Reports on the leaked Smith Report can be found on Exaro News HERE
The ‘scoop’ relates to an early draft of Dame Janet Smith’s review on Jimmy Savile.
Without doubt this ‘scoop’ is a feather in the cap for David Hencke and Exaro News. However, the draft is over a year old and judging by the desperate references to it in the days preceding the BBC Panorama on Elm Guest House back in October last years by Exaro, it seems likely that they have had this leaked report in their possession for some time and I think,therefore it is fair to say that the exposure of its contents now is part of a well orchestrated piece of news management, an attempt at moving the news agenda away from scrutiny of their source ‘Nick’, Operation Midland, and the public outrage over the treatment of Lord Bramall.
Nevertheless, regardless of how cynical the timing is, it shouldn’t detract from the newsworthiness of this leaked report, it’s just something that needs to be borne in mind.
[Edit: In fairness to Exaro and David Hencke, I’m adding this comment left by David to the main text here. I may have been a little too cynical in my appraisal above.The last two years have left me cynical but not, I hope, close-minded:
“Gojam
Thanks for the mention. This has nothing to do with news management on the Midland story. It is a separate investigation that I have been doing quietly for months ( which is why I haven’t written on Midland recently) and has taken a lot of time and effort. The trigger that led to us publishing it last night was the long,long awaited decision to publish the final report in six weeks time announced by Dame Janet Smith and also that it would no longer prejudice police investigations. I had enormous difficulty working out from the report what police investigation would be prejudiced as Dame Janet had an agreement with the Met NOT to interview anyone who could be part of a future police investigation.Very odd.”]
Dame Janet Smith’s review into the BBC’s practices at the time of the Jimmy Savile scandal has reportedly been leaked by investigative Exaro, including “devastating detail” on the broadcaster’s “sheer scale of awareness” during Savile’s activities.
The retired judge condemns BBC culture over Savile’s crimes at the corporation in her inquiry report and includes statements from witnesses who claim the TV personality assaulted children “in plain sight”, draft excerpts published by the investigative news website have revealed.
Smith criticises the corporation for a “very deferential culture”, its “untouchable” stars and “above the law” managers.
Her report outlines multiple rapes and indecent assaults on children which she claims were all “in some way associated with the BBC”.
And in the afterword of the lengthy leaked report, the retired judge states: “Finally, I wish to consider whether it is possible that a predatory child abuser could be lurking undiscovered in the BBC even today.
“The answer is that I think it is possible.”
theneedleblog 
lack of true justice and truth will soon force self justice and a disregard for the one’s in control of hiding it. Someone in high places is bound to get it sooner or later.
Gojam, David: It would be naive not to expect the ‘establishment’ to muddy the waters of both debate and organised investigation.
It is my understanding that numerous Spads and drivers were aware of the H-o-P ‘partying’. I have seen much printed material that suggests the situation at the BBC is identical.
If an independent group approached ex-members (with no career considerations) of both the H-o-P and BBC it should be possible to create a timeline of critical events. Although this timeline would have no empiric value, it would be a vital resource to people like myself who want this topic to stay in the headlines and the real truth to come out.
Gojam
Thanks for the mention. This has nothing to do with news management on the Midland story. It is a separate investigation that I have been doing quietly for months ( which is why I haven’t written on Midland recently) and has taken a lot of time and effort. The trigger that led to us publishing it last night was the long,long awaited decision to publish the final report in six weeks time announced by Dame Janet Smith and also that it would no longer prejudice police investigations. I had enormous difficulty working out from the report what police investigation would be prejudiced as Dame Janet had an agreement with the Met NOT to interview anyone who could be part of a future police investigation.Very odd.
Thanks David,
I’ve edited the main text of the post.
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needle has been very anti exaro recently but i expect that has coloured your view on this point.
its probably more pertinent that smith herself released a statement yesterday saying that the police no longer considered that there was a chance of prejudice in any ongoing cases.
within hours exaro had published.
doesnt matter what people think of them this is a scoop and one that we know cant prejudice police cases.
I think that is a fair point.
Exaro..
Nick, EB, the hand-in-hand nature of exaro’s relationship with LP and now ReflectionsUK3..
..add to that, the direct involvement of the survivor stalkers, Duckworth and Haydon..
..and this stinks.
Pure PR, using vulnerable survivors of childhood abuse. It’s sickening.
News agencies should stick to reporting news..not making it.
And now they are swinging the hatchet back to the BBC, via Savile, with some unclear hinty rubbish they been keeping on the bottom of the pile for a year? Who they trying to kid?
Also, try asking hencke or anyone from exaro a simple question about any of this, and you won’t get an answer.
mark watts looked a little more confidant on the news this morning than he has in previous bbc tv interviews.
the non scoop of this old draft report could be seen as a distraction from a variety of previously promoted stories and a neat way to get the bbc to kick themselves where it hurts whilst boosting exaro’s credibility as investigative journalists.
it is perhaps no surprise that the bbc have played along.
Reblogged this on Floating-voter.
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“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”
Sherlock Holmes― Arthur Conan Doyle
Equally pertinent.
It’s certainly obvious to me.
Well you know where it is heading, we have talked about it before, and the Ides of March are real.
The news agenda has to move away from ‘Nick’, Operation Midland, at the moment, as it is an ongoing, and very complexed enquiry, and no-one is allowed to speculate on the outcome?
Even Sherlock Holmes would find this ‘difficult’.
I think Holmes’ maxim would serve him well enough.
“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”
As it is impossible that Nick’s allegations are true… [I’ll leave readers to work out the rest]