Ex-Senator Syvret was 'doing public duty'

Stuart Syvret Stuart Syvret's former partner, Deputy Carolyn Labey said she felt 'violated' when her property was searched

Former senator Stuart Syvret has told a court he always did what he believed was "in the public interest".

Mr Syvret is arguing there has been an abuse of process in prosecuting him on motoring and data security charges.

He claims his prosecution is unlawful, malicious and politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial.

Leading the prosecution, Advocat Stephen Baker told the court that he did not accept Mr Syvret's claims.

The former senator is charged with publishing a confidential police report which contained personal data on his internet blog.
'Infelxible views'

Advocat Baker asked the former senator about the data protection charge he faces and asked why he was in possession of the material for three years before publication.

Mr Syvret told the court that he didn't realise possession was an arrestable and chargeable offence.

He said: "I do my public duty, doing what I believe to be right and in the public interest, more often than not at great harm to me and despite attempts to oppress me."

The prosecutor said to Mr Svyret: "You're inflexible in your views."

Mr Syvret responded: "Yes, when they're truthful, honest and realistic."

Mr Syvret's claims that his prosecution was linked to his dismissal from office.

He also claims material had been deliberately withheld from him and that he was the subject of covert surveillance.

The verdict will be delivered on 8 October.

Ex-Senator Syvret was 'doing public duty'

Syvret Trial: Day Four

It's day four of Stuart Syvret's Abuse of Process Hearing in Jersey's Magistrate's Court.

Mr Syvret is charged with data protection and motoring offences but claims the case against him is a conspiracy to silence him.

Stuart Syvret took to the witness box today (Thursday) to give evidence as to why he thinks the proper procedure wasn't followed by Jersey's legal authorities in pursuing the case against him. He claimed the raid on his home was unlawful, that he'd been denied access to legal aid and that he'd been denied access to key evidence.

This afternoon he was cross-examined by Advocate Stephen Baker and admitted that in the first instance he hadn't filled in the forms for legal aid and that he'd refused it when it was offered to him because he thought that it was ineffective. He was then accused of not informing the relevant police authorities for up to three years before publishing a confidential police report on his blog in March of last year. A claim that the former senator denies.

It was then put to him that if it was a conspiracy that aimed to silence him, then it hadn't been effective, but he said it had because it had terrified the sources that were giving him information and made it very difficult for him to be re-elected.

On the subject of the police acting improperly against him, the former Senator said to Stephen Baker, 'you yourself warned the jury during the Curtis Warren trial that they lie, they cheat, they scheme and they can't be trusted.'

Advocate Stephen Baker closed by saying the prosecution does not accept that the charges are in any way connected to his role as a politician, that evidence has been withheld that would have prevented a fair trial, or that there was covert surveillance on the former senator by the police. The hearing will continue on Friday October 8th.

Syvret Trial: Day Four

Syvret trial: Day Four

Four days on and former senator Stuart Syvret is still continuing to try and get a court case against him dropped.

He's charged with two data protection and two motoring offences.

He's been on the stand this morning and gave evidence explaining why he thinks the proper proceedure has not been followed by Jersey's legal authorities.

He claims a raid on his house was unlawful, that he was denied effective legal aid, and that he's being denied access to key evidence.

He'll be cross examined this afternoon.

Syvret trial: Day Four

Deputy alleges planning corruption on ‘grand scale’

By Lucy Mason


Deputy Carolyn Labey

PLANNING corruption on a grand scale involving civil servants, solicitors and at least one States Member has been ignored by police, it was alleged in court yesterday.

Deputy Carolyn Labey claimed that she had evidence that a ‘network’ of individuals had been involved in making corrupt planning decisions relating to rezoned land.

She also claimed that she had been ‘bullied and harassed’ by a ‘couple’ of her fellow States Members after becoming suspicious about a number of decisions that were made.

And, she said in the Magistrate’s Court, the police had failed to look into her concerns effectively.

Giving evidence on the third day of an abuse of process hearing initiated by her ex-partner, former Senator Stuart Syvret, Deputy Labey said her research had led to conclusions ‘outside of the political ground and into that of the police’.

Deputy alleges planning corruption on ‘grand scale’

Former partner of Stuart Syvret gives evidence

Stuart Syvret Stuart Syvret's former partner, Deputy Carolyn Labey said she felt 'violated' when her property was searched

The ex-partner of Stuart Syvret has given evidence at his abuse of process hearing.

Deputy Carolyn Labey told the court that she was left feeling "utterly violated" after police searched her property for documents.

The police officer who led the search said that only property relating to the former senator's charges was looked at.

Mr Syvret is arguing his case for an abuse of process over a future trial on motoring and data security charges.

Deputy Labey told the court that she had been abroad when officers spent six hours searching her bedrooms and office.
Planning corruption

She claims officers found a sealed box containing evidence relating to a "large-scale planning corruption" plan which she had reported to the police.

The deputy said she had been left feeling "utterly devastated" after returning from holiday to find that the file had been opened and the files moved about.

Mr Syvret, who is representing himself in court, questioned Alan Guy, the former police officer who led the search.

He told the court that the file had not been opened by the police during the search.

He said that under Jersey law property was only searched in relation to a specific charge.

The evidence they were looking for was in relation to Mr Syvret's data security offences.

Mr Syvret claims his prosecution is unlawful, malicious and politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial.

Former partner of Stuart Syvret gives evidence

The case continues.

Syvret faces civil actions over blogs

By Lucy Mason
SENIOR civil servants are launching civil actions against former Senator Stuart Syvret for comments he made on his internet blog, it was revealed in court yesterday.

The revelation came during the second day of a hearing in the Magistrate’s Court in which Mr Syvret is arguing that the prosecution authorities have abused the legal process in their actions against him.

Today, the former partner of Mr Syvret, Deputy Carolyn Labey, was due to give evidence as a last-minute addition to the proceedings that was only confirmed late yesterday afternoon, when Assistant Magistrate Bridget Shaw said that she would like to hear what Deputy Labey had to say.

Syvret faces civil actions over blogs
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Ex senator tells court of law enforcement concern

Stuart Syvret Stuart Syvret, a former Jersey senator, is claiming inconsistencies in data law enforcement

Ex-Jersey senator Stuart Syvret has returned to court to argue his case for an abuse of process over a future trial on motoring and data security offences.

He claims his prosecution is unlawful, malicious and politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial.

He told magistrates of inconsistencies within data law enforcement.

The prosecution asked Emma Martins, data protection commissioner, whether she exercised her powers corruptly but she denied this.

She told the court she had "no interest" in picking on anyone and said that she applied the law and had "confidence" that she did so well.

Magistrates also heard from Acting Superintendent David Minty, who, in March last year, at the time the investigation began, was head of criminal services at Jersey Police.

Mr Syvret put allegations of a 'chain of corruption' to him but Mr Minty replied that there was no evidence of these claims.

Mr Syvret, who is representing himself in court, has previously called for a separation of powers and for an independent Attorney General to ensure a lawful judicial process.

The case continues.
Ex senator tells court of law enforcement concern

Defiant Syvret fights to the last

By Lucy Mason

Former Senator Stuart Syvret Picture: JON GUEGAN (01061241)

FORMER Senator Stuart Syvret remained defiant yesterday as he made a last-ditch attempt to get criminal charges against him dropped.

The ex-Health Minister, who denies two charges of breaching the data protection law and two motoring offences, spoke for almost two hours in the Magistrate’s Court at the opening of an abuse of process hearing which, if successful, would see all charges thrown out.

Mr Syvret claimed that the investigation, his arrest and the subsequent legal action taken against him was ‘malicious, politically motivated and manifestly illegal’.

Earlier yesterday, an eleventh-hour bid for a judicial review of the case – made to the Royal Court by the former Senator at 7 am – was unsuccessful.

Defiant Syvret fights to the last

Former Jersey senator back in court

It's the second day in court for former Jersey senator Stuart Syvret and yet the trial still hasn't started.

The court was delayed by half an hour this morning because Mr Syvret was ill.

The two sides are currently locked in legal arguments over what evidence can or can't be included in the trial.

Today Data Protection Commissioner Emma Martins was recalled for further questioning. Stuart Syvret claims she is part of a politically motivated campaign to get him convicted and has been using her powers illegally. It's a claim she denies.

Throughout the trial Stuart Syvret has continually clashed with magistrate Bridget Shaw. The magistrate has told him to ask questions, not make statements.

Next to be questioned this morning was acting police superintendent David Minty, the man in charge of Stuart Syvret's arrest in March 2009.

Former Jersey senator back in court

Former Jersey senator Stuart Syvret appears in court

Stuart Syvret Stuart Syvret, a former Jersey senator and health minister, represented himself in court A former Jersey senator has appeared in court for an abuse of process hearing.

Stuart Syvret, who faces motoring and data protection charges, has previously alleged his prosecution is unlawful, malicious and politically-motivated.

Representing himself in court, he called for a separation of powers and for an independent Attorney General to ensure a lawful judicial process.

Last October he "fled" to the UK to seek asylum, claiming he would not get a fair trial in Jersey.

Following a six-month absence, the former health minister was automatically stripped of his senatorial seat in the government.

He returned to Jersey when a by-election was announced for his vacant seat, but he was beaten into second place by Francis Le Gresley.

He failed to turn up to court on three previous occasions The last time was in August, when he was excused with a medical note from his doctor.

The case continues.
former Jersey senator has appeared in court

Former senator appears in court

Former senator Stuart Syvret has appeared in both Jersey's Royal Court and Magistrate's Court.

He's charged with two counts of breaking the data protection law and two road traffic offences.

Monday's abuse of process hearing was mainly concerned with the alleged breaches of the Data Protection Law. It follows the publication of a confidential police report by Stuart Syvret on his blog early last year. He claims he can't get a fair trial because evidence that he asked for was denied him by the court, but the court maintains that's because it's not relevant.

The only witness to have been called so far was the data protection commissioner, Emma Martins. She claims the matter is clear, in her view she's seen evidence that he was publishing, processing and disclosing personal data in contravention of Article 5 of the Data Protection Law.

The hearing will continue tomorrow (Tuesday). Depending on the outcome there'll then be two trials, one relating to the road traffic offences and another relating to the data protection charges.

Former senator appears in court

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