Birmingham MP John Hemming gives refuge to whistleblower

Oct 26 2009 by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Post

A Birmingham MP has taken an on-the-run whistleblower into his home after he claimed asylum in the UK.

John Hemming says Stuart Syvret will be arrested “over his dead body” after the former Jersey health minister holed up at his London flat.

He is facing prison after leaking a police report into an aborted investigation surrounding the conduct of a male nurse on the island. Mr Syvret will ask the British Government for legal asylum and “protection from harassment” from the Jersey authorities.

He says he fears that he will not get a fair trial for the alleged data-protection offences after being told that he could be barred from mounting a defence based on public interest.

Magistrates have made an order for his arrest after he failed to turn up to two hearings.

Mr Hemming said: “He is staying at my London flat as my guest and they can arrest him over my dead body.

“He is a brave and principled politician, but the authorities are prosecuting him rather than investigating the allegations about the nurse. We should not allow him to be prosecuted in a kangaroo court.”

Mr Syvret, aged 44, published details of the investigation into the nurse, including claims that police had been obstructed from interviewing witnesses by the island’s attorney general. The nurse has previous convictions after having sex with a seriously ill patient and concerns had been raised by patients’ relatives and senior managers.

A police review of the case confirmed the nurse was “potentially a danger to women” and prone to “predatory and violent sexual behaviour”.

Mr Syvret intends to give himself up to police at the House of Commons today and claim the right to a fair trial in the UK.

Birmingham MP John Hemming gives refuge to whistleblower