A Core Participant Victim, the Harry Potter author challenged news publishers over intrusion into her private life on numerous occasions. Gave evidence of snatched photos of her family and her residence.
Opening with remarks about her respect for freedom of expression and here awareness of her privileged position, Rowling describes three challenges she has faced with the press: the protection of her children, the protection of her home life and ‘fair treatment’, meaning unlawful activities. She describes the care she takes to avoid publicity involving her family and home, the stress caused by media attention and her frequent need to take legal action – she has instructed solicitors on these matters at least 50 times. ‘As an adult, I have made certain choices in my life and I must accept that certain consequences follow. However, my children have not made any such choices,’ she says. She relates a legal action against Big Pictures Ltd and also four legal cases relating to intrusion into her home life. She describes dealings with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), saying she lost confidence in it. Under ‘fair treatment’ she gives examples of blagging, leaking, false attribution and three cases of defamation. She concludes: ‘In my experience the remedies that are currently available to address this problem are either ineffective and/or do not act as a sufficient deterrent to curtail the behaviour of certain sections of the media.’
Afternoon session, beginning transcript p35
Questioned by Robert Jay QC, she is led through her statement and elaborates or further explains some elements. She remarks: ‘Twice since 1998 I have put on a swimsuit on a public beach. Twice. And on both of those times I've been photographed.’ And: ‘If you lock horns with them [parts of the press] in this way, if you protest or you make a complaint, then you can expect some form of retribution fairly quickly.’ She gives more details of her knowledge of Operation Motorman. She responds to challenges to her evidence from the Daily Mail and the Sunday Times.
This short statement contains Rowling’s response to evidence five to the Inquiry on 9 February 2012 by Darryn Lyons of Big Pictures Ltd, disputing a number of his statements in relation to photographs taken of her and her family.</p
24 November 2011, afternoon session
This short statement contains Rowling’s response to evidence five to the Inquiry on 9 February 2012 by Darryn Lyons of Big Pictures Ltd, disputing a number of his statements in relation to photographs taken of her and her family.
Opening with remarks about her respect for freedom of expression and here awareness of her privileged position, Rowling describes three challenges she has faced with the press: the protection of her children, the protection of her home life and ‘fair treatment’, meaning unlawful activities. She describes the care she takes to avoid publicity involving her family and home, the stress caused by media attention and her frequent need to take legal action – she has instructed solicitors on these matters at least 50 times. ‘As an adult, I have made certain choices in my life and I must accept that certain consequences follow. However, my children have not made any such choices,’ she says. She relates a legal action against Big Pictures Ltd and also four legal cases relating to intrusion into her home life. She describes dealings with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), saying she lost confidence in it. Under ‘fair treatment’ she gives examples of blagging, leaking, false attribution and three cases of defamation. She concludes: ‘In my experience the remedies that are currently available to address this problem are either ineffective and/or do not act as a sufficient deterrent to curtail the behaviour of certain sections of the media.’
Afternoon session, beginning transcript p35
Questioned by Robert Jay QC, she is led through her statement and elaborates or further explains some elements. She remarks: ‘Twice since 1998 I have put on a swimsuit on a public beach. Twice. And on both of those times I've been photographed.’ And: ‘If you lock horns with them [parts of the press] in this way, if you protest or you make a complaint, then you can expect some form of retribution fairly quickly.’ She gives more details of her knowledge of Operation Motorman. She responds to challenges to her evidence from the Daily Mail and the Sunday Times.
