UPDATE I today received a prison sentence of eight months for my reporting of the defence case in the Alex Salmond trial. I have a three week stay while we apply to this same court for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. My appeal will be based on the simple fact that I did not identify anybody. It will also be based on the right to report the defence case being denied by an extraordinary, impossibly strict application of “jigsaw identification”, and on fair process not having been observed.
Should this court refuse permission to appeal, which seems not unlikely, I will in all probability be jailed while we apply direct to the Supreme Court for permission, which will take some months.
I am afraid I find myself once again obliged to ask you for funding for the appeal. We have raised about £70,000 but are likely to need, at the least, double that.
UPDATE The defence fund has received £46,520 in the 24 hours since it was relaunched to fund the appeal to the Supreme Court. That does not get us there, but it is a good start on our way as the appeal continues. Over 2,000 people have donated, with the smallest donation being 82p and the largest £1,000. Every penny is greatly appreciated. I should make plain that despite the astronomical costs, some members of our legal team have been working substantially below their normal rates and with time donated free.
One donation of £500 from a gentleman I know, came with a note that explained that Willie MacRae had lent him £100 shortly before his highly suspect death. He regarded the £500 as repaying that debt, and was sure Willie would approve of the use of his money. That brought tears to my eyes.
UPDATE ENDS
On Friday I shall be sentenced, very possibly to prison, for contempt of court by “jigsaw identification”. While I do not believe anybody has ever been imprisoned for “jigsaw identification” before, my entire prosecution has been so perverse that I cannot imagine why they have done it unless that is the intention.
With enormous diffidence and frankly embarrassment, I find myself yet again obliged to ask people to contribute towards my defence fund before my hearing next Friday, to enable us to move forward with an appeal to the Supreme Court. Legal bills actually paid to date amount to £161,000, with about eight thousand not billed yet. Non-legal costs, including the opinion poll, total around £9,000. The total raised by the defence fund to date is around £143,000 with the balance of around £18,000 paid so far having come from my personal pocket.
The practical result of the judgement against me is that it is virtually impossible to report the defence in any sexual allegation case; as witness the fact that I was ordered by the court to take down every single word of my articles covering the defence case and evidence.
The judges ruled that publishing any information that could theoretically assist not the public, but literally a colleague who worked in the same office, to identify a complainant, would constitute jigsaw identification. They also ruled that jigsaw identification was committed if you gave a piece of information which could identify a complainant in conjunction with information that could be found anywhere else, no matter how obscure. For example, if information from page 19 of the Inverurie Herald six years ago, combined with information from page 178 of a book, combined with something I published could lead to an identification, I am guilty regardless of whether or not anybody did in practice actually piece together these obscure sources of information.
In fact the court heard nothing that would pass as evidence in court that any individual had in fact identified anybody as a result of my articles. There was zero evidence of harm. What has been harmful is the gross censorship of my journalism, with my entire daily account of the defence case removed, and my critique of the Garavelli article removed. In consequence, it is once again virtually impossible for anybody to discover WHY Alex Salmond was acquitted, enabling the massive state and media led campaign to claim he was really guilty – which sadly appears, with the counter-narrative banned, to have acquired great traction.
You will recall that I commissioned a Panelbase opinion poll which proved that a significant 8% of the Scottish population – that is around 400,000 adults – believed they had been able to identify one or more of the complainants in the Salmond case from publication, but when asked stated that the source of this caption was overwhelmingly the mainstream media.
Well I decided to re-run the opinion poll to see if anything had changed. These were the results. 11% of the Scottish adult population – that is half a million adults – by now believe they know an identity. This is how they know:
It is perfectly clear and entirely consistent with the first poll. 54% of people who believe they know an identity got their information from the newspapers. 27% got it from TV and radio (there may be overlap between these groups).
Yet no newspaper or TV journalist or editor is being prosecuted.
Not even Dani Garavelli, who is overwhelmingly named as the source of information – by fifteen different people – is being prosecuted.
So let us be perfectly clear. The three top sources named for identification were
Dani Garavelli – by a country mile
Kirsty Wark
BBC
None of whom is being prosecuted. Garavelli has published an entire series of major articles amplifying the prosecution case against Salmond, in Tortoise media, twice in Scotland on Sunday and in the London Review of Books, plus many other well paid commissions. She has effectively made a fat living out of an entirely one-sided account that claims miscarriage of justice simply by omitting all the defence evidence. In so doing she has plainly been much more credibly guilty of jigsaw identification than I. On the other hand, my long critique of Garavelli’s first Scotland on Sunday article, which interpolated the defence evidence which contradicted her account and proved that the jury was right, has now been banned, censored and desroyed by the court, the 21st century equivalent of burning the manuscript in the public square.
Garavelli has gone on to become media-puppet-in-chief to the Scottish government, producing a stream of adulatory articles about Nicola Sturgeon like this one about what a great constituency MSP Sturgeon is, which is (ahem) somewhat contrary to received wisdom.
Garavelli is protected because she is part of the inner circle, while I am prosecuted, when the mainstream media is not, because I am an opponent of the corrupt nexus of power that governs Scotland today. The official line is that through enthusiasm for Salmond’s cause I revealed information to the public that the mainstream media did not. That is a fiction the Scottish legal system has chosen to adopt, and for which I will be sentenced on Friday.
All the real world evidence shows that is untrue. I revealed far less than the mainstream media revealed. This is a shameless and openly political prosecution of one of the very few platforms of any size which explained the truth about why Alex Salmond was acquitted by the jury. That is my “crime”.
We have to get this out of the foetid corruption of Edinburgh and into Strasbourg. That is only possible via the UK Supreme Court, and my legal team are now working on that appeal. I urge you to subscribe not only because of the particular injustice of my own case, but also because this ruling puts a huge power in the hands of the state by making it next to impossible to report the defence in cases of sexual allegation. As such allegations are the favoured tool of the state against perceived dissident threats (cf Julian Assange), this is very dangerous indeed.
You can contribute to my defence fund here. I am extremely grateful to those who have and I want to stress that I absolutely do not want anybody to contribute if it causes them even the slightest financial difficulty. I am afraid to say that the amounts we need to raise remain ridiculous; this fact is of course all part of the implementation of suppression, by “lawfare”.
Click HERE TO DONATE if you do not see the Donate button above
Alternatively:
Account name
MURRAY CJ
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IBAN GB98NWBK60400532150962
BIC NWBKGB2L
Bank address Natwest, PO Box 414, 38 Strand, London, WC2H 5JB
Bitcoin: bc1q3sdm60rshynxtvfnkhhqjn83vk3e3nyw78cjx9
Ethereum/ERC-20: 0x764a6054783e86C321Cb8208442477d24834861a
Good luck on Friday. I am shaken to the core by this travesty of justice.
It’s been a hard year on the pocket if you have a conscience. I will be happy to make another contribution.
Me too.
This stinks to high heaven – as you say, Strasbourg is imperative.
Good luck on Friday!
A few bucks on the way,
You needn’t feel embarrassed to mention when the kitty needs a ‘top up’ ?
Good luck
All the best with the appeal, Craig. Having lived in Cape Town from 1975 to 1984 I have seen the suppression of democracy and state corruption in action.
New Zealand just had a contempt of court case for breaching a suppression order of a murder accused. The breach was blatant with the recalcitrant even supplying a photo of the murderer on social media. Even though the law says prison is an option for the breach the person was fined $15,000 and ordered to do 350 hours community service. He is quite wealthy.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124972405/grace-millane-suppression-breach-leo-molloy-fined-15000-for-naming-killer-on-forum
Hi Craig,
Donation made.
All who want to improve things in Scotland should support your defence and your resistance to this persecution.
Good luck on Friday! As in, I hope you wake up in your own bed on Saturday morning and not in a prison cell.
N_
Of course they will imprison, even knowing that it is going to be overturned – the arseholes are merely following orders – believing they are guaranteed immunity.
These articles which are disappeared is the desperate act of Lesse Majeste.
Where is PEN? Where are the international and National Indy investigative Journalism groups who whine daily about their imprisoned DS spies they daily send to agit prop against foreign states?
They are ALL owned including AMNESTY.
All my direct debits are long cancelled from all the fake social justice charity scammers – including the biggies. I am looking at putting a case together to reclaim these under false advertising! There must be many thousands £‘s.
I assume that the censored articles are available and will FOREVER be – for daily reference, especially against the Grand Presstitutes who are named in your poll.
My subscription to this blog is running and a top up score on way now, let’s get it to the ECHR at light speed and get you back to your new born and medical care – I expect your Prison to be daily attended to by an ever growing vigil and protest – where are the musicians de jour? Everyone of which should be clamouring to get on your case making their OWN minds up.
Scottish students need to grow a pair and put justice above their already disrupted studies in the glaring light of Scotland under censorship. As usual a trial run for the rest of us across England. England’s Students should be piling on like we did for Biko and Mandela. Think of the abuses of policing of the Miners Strike and Apartheid supporting Governments and Poll Tax – Freedom begins at Home – if you want a life that is secure and fair, get on the streets NOW and everyday until we win. We are the many.
“Students should be piling on like we did for Biko and Mandela.”, obvious elephant in the room … Craig doesn’t fit the required profile.
Contribution on its way.
uh Biko got beaten to death, and Mandela spent years in prison. and Craig may well spend years in prison. the required profile is somebody getting mercilessly abused by the state.
Even in a worst case scenario, Craig won’t spend “years in prison”. The person who blatantly published the FULL NAMES of the Alphabet Ladies on Twitter only got six months for Contempt of Court. With that precedent in mind, I can’t see how CM could be legitimately sentenced to more than three – in which case he’d be out in six weeks. He’d most likely be out before any appeal had even been heard. That said, there are important principles at stake here – as Craig writes, the inability to report the defence case in sexual assault trials, so the conviction must be appealed and fought.
Dead or in prison? He might do on Friday.
I’ve not republished all of Craig’s essays, just the ones that related to other work on my site, but you can search for the censored ones here:
https://williambowles.info/?s=craig+murray
This is indeed lawfair but the alternative is Gleichschaltung under Sturgeon’s ZANU PF. I can’t live in THAT Scotland. Contribution on the way.
Hopefully we’ll have a strong ALBA contingent in Holyrood to fight your case and others.
I don’t buy the single figure polling results for ALBA. There’s a stirring in the streets.
A male stirring or a female stirring? The Alba leader isn’t liked by most women voters I know.
The better Alba performs, the less likely an SNP majority is (currently at evens at Betfair).
Albamen – beyond a yolk. There’s got to be a joke there somewhere.
More than half of the election list contenders for ALBA are women. Most of the women I know are voting ALBA. Perhaps the word should be yoke. That which lots of blindfolded women use to help carry their buckets of bitter scorn.
Craig,
I wager that the sentence shall not be imprisonment. At worse a suspended sentence.
Your best shot is the appeal for exoneration.
if I am wrong – willing to eat humble pie.
Sent a donation a few minutes ago.
They can’t win – if they put you in prison, they will be creating a martyr. And if they are that stupid, there are thousands of us out here who will make sure Nadira and your two boys don’t starve while you’re inside.
I can’t find the words to tell you how much I appreciate the work you do. Some light in the darkness out there. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures to read your writing. And it’s one of the few pleasures left in life for an old bloke like me to be able to contribute to your legal fund.
So thank you again, for everything. The truth will come out in the end.
We once had pride in Scottish justice. It is now a travesty. I hope you are acquitted. Donation on its way to bank.
Good luck on Friday.
Sadly, here in Germany you, and your case, appear to be too far below the radar for anybody else to notice.
Similarly to Tim Rideout, I lived in Cape Town for many years and know first-hand how the Powers that be can bring a good man to his knees. Let us hope it doesn`t come to that and that you don`t need to appeal.
A small donation is on its way.
In my lifetime, and from studying recent history, I have never before witnessed a time like this when the arms of the state have tried to silence people to such an extent, and on myriad topics. I have never witnessed a time which is so intellectually shallow and yet so deeply mired in fascistic/totalitarian models of behaviour coupled with virtue signalling to the depth of a shallow puddle. Ask these idiots what they are virtue signalling about and they haven’t a clue. “He/she/they/it next to me believes it so, so should I even when I haven’t a scoobie either about what it means or what it presages, but I’ll do it anyway cos it’s part of the Zeitgeist” seems to be the mantra – and that’s from the supposedly educated elite of Scotland, the pampered middle-class “I want to feel virtuous at somebody else’s expense” non-thinkers. The only thing of depth we have to look forward to is the depth off s***e we are expected to wade in and bury ourselves in up to the neck. I wish you all the best, and I really hope they do not jail you because I think that would be so stupid as to be beyond the pale even for many of those who do not necessarily agree with you. My means are slender, but I will help.
A corrupt State, led by a corrupt First Minister whose leading line of defence necessitates her blatantly lying under oath is a corrupt State too far. Justice will never be achieved for as long as Scotland entertains a First Minister who brazenly colludes with the State Judiciary to prosecute civilians whom she presumes a threat to her ambition, aided and abetted by a servile media.
Luck is not what you require on Friday Craig, nought but justice will suffice. It is a shocking indictment of the state we find ourselves in that you may be forced to seek justice in the courts of a foreign country. Support to your defence fund will follow.
Wishing justice be done for yourself and family on Friday. From the Isle of Skye.
All our thoughts are with you and your family Craig. To bear the pressure that the State has directed towards you, and still continue to operate as a Journalist is just amazing. Its the least, we your readers can do is donate. Sleep tight Craig.
Those poll findings will surprise nobody with a brain, including your Diplock court and Crown Office persecutors. The double standard they applied to you and the likes of Garrivelli is so laughable it would make Bolsonaro and Duterte blush. What a regime! (Donation made).
Top-up contribution made. It is NOT a donation – it is a contribution to a fight against the vexatious use of a discredited and corrupt unaccountable legal system, in league with a corrupt political class (unionist and faux independence) that threatens the good and liberty of all of us in Scotland, and our future as an independent people.
We must hope that the ALBA vote delivers a substantial number of MSPs on Thursday – we need people there who actually believe in independence – not one led by the cult of a malignant narcissist on the make.
Let’s hope that Alex Salmond can complete an unfinished political task
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/salmond-sturgeon-destroyed-snp-alba-b1841720.html
I hope they don’t jail you, but they are well aware that the Supreme Court and Strasbourg wheels grind slow!
And they are utter bastards
I wish you well, Craig and desperately hope your worst fears are not realised.
Unfortunately as you know, you are also being persecuted for your excellent work on the Julian Assange trial.
Try and stay strong!
the three monkeys dont want to see who else is responsible, they are blind to the facts.
They do not want to hear Craigs evidence as they have their ears muffled with his money.
And their secret court meetings with Craig, without a jury or much public attendance is the great silence that speaks volumes.
What I can afford is on its way. Good luck to you and justice, for they are both on trial.
I don’t live in Scotland, I’m not involved in Scottish politics, I’m a Brexiteer to the core and I believe that Covid-19 is a fraudulent “pandemic” of lies, deceit and utter corruption designed to change society irrevocably. And I don’t care if anyone here disagrees with me. Most importantly though I’m appalled at the total politicisation of the media, police and judiciary. This attack on Craig Murray and independent journalism like the UK Column represents the death knell for liberty if we don’t fight back. For that reason alone my contribution is winging its way to the defence fund.
I also don’t live in Scotland, I’m also not involved in Scottish politics, I voted Remain, I’m sure COVID-19 is real, I’m one of those awful tranny monsters who are supposed to be oppressing people in the name of political correctness, and my little donation is also its way.
“I also don’t live in Scotland, I’m also not involved in Scottish politics, I voted Remain, I’m sure COVID-19 is real, I’m one of those awful tranny monsters* who are supposed to be oppressing people in the name of political correctness, and my little donation is also its way.”
I don’t live in Scotland but I think enough of it to have got married in Edinburgh (1997), I’m not involved in Scottish politics and I think Scotland should be kicked out of the UK, along with the north of Ireland and Liverpool. I voted leave, I’m sure COVID-19 is real and I’m the last working class hero in England.
* I will judge your appearance the same that way I judge anyone in a dress; technical merit and artistic interpretation. ;O)
You might be tranny, but I am sure that you are neither awful nor a monster. There must be a way for us all to live together, for you to be yourself and for everyone to be themselves and a way to get there without threatening anyone. Thus far I can see the destination, but not the route. But peace all round on this.
Thanks. I just wanted to echo Tony Laverick’s point that people can unite over one issue even while being divided by others.
>>I believe that Covid-19 is a fraudulent “pandemic” of lies, deceit and utter corruption designed to change society irrevocably
I see that you are not saying CV19 is not real, just that it is being used for another evil agenda and I totally agree.
Donation on the way.
You have interpreted me correctly. Perhaps my initial post didn’t make that clear enough.
I, for one, don’t disagree with you Tony and in fact your situation and beliefs mirror mine almost exactly. I am still incredulous at the fetid state of governance and so-called justice in Scotland as revealed by their brave bloggers. I don’t just weep for Scotland because this fascism may spread South. God help us all if it does. Wishing for the best for you.
Given what you have said about the extreme selectivity of whom to charge, is this not an example of ‘abuse of process’ and so should it not be appealed to the highest courts?
The actual stink pervading the atmosphere around here at the moment comes from what farmers are spreading and will disappear in a few days. The miasma stirred up by brave souls like Craig and Julian will not disperse so easily. Shining a light and poking a stick at the midden of rottenness at the heart of what our country has become takes great courage and fortitude for which I am grateful. All good wishes for Friday come with a few bob for the kitty.
Sorry it’s not more. You are a beacon of light for justice. Especially for speaking up for Julian. Crossing my fingers and praying for you.
Craig.
If the worse happens, do you have a deputy to run this blog in your absence ?
Would hate for us ‘keyboard warriors’ to lose an outlet for our anti establishment rantings !!
This is Scotland as scripted by Milan Kundera and Lewis Carroll. There are men in long raincoats and imitation leather pork-pie hats watching from every street corner and on every bus. Others pretend to fish off the end of the dock. Do not be fooled — they themselves are the bait. Theirs is an angling club where it’s the fish wielding the rods, spinning lines and ready with the gaff.
Have just stabled four ponies in your account to help (if only a little) a ride to freedom.
Will be thinking of you on Friday. Keeping fingers crossed for you and will send a further donation in a day or two.
Craig my heart goes out to you . This is no longer my country any more I see clearly the perverted state she is in . You support Julian this is why they piss on you and laugh . I observe and see all
Think about all the lawyers who are getting rich off of all this bullshit and the endless court cases. You’d think they would all support independence by now, given its the independence supporters putting their kids through college.
I understand (as a non-lawyer) that sentences are usually based on precedent. Therefore, if they haven’t jailed anyone for this offense before, they are unlikely to do so now. My guess is therefore that you’ll get a fine.
But here’s a q about Scottish justice: if someone is found guilty, are they allowed to pack a case and then report to the jail, or put in chains immediately? If the latter is possible, I would make preparations for that contingency. If someone appeals against a jail sentence, do they have to go to jail and appeal from there?
You have my greatest admiration, Craig. I am happy to contribute again, in fact I consider it an honour. My best wishes to you and your family.