View Full Version : Retired newspaper journalist still sitting in court.
2little2late
12-Mar-14, 02:49
How can a retired journalist still sit in the Sheriff court, take notes and post court reports on the Org. Is this legal?
Alice in Blunderland
12-Mar-14, 05:52
He's doing it because he can and there's nothing illegal about it.He's retired from the Groat not life. If newspapers can report what's happened in the courts why can't it be on the org.
I agree Alice in Blunderland, I always have enjoyed this journalists particular style and I think he does a very good and worthwhile job.
Pat on the back for N.D.
"Legal?"
It's called the Public Gallery.
I don't know why he would want to do it but nothing illegal in it at all
David Banks
12-Mar-14, 08:17
How can a retired journalist still sit in the Sheriff court, take notes and post court reports on the Org. Is this legal?
So, tell us how old you are 2little2late. Maybe you should be pigeonholed as "retired," crawl into a corner and shut the heck up.
Kevin Milkins
12-Mar-14, 08:46
I don't find his retirement interest strange or a problem. Its one of the things I have a look at when having my daily dose of the Org.
Wonder if the complainer has recently been subject to NDs reporting?
I find the reports clear, not one-sided, just facts so what are they against -freedom to do as you want after retiring from one paid work. Is ND meant to spend retirement having nothing to do with his employment before retirement - tell that to mechanics, drivers, administrators, nurses, accountants, teachers, musicians and everyone who does any job.
2little2late
12-Mar-14, 16:34
"Legal?"
It's called the Public Gallery.
He doesn't sit in the public gallery. He sits with other journalists.
2little2late
12-Mar-14, 16:37
I remember a few years back Mr. P. Cannop wanted to start a thread on court reports and he was slated by everyone telling him it is not the right place for court reports and why would people want to read them anyway when they can buy the local newspaper. Double standards springs to mind.
Isnt it entirely possible that he is doing a bit of freelance work during his retirement?
Tubthumper
12-Mar-14, 17:07
I'm intrigued about which cases appear in the News. Is there some system whereby one can avoid all the embarrassment of one's little mishaps appearing in the Local Court reports?
It would be good to know the arrangement in case young Tubs gets lifted for being drunk & uncatchable in a gutter somewhere - save the family any shame.
I'm intrigued about which cases appear in the News. Is there some system whereby one can avoid all the embarrassment of one's little mishaps appearing in the Local Court reports? It would be good to know the arrangement in case young Tubs gets lifted for being drunk & uncatchable in a gutter somewhere - save the family any shame.Interestingly, I remember some years ago that a local lifeboat crew member was involved in a motoring offence which was common knowledge in the town, ND had it on here in a report before the court case, purely as gossip, yet a local hotelier and hounary sheriff was charged and convicted with the very same thing, yet ND chose not to put it in his column......a real case of Not News!!
2little2late, are ye a wee bitty jealous of this utterly professional journalist, or do ye have an axe the grind? Either way you could cheer for the oldies doing good stuff for the community and have a lovely day yersel. Bless ye dearie.
He doesn't sit in the public gallery. He sits with other journalists.
Fair enough. He must be doing a bit of journalism.
yet a local hotelier and hounary sheriff was charged and convicted with the very same thing, yet ND chose not to put it in his column......a real case of Not News!!
It's hardly news- most hoteliers drink too much!
I always like to know which of my neighbours are up before the beak this week. :Razz
2little2late
12-Mar-14, 22:52
Interestingly, I remember some years ago that a local lifeboat crew member was involved in a motoring offence which was common knowledge in the town, ND had it on here in a report before the court case, purely as gossip, yet a local hotelier and hounary sheriff was charged and convicted with the very same thing, yet ND chose not to put it in his column......a real case of Not News!!
They must be best of friends. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.
They must be best of friends. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.
Could be, but he's not a public service. He can put what he wishes to, on his messageboard.
2little2late
12-Mar-14, 22:59
Could be, but he's not a public service. He can put what he wishes to, on his messageboard.
Or can he? I've noticed quite a few court cases reported on here that weren't actually printed in the local press. Perhaps there's reasons why those cases weren't printed.
Or can he? I've noticed quite a few court cases reported on here that weren't actually printed in the local press. Perhaps there's reasons why those cases weren't printed.
The reporter may have been sent somewhere else, when those cases were on.
Or the perp may have been their relative, who knows!
They must be best of friends. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.Nah, it's just ND trying to 'court' favour. He didn't have the gonads to write about someone who he strives to be 'in' with. The story made the national press, he could have easily cut and pasted it along with much of his other stuff. I've little respect for a man who clearly sees his 'profession' as a way to social climb rather than do his so called job.
Not very impartial, not very journalistic.
More 'Not News' than Hot News.
2little2late
13-Mar-14, 19:25
I couldn't agree more with you Droopy. And for everyone else's information. No, I do not have any convictions, I do not bear a grudge against ND. I just find it strange that he has retired from journalism, yet he thinks it okay to sit in the court with other journalists and post reports on here when another user wanted to start a thread for court reports a few years back and was berated for it. What's the difference?
I couldn't agree more with you Droopy. And for everyone else's information. No, I do not have any convictions, I do not bear a grudge against ND. I just find it strange that he has retired from journalism, yet he thinks it okay to sit in the court with other journalists and post reports on here when another user wanted to start a thread for court reports a few years back and was berated for it. What's the difference?
Could journalists, even retired ones have had training on what can be reported in the public press and keep in the law with respect to privacy, libel and other breaches of civil liberties?
2little2late
13-Mar-14, 19:33
So, I guess there's nothing preventing me from sitting in the public gallery of a sheriff court, taking notes and posting the court reports on here then?
orkneycadian
13-Mar-14, 19:43
Not very impartial, not very journalistic.
More 'Not News' than Hot News.
Steady. I always look forward to see what kind of horrendous clash of fonts and font sizes he comes with next. I reckon that when posting, he first clicks on the Font drop down box, closes his eyes and randomly picks one. Then repeats with the Size drop down box. For good measure, these actions are sometimes repeated in the middle of a paragraph.
Maybe he customises to the font to the story in question;
Arial - For tales about the washerwomen of Pultneytown
Arial Narrow - When writing about a washerwoman with anorexia
Book Antiqua - Reporting on auction sales of vintage literature
Comic Sans MS - Reserved for those occasions when it is necessary to report that a local stand up comedian, just back from a tour of France has found out that he doesn't have Multiple Sclerosis after all.
Courier New - To break the exciting news that a new delivery service has started up, which doesn't penalise the residents of Orkney for having a Wick postcode.
FixedSYS - 'E Org has been repaired
Impact - 'E week till Thurso road his been closed again due to an accident
Trebuchet MS - The local Multiple Sclerosis support group were up in court today charged with mechanically lobbing promotional material and collection envelopes through peoples living room windows in an attempt to increase contributions.
So, I guess there's nothing preventing me from sitting in the public gallery of a sheriff court, taking notes and posting the court reports on here then?
Can't think of anything.
But you'd soon get bored.
I just find it strange that he has retired from journalism, yet he thinks it okay to sit in the court with other journalists and post reports on here when another user wanted to start a thread for court reports a few years back and was berated for it. What's the difference?
I find it strange that you don't think it's ok. He enjoys that sort of nonsense.
Lots of people would berate Donaldson, if his forum allowed comments.
Just because he is not currently employed as a journalist it does not make him no longer a journalist.
2little2late
13-Mar-14, 20:21
Just because he is not currently employed as a journalist it does not make him no longer a journalist.
But what gives him the right to sit in the court with other journalists?
Let's be honest here, court reporting isn't exactly journalism on a par with The Cook Report exposing an organised crime syndicate or John Simpson walking in to a war torn city just liberated after years and years of suffering and horror.
Sitting in court, the story is already there, people's natural curiosity and gossip gene makes us want to read it and ND can feel important sitting among the legal hierarchy of the town fawning over the police, and portray himself as a public service and 'man about town' on the inter web.
Wandering about with a camera also gains him free access to shows, football matches and public events which he grew accustomed to before the Groat had groaned enough groans editing stories about his wife's teeth and sales of work in his infamous column, Wickers World.
I know of several events/occasions he's been asked to remove himself from, where he expected his role as 'journalist' to get him past the ordinary public. Royal occasions in Caithness particularly.
Aspired elitism at its most pathetic.
The groat cover the court with their own reporters. And is freelance and he is obviously sending court stories to the p and J. If the groat are posting to the p as and j they are breaking union rules.
But what gives him the right to sit in the court with other journalists?
He's doing journalism.
But what gives him the right to sit in the court with other journalists?If you were a journalist you could sit there too, instead of the dock
Isnt it entirely possible that he is doing a bit of freelance work during his retirement?
We sometimes do squidge
2little2late
13-Mar-14, 22:17
If you were a journalist you could sit there too, instead of the dock
This is my point. He retired as a newspaper journalist. So what gives him the right to sit with non retired journalists just to post court cases on here? If the public wanted to see them they would either buy a newspaper or sit in the public gallery.
This is my point. He retired as a newspaper journalist. So what gives him the right to sit with non retired journalists just to post court cases on here? If the public wanted to see them they would either buy a newspaper or sit in the public gallery.I am happy to read his posts on the Org, canna get up to Week on court days
2little2late
13-Mar-14, 22:31
Well, if i was ever unfortunate enough to appear at Wick sheriff court and it was posted on here I would be requesting it be removed.
Tubthumper
13-Mar-14, 22:43
You could slip him £50 - Journalists are well used to cash transfers where it's needed to smoke out the truth in a hot story.
Or threaten to tan his windows - in Wick I'm sure that would ensure your privacy was maintained.
So what gives him the right to sit with non retired journalists just to post court cases on here?
You keep asking that.
What denies him the right to do that?
Well, if i was ever unfortunate enough to appear at Wick sheriff court and it was posted on here I would be requesting it be removed.
Do you believe in secret courts?
We sometimes do squidgeAbsolutely and I have no idea what the problem is for the OP. We have a man who retired from being a journalist still doing a bit of reporting....... What's the problem with that?
Dont see the point in court proceeding s being posted on here when it s going to be read in the newspapers anyway. kinda senseless isnt it???????????????.
WHATS THE COURTS GOT TO DO WITH A FAMILY FORUM.
I don't read the papers so I quite like to see what the riff raff have been up to via the diary
Also his capacity as riff raff correspondant on here makes him a functioning journalist
Tubthumper
13-Mar-14, 23:41
Even the bairns can get a laugh at the antics of local drunks, junkies and hard men. (Women too nowadays). It can't be the deterrent effect or you'd not keep seeing the same idiots appearing every week.
changilass
13-Mar-14, 23:52
Phone or go to the court and ask, or is that too simple a solution?
Perambulate
14-Mar-14, 00:18
Surely this is the last thing anyone Caithness should be worried about? What a waste of forum space this has been.
Surely this is the last thing anyone Caithness should be worried about? What a waste of forum space this has been.
Not really.
Want of breath is the last thing we worry about.
Dont see the point in court proceeding s being posted on here when it s going to be read in the newspapers anyway. kinda senseless isnt it???????????????.
WHATS THE COURTS GOT TO DO WITH A FAMILY FORUM.
What's a "family forum?" Should we be related?
Well, if i was ever unfortunate enough to appear at Wick sheriff court and it was posted on here I would be requesting it be removed.
How exactly do you know he sits with reporters if you, yourself have never appeared in the court? Hearsay perhaps?
Also, can we just establish why anyone would care enough to create a thread purely in an effort to bully a man for simply reporting for his community on something, for which there is a clear demand?
There is a name for this type of thread - trolling.
How exactly do you know he sits with reporters if you, yourself have never appeared in the court? Hearsay perhaps?
Also, can we just establish why anyone would care enough to create a thread purely in an effort to bully a man for simply reporting for his community on something, for which there is a clear demand?
There is a name for this type of thread - trolling.
public gallery per chance
How exactly do you know he sits with reporters if you, yourself have never appeared in the court? Hearsay perhaps?Also, can we just establish why anyone would care enough to create a thread purely in an effort to bully a man for simply reporting for his community on something, for which there is a clear demand?There is a name for this type of thread - trolling.Nope sorry totally disagree, any decent jounalist worth his salt wouldn't be retired at the age of 60, a papers a business and good stories sell more copies, he was obviously pushed from the Groat rather than wanted to leave, thats obvious by the fact he tries to get the stories from it on here as fast as he can, when the Groat run a perfectly adequate web site of their own. What's that all about?
Hes no more than a glorified gossip, why doesn't he write a book or something about his 40 years in local journalism and then he can be immortalised in the way he so desperately wants to cling on to.....why write cheap easy tack from the court??
I'd argue most of his thread is trolling, writes what he wants without the right of reply by anyone. We are just writing on this thread akin to someone writing to the letters page in the local paper about an article that appeared in print within it........surley any logical person can make the comparison there Wiseowl?.?..
But picking and choosing who he writes about by means of where he considers them in the Wick hierarchy is unprofessional, cowardly and sad aspiring social climbing.....and by the abundance of good rep I'm receiving, plenty of people agree with me.
rob murray
14-Mar-14, 17:08
Nope sorry totally disagree, any decent jounalist worth his salt wouldn't be retired at the age of 60, a papers a business and good stories sell more copies, he was obviously pushed from the Groat rather than wanted to leave, thats obvious by the fact he tries to get the stories from it on here as fast as he can, when the Groat run a perfectly adequate web site of their own. What's that all about?
Hes no more than a glorified gossip, why doesn't he write a book or something about his 40 years in local journalism and then he can be immortalised in the way he so desperately wants to cling on to.....why write cheap easy tack from the court??
I'd argue most of his thread is trolling, writes what he wants without the right of reply by anyone. We are just writing on this thread akin to someone writing to the letters page in the local paper about an article that appeared in print within it........surley any logical person can make the comparison there Wiseowl?.?..
But picking and choosing who he writes about by means of where he considers them in the Wick hierarchy is unprofessional, cowardly and sad aspiring social climbing.....and by the abundance of good rep I'm receiving, plenty of people agree with me.
The Wick hierarchy...mmm...and heres me thinking that small towns are hierachy free lol lol lol ........
The Wick hierarchy...mmm...and heres me thinking that small towns are hierachy free lol lol lol ........
The top tiers are gey low!
little miss breezy breeks
14-Mar-14, 19:53
Its pretty sad really that all some folk have to do with their time is criticise another person for doing something in their retirement, If folk are that bothered about having their court details written about the answer is simple Keep out of Trouble.......and if you are not happy about reading the court section again the answer is simple..Don't read it.....
The thing's that some folk complain about on here make's me laugh, If that's all you have to worry about you should think yourself very lucky.
Well, if i was ever unfortunate enough to appear at Wick sheriff court and it was posted on here I would be requesting it be removed.
The whole point of a justice system is that justice is seen to be served (i.e, that is is PUBLIC and VISIBLE). hidden justice is no justice. If anyone does not want their dirty laundry aired in public court they must make sure to keep their linen clean.
That's why there's a gallery for the public to sit in, they can listen to it all, why is that only a selection picked by ND get posted on here and not all.
Good question, why are all court appearances not made public via Groat, P&J and Noel? Why do some never be made known to the public although one can see from the Sheriff court page of all appearances?
Good question, why are all court appearances not made public via Groat, P&J and Noel? Why do some never be made known to the public although one can see from the Sheriff court page of all appearances?
Papers choose what goes into a paper. They have no duty to report everything.
Court appearances are made public by having a Public Gallery.
linnie612
15-Mar-14, 15:40
How exactly do you know he sits with reporters if you, yourself have never appeared in the court? Hearsay perhaps?
Also, can we just establish why anyone would care enough to create a thread purely in an effort to bully a man for simply reporting for his community on something, for which there is a clear demand?
There is a name for this type of thread - trolling.
2little2late has a loathing of all things Wick, all things Tesco - loves Tain and Asda, though....
2little2late
15-Mar-14, 16:22
2little2late has a loathing of all things Wick, all things Tesco - loves Tain and Asda, though....
.....your point is?
linnie612
15-Mar-14, 16:55
My 'point' is that you appear to have an acute dislike of Wick, and an almost pathological hatred of Tesco - maybe even 'Tesco, Wick'. It's the old adage - I can slate my town as much as I like, but if someone else does it ...
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