dishonest they will generally be struck off, for life, even if the dishonesty has nothing to do with their legal practice (Bolton v The Law Society [1993] EWCA Civ 32). A less well known fact, and a pitfall for the unwary, is that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Character and Suitability Test treats discrimination the same way. Avoiding discrimination is therefore a consideration that solicitor Brendan Herbert will need to have uppermost in mind as he and his fellow directors of the Real Festival Company Limited (RFCL), which runs 2000 Trees, grapple with the challenges faced by his colleague James Scarlett’s recent decision to cancel a male musician who asserts he is a victim of sex crime (which crime he has reported to police). This morning the first letter of claim arrived at the company’s registered office, including an allegation of sexual assault and harassment of which the artist was the victim. If the company fail to deal with it in an acceptable way, all avenues are likely to be pursued.

The 2000 Trees Festival has now received the first steps towards being sued, and Director James Scarlett has been made a personal defendant.

The 2000 Trees Festival has now received the first steps towards being sued, and director James Scarlett is proposed as a named a personal defendant.

This blog is not entitled, “impotent legal threats I have helped litigants to make”. It is, amongst other things, an account of a series of protracted court cases where I have helped vulnerable litigants pro-bono or represented myself – almost without exception ending ruinously for the other side. It is punctuated by links to judgements on BAILII and court orders.

Yesterday I published news of a successful application for permission for judicial review by former MP John Hemming, a litigant in person who I have assisted. Less than 1% of applications for judicial review get permission. It is only the most recent of many successes for Mr Hemming. Who can forget the humiliation of vile former Guardian, former Exaro journalist David Hencke, who consented to a lifelong restraining agreement in favour of Hemming, in the High Court? We are now in year 7 of fabulously expensive grimdark litigation, whose only winner has been Hemming.

Right now, I am assisting a young musician, a band member who asserts he was sexually assaulted by an obsessed female admirer at the 2000 Trees Festival in 2019. I feel somewhat uncomfortable about talking, at this stage, about proposed court proceedings with such candour. However, it is necessary in order to assist the musician in replying to the attacks made on him, which he legitimately fears risk inciting violence. To the extent there is a use of private information, it is in the public interest to counter material others have placed into the public domain so the public is not misled – being (at best) unproven criminal allegations against the band member. It is only fair to point out that the other side are in the same position.

Like many male victims of sexual assault, he did not at first recognise that was what happened, but has now reported the sexual assault to police. His account is that he accompanied the woman back to her tent and after an initially failed attempt at intercourse, she attempted to physically restrain him to prevent him from leaving. This appears to have a sexual purpose and therefore fall within the very wide definition at s78 Sexual Offences Act 2003. After he ghosted the woman, she made false allegations against him over a period of years and 2000 Trees failed to deal with it in an appropriate way. 2000 Trees look likely to face difficulty with the resulting claims because their published Welfare, Security and Safety Policy (archive) is a placeholder page.

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John Hemming: Permission for Judicial Review over Alleged Police Dishonesty by Staffordshire Officer Javid Oomer

DCSJavidOomer

Detective Chief Superintendent Javid Oomer – Dishonesty allegations complaint found, “arguable” by judge. Career at Risk?

Former MP John Hemming has been granted permission for judicial review of the outcome of his police complaint appeal to the Independent Office of Police Complaints, over allegations of dishonest conduct by two police officers, Detective Inspector Simon Thomas of Gwent Police and Detective Chief Superintendent Javid Oomer of Staffordshire Police. This is only permission stage, so no findings of wrongdoing have yet been made, however the underlying evidence is of serious public concern.

Thomas was supposed to be investigating Staffordshire Police on the basis of a complaint by Hemming, but Hemming has, via MHN, come into possession of an email in which Thomas expresses a desire to “lessen”, “[…] elements of the lawsuit being taken against your Force […]” to a person at Staffordshire Police. Hemming raised this with the IOPC, which had ignored it. The judge, HHJ Richard Williams granted permission for Judicial Review on the basis that failing to address the allegation appeared to breach the applicable statutory guidance for the treatment of appeals to the IOPC.

The second piece of information which Hemming had discovered was that Javid Oomer had decided to treat the Esther Baker investigation as a low priority, on the basis of a series of reasons which Hemming believes (with some justification), Oomer must have known to be false, and DI Thomas must have known to be false. Again, this allegation was ignored by the IOPC and again Hemming was granted permission.

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Update on Sinister Internet Troll Georgina Middleton / Dylan Charlie

This is an update on the appalling internet troll Georgina Middleton / Dylan Charlie from my last article. I had been in touch with a PC at Cambridgeshire Police about Georgina based on an old address. Since then, however, the tracing agency I instructed has come back with a current address, in Coventry in the West Midlands. I have been in touch with West Midlands Police and now have a West Midlands Police incident number too. Middleton has been making false allegations of rape and paedophilia about multiple individuals online, including one she had actual knowledge was false, based on her emails. Although she has tried to claim Georgina is her deadname, in fact Middleton not only used the name, “Georgina” in her emails but on currently active social media such as her Twitter account @GeeWrites_ (archive). As of today, the account asserts the name, “Georgina”. Obviously, now we have an address for service both myself and another victim are in a position to serve letter(s) of claim or sealed process. Currently we are waiting on discussions the other victim is having with a solicitors firm about a possible Conditional Fee Arrangement (no-win, no-fee). For other victims, the West Midlands police reference is 3109-151122.

Dylan Charlie Crimed

Georgina Middleton / Dylan Charlie’s posts will very shortly lead to substantial civil action against her, and her online posts are under police investigation. Click for full size.

As I said in my previous article here, I consider there is a compelling public interest in naming Dylan / Georgina and giving information about my police reports. This person has been making allegations of the most serious nature online about people ill-equipped to identify her for some time. She has referred to allegations against me she knows to be false, based on her emails. She appears to have incited or encouraged others. Naming her is in the public interest and will assist her victims. Publishing the crime reference number allocated by Cambridgeshire Police and the number from West Midlands Police will make it easy for other victims to explain to police she has a history. There is also a public interest in my responding to false allegations about me communicated to the public, and making it clear how the authorities view them. Finally, there is a public interest in deterring anonymous trolling in the belief it is consequence free. There is a public interest in deterring the group of posters around Georgina making dangerous allegations.

There is also an ongoing concern the allegations may incite violence, which is not helped by members of a group calling themselves, “Knives” getting involved. Taken together, the events have caused fear, alarm and distress to victims and put them in fear of violence by vigilantes.

Cambridge Police have previously had to apologise to me about a similar case when I was in law school but have been very helpful this time. In the previous incident, I had named an internet troll and threatened them with litigation. It did not end well for the troll – or the police officer. The police have been helpful and seem keen not to repeat the same mistakes. Management action was taken against an officer previously – there is still a note in the previous crime report. Private individuals are allowed to represent themselves to contact potential defendants to civil crimes for the purposes of litigation, such as a letter of claim, and it is not harassment no matter how much the defendants say torts trigger them.

Fortunately, because I have previously taken High Court action, successfully representing myself, police now have a better idea of the seriousness of the situation. As a reminder, here is a restraining order I obtained against Dr Jacqui Dillon, and here is a restraining order I obtained against Esther Baker – who is still paying off my costs by High Court Enforcement Officers (High Court bailiffs). Baker has years – perhaps more than a decade – of debt and poverty in front of her.

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Orly Georgina? Exposing Georgina Middleton / Dylan Charlie – Very ex-Assisted Content Producer and Internet Troll

One of the most common features of internet trolls is their cowardice and anonymity. My face and real name is at the bottom of this blog, because I am a legitimate commentator. Others are not so honest. This article exposes Georgina C Middleton, a vile internet troll who uses the online pseudonym Dylan Charlie. Whilst she claims to have transitioned, and that ‘Georgina’ is her deadname, I might find that more convincing if the name ‘Georgina’ was not on all the emails she was spamming me, and she was not asserting ‘she’ pronouns on Twitter. Last night, after she posted material about me from a terrorist group, Cambridgeshire Police crimed the reported behaviour as Malicious Communications – meaning that their initial opinion is that there are grounds for investigation. Georgina is finding out online posts have real world consequences. I am likely to take civil action as are others she has defamed.

Georgina Middleton / Dylan Charlie has been repeating false allegations of rape online (not claiming to be the victim) including one false allegation of paedophilia she appears to know is false and came from a terrorist group. Her posts will very shortly lead to substantial civil action against her, and are under police investigation. To the extent that the police investigation is private information there is a public interest in revealing it as set out below. Click for full size.

So last week I ran my piece on false allegations, given currency by the band Snayx and others, against a musician who was to perform at the 2000 Trees Festival. I had agreed to help the accused person find a lawyer or assist them myself in litigation as McKenzie Friend. A day or so later I received a comment from a person with a Cambridgeshire based internet point of presence (92.17.181.69). The conversation was odd because the person appeared to be unstable or intellectually challenged, but I was polite and kind. At times they appeared to be trying to conceal their real IP. The emails were from a person named Georgina, but ended Dylan or D.C.M. They acknowledged – of importance, that I was a victim of crime.

Whilst identifying posters who had been making false rape allegations about the victim for the purposes of litigation, it became apparent that Georgina is one of the posters, under the name, “Dylan Charlie”. I was going to ignore them until it got to time for the victim to do their letter of claim. Unfortunately, Georgina, knowing me to be a victim of sex crime, decided to repeat material from a terrorist group. That has now been taken down, but police have still allocated a crime reference number. It does not matter she tried to frame it as a mention – it has been proven untrue in court and there is no excuse for gratuitously raising it.

Obviously, aside from the fact that she may now be sued by at least two people and go to prison, Dylan / Georgina’s malicious posts have not achieved very much. As a cautionary tale, it is worth mentioning just how much information was readily obtainable about this troll. Just to be clear, where family members are mentioned, I name them but do not give surnames or addresses nor link to social media profiles. This is a public interest article to highlight the risks of online trolling, but I am not going to dox nor put these people in the line of fire.

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Sinister Silencing Attempt by Snayx and Rebecca Redwood of Republic of Music Fails

After my previous article, Rebecca Redwood of Republic of Music, PR to the Z-list band, ‘Snayx’, reported me to police and had her solicitors send me a letter. I have had a short discussion with the very helpful investigating officer today. They have informed me that the matters complained of do not amount to harassment and the case will be closed. My article will remain up and the boycott campaign will continue. This outcome heaps further pressure on Zero 9:36, Kid Kapichi, Republic of Music and the 2000 Trees Festival to terminate their business relationships with the band.

Shamefully, the band ZERO 9:36 is allowing vile abusers Snayx to tour with them.

Shamefully, the band ZERO 9:36 is allowing vile abusers Snayx to tour with them.

Brighton police have been very thorough and swift, but this attempt by Redwood to silence myself as a proven victim of sex crime for making legitimate criticisms of both she and her band are deeply concerning. It has failed. This matter is not over. My article, “Naming the Abusers: Ollie Horner, Charlie Herridge and Rebecca Redwood of Snayx UK” is not harassment and it will remain up. Supporting trial of sex crimes by Facebook post is abuse and those who do it can legitimately be called abusers of the accused and of their privileged platforms. Such behaviour undermines the cause of genuine victims of sex crime.

The preparations for civil action against Redwood by her victim – the unjustly accused frontman of another band – are still underway. The first step in a claim for defamation is a letter before action. After that, if there is no reply or it is unconvincing, a claim can be issued easily in the King’s Bench on CE-File and served promptly. Where a victim has a low income they are exempt from court fees. Things are likely to become expensive soon for someone.

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Naming the Abusers: Ollie Horner, Charlie Herridge and Rebecca Redwood of Snayx UK

Ollie Horner and Charlie Herridge, as well as their PR Rebecca Redwood, have been condemned by real victims of sex crime after vile opportunistic band-wagon jumping on unproven and untrue sexual abuse allegations. Now they face accountability in the form of a campaign to have them excluded from the music industry and to name and shame those who work with them.

Shamefully, the band ZERO 9:36 is allowing vile abusers Snayx to tour with them.

Shamefully, the band ZERO 9:36 is allowing vile abusers Snayx to tour with them.

Your author is a proven victim of sex crime, in an actual court not a Tumblr post. In 2016 I was stalked by members of a vile terrorist forum who created revenge pornography of me, leading to my well known lawsuit against the vile paedophile Kiwidynastia – a member of the infamous child stalking forum Kiwifarms. There is still a bounty to this day for his real identity. Dynastia, known to encourage the collection of pictures and other information about minors as young as five, had fabricated sexual images of me and accused me of sharing his own vile predilictions, as well as those of his perverted friend Joshua Conner Moon.

People who commit such crimes deserve to be punished. Equally however, there is little more vile than a false allegator or someone who wastes law enforcement time. Aside from causing huge distress to the falsely accused (who have rights too, of course) it draws resources from real victims. If a person in one place wastes the time of specially trained officers, somewhere a woman or a child may be raped with no redress. Such people deserve the harshest condemnation. The foreseeable consequence of squandering police resources is the image of a vile rapist or paedophile thrusting into a screaming victim. Even those who do not contact police but spread gossip discredit real victims and contributed to a growing toxicity in society around sex crime and sex abuse.

Such behaviour runs the gamut from making up vile sexual allegations, to simply encouraging such behaviour by jumping on bandwagons in ignorance of the truth. In my opinion and that of many others, such persons are abusers themselves, and it is in this context that I am naming as abusers Ollie Horner and Charlie Herridge of the inconsequential, ‘band’ Snayx and their PR Rebecca Redwood of Republic of Music.

On 2 November 2022 I ran a story about shocking abuse perpetrated by the organiser of the 2000 Trees festival, James Scarlett. In a statement written by James with the apparent assistance of Brendan Herbert, a partner at music law firm Laceys, Mr Scarlett did not deny the essentials of that story. A band scheduled to appear at the festival had been subject to sexual allegations. To police? Nope. On Facebook. James did not bother to hold an investigation, he just terminated the band’s appearance and opened a thread for discussion leading to wilder and ever more hysterical allegations.

Until I offered to consider providing pro-bono legal assistance to the accused band member. Within hours of my making contact, despicable James was in retreat. The post has been taken down. As far as I can tell, the allegations are wholly false. In contrast, the allegations in this article – and my last one – were put to the affected parties and have not been denied.

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2000 Trees and James Scarlett to be Sued, Bankrupted?

Will this post ruin James Scarlet's Career?

This post by the 2000 Trees Festival could ruin James Scarlet’s career forever, and leave him personally bankrupt.

I have just been asked to look at a case of what may be appalling abuse and misconduct by a music festival operator, James Scarlett. James is the organiser of the 2000 Trees music festival, which is operated by the Real Festival Company Limited. It appears that online allegations were made about abuse by a band member. The band member denies the allegations, and as far as I can determine so far has never been convicted or even invited for questioning by police. The festival, having seen the allegations, dropped him with a statement that appears to contain the false imputation that there was a meaningful investigation with an adverse outcome finding the allegations upheld. The festival then invited further comment from random members of the public. In effect, inviting gossip and speculation on the official 2000 Trees Facebook, whilst apparently deleting exculpatory posts. MHN is considering extending pro-bono support to the band. If the firm running the festival, the Real Festival Company Limited, is bankrupted that could affect its ability to pay acts – and the reputations of those associated with the firm or James. Other acts may need to consider whether they will stay on the line-up for the at-risk festival.

For those of you who do not know me, perhaps coming from 2000 Trees fansite or wherever, I am a law blogger. I have passed a Master’s Degree in Law (Legal Practice) with the solicitor’s exams (LL.M LPC) but not sought to practice as a solicitor. I do help people in court as a McKenzie Friend at the highest level – only ever for charity. For example, I was praised in Parliament helped a vulnerable woman accused of lacking mental capacity obtain a court declaration she had capacity and therefore retain her autonomy and her children (link to Parliament).

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