22/04/98 - Gary Russo Civial case

ATTENTION SARAH/DAVID HAUKER.
RE GARY RUSSO, SOUTHEND COUNTY COURT 22ND APRIL 1998.

My full name is PATRICK BERNARD LAWSON KING. I was formerly known as O'Mahoney. I changed my name by deed poll as my partners surname is King. We have never intended to get married but we thought changing my name would prevent our children from enduring remarks from those with out dated views on such liasons.

For many years i worked as a Nightclub Doorman. During that period i became immersed in various forms of criminal activity. lt is not something i am proud of, on the contrary, I have only raised the issue as i am fully aware credability in any Legal process is important and undoubtedly in this matter the subject will be raised.

I am mindfull that this action is privately funded and so in order to save the cost of researching my background and my activities, the following is a brief, but frank history of such matters either side may consider relevant.

1. For more than ten years i have earned the vast majority of my income as an investigative Journalist, News International being the Company i have made the vast majority of Editorial Contributions to. Three particular stories i have worked on have been called into question by, what i would describe, as the more liberal thinking faction of the media. Two of the stories involve men accused of the rape and murder of children.

The third concerned Peter Sutcliffe, or the Yorkshire Ripper as he is better known. In the first two instances, i wrote to the accused men using a pseudonym. Both men had vehemently denied the offences throughout the pre Trial process but over a period of several months i succeeded in getting both men to confess.

Tony Armstrong who raped and murdered three year old Rosie Palmer was given a life sentence and Richard Blenkey who buggered and murdered seven year old Paul Pearson was given a Life sentence with a recommendation that he serve at least twenty years. The News of the World conducted an investigation into Peter Sutcliffe who murdered thirteen women and attempted to murder a further seven.

A female Journalist using the pseudonym 'Belinda Cannon' was receiving telephone calls from Sutcliffe and he suggested that they should correspond. My 'skills' as a letter writer were called upon and so i began to write to Sutcliffe using the name Belinda Cannon. Barbara Jones, who was at the time working at the News of the World, published a book entitled 'Voices from God' which was about Peter Sutcliffe and his crimes.

The News of the World serialised the book and so the investigation i was involved in was abandoned. I took the letters i had received from Sutcliffe (with the permission of the News of the World) to a rival Newspaper (The People). Unfortunately the People ran the story that i had conned Peter Sutcliffe by posing as Belinda Cannon rather than running the story about Sutcliffes views on the crimes he had commited.

I threatend Legal action as the People had signed a contract and they settled. In the early to mid 1990's i met members of the Taylor family whilst attending the Old Bailey in support of my Brother who was on trial there. Lisa and Michelle Taylor were on trial for the murder of Alison Shaughnessy who had died after suffering 54 stab wounds.

The Taylors were convicted and i became the person who led their campaign for freedom. They were released eleven months after their conviction and we all moved into a flat together. I had spent a large amount of money and worked on average 15 hours per day on their behalf as i firmly believed they were innocent.

In October 1993 i came across something which proved beyond any doubt that they were in fact guilty, we rowed and i left to return to my partner and our children. The Taylors made a complaint about the Police Officers who investigated the murder and as a matter of course i was interviewed, Commander William Griffiths of Scotland Yard told me as it was a Police Complaints matter i couldnt face prosecution and therefore he would like the truth about the matter.I told him and the Taylors lost their claim for compensation.

My partner then began receiving nuisance telephone calls and they were traced by B.T. and the Police to the Taylors. The News of the World ran a story entitled 'Twisted Sisters made my life hell' which focused on the nuisance calls. The same week i was issued with a writ from the Taylors who sought to injunct me from disclosing confidential information. The case dragged on for two years and seven months.

Their claim changed from confidence to malicious falsehood when it was pointed out there was no confidence in criminal matters but despite two trial dates being set, they vacated both.In December last year the matter was struck out after the High Court stated it was an 'abuse of process.' Nick Davies of the Guardian Newspaper wrote a feature after the case describing me as a 'Scoopmonger'.

It is this article i believe Mr Richardsons Legal representatives intend to use to question my credibality with. The article describes Blenkey the child rapist and murderer and Sutcliffe, the killer of thirteen women as 'vunerable people', I believe their ghastly crimes speak for themselves.

As for the references to the Taylor Sisters in this article, Nick Davies was a potential witness in my case with the Taylors and he will end up with enough egg to make a very large ommlette on his face when the facts of the matter are released. His article is wholly inaccurate and Legal steps have been taken to rectify the matter.

The final matter Mr Richardsons Solicitor may raise is the death of Ecstasy victim Leah Betts. I was the Head Doorman at the Nightclub where the pill that killed her was obtained. My partner at that club, Anthoney Tucker and two of our associates, were all shot dead in December 1995. I was asked to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution in the Leah Betts trial which i did.

I was a suspect in the triple murder enquiry concerning my friends, two men have since been convicted and sentenced to Life imprisonment. You will have noticed, nothing i have mentioned to date concerning myself is illegal, but i am sure there are those who will say my actions are dubious or improper. Whilst working as a Doorman i was regulary approached to collect debts or sort people and peoples problems out.

It is fair to say, it was known we would intimidate people into meeting our demands rather than agreeing of their own free will. One particular debt i was given to collect was from a man named John Richardson. He did not approach me directly, I was first told about the debt through a Doorman who worked for me. Richardson, I was told had already given the debt to local thugs who had little or no idea about sorting such matters out.

Their incompetence had led to the man who alledgedly owed the moneyto going to the Police and asking his Solicitor to seek an injunction against Mr Richardson and his agents. I told the Doorman who worked for me that i would go and see Mr Richardson but he told me i couldnt go to his house we would meet at the Crown public house in Laindon Hills. I went with the Doorman and we met Richardson on the car park.

He gave my associate three pieces of paper concerning the debt and they were passed to me. Two of these pieces of paper have been made available to Mr Russo's Solicitor, I am still trying to find the third. I initially telephoned Mr Russo's home and his Wife answered. When i explained why i wanted to speak to her Husband who was out she became quite abusive and so i said i would pursue him at work.

I went to Mr Russos workplace the following day and told him i needed to speak to him. He was obviously embarresed and asked if he could meet me during his Lunch hour. I agreed and we met at a nearby pub called the 'Owl and Pussycat'. It had been impressed upon me by Mr Richardson to make it crystal clear to Mr Russo that he should agree to the terms being offered or life could be made very difficult for him.

Mr Russo read the agreement and said he was unhappy with the wording, particulary the clause he was asked to pay me in cash. He did say he wanted to settle the matter on principal. I warned Mr Russo we knew where he lived and he became quite distressed. lt was then i learned that one of his children was seriously ill.

Mr Russo pleaded with me to leave his family out of it and i felt extremely sorry for him. I told him to forget i had seen him as i wanted no further part in the matter. I was annoyed Richardson had kept this from me as if i had known, I wouldnt have touched the alledged debt. I heard no more about the matter until December 1995 or early 1996 when Police Officers investigating the murder of John Marshall questioned me.

Mr Russo once did business with Mr Marshall and they were investigating all aspects of his affairs. I told them about the debt and the reasons why i had not pursued it and i considered that the end of the matter. I have furnished Mr Russo with the names of the investigating Officers.

I have had no previous contact with Mr Russo before this matter, i have only ever met him on two or three occasions. Mr Russo informs me he managed to trace me for the benefit of giving evidence in this matter via my partners family. I shall attend Court at the next hearing with documentary evidence, where applicable to confirm the aforementioned.

Yours Sincerely.
Bernard O'Mahoney