BBC Freedom of Information Farce: Another BBC Cover-Up Exposed

A while ago we asked the BBC to disclose some more information about the famous Hartlepool door handle snatching TV Licensing goon.

On 9th October 2012 this TV Licensing goon attended the legally-licence-free property on routine enquiries (read more here). During the visit, which was thankfully captured in full on CCTV, the goon became aggressive and shouted some of TV Licensing's favourite threats through the letterbox. The video footage clearly showed the moment he tried to force his way back into the property, as the terrified lone-female occupant tentatively closed the door on his aggressive line of questioning. All this happened only a few miles away from where Gary Catterick, a TV Licensing goon at the time, raped his pregnant victim in Middlesbrough.

The BBC was first made aware of this incident when we published the story on 14th December 2012. Our article was timed to coincide with the release of CCTV footage of the incident. The BBC's response to our first FOIA request on the subject shows that they first raised questions about the goon's conduct on 17th December 2012, which was some two months after the incident happened. 

Very tellingly, cowboy TV Licensing contractor Capita, who employed the social misfit in question, had not considered it necessary to inform the BBC about the incident at the time, despite the police having taken an interest in the goon's aggressive doorstep patter. As it transpires, the police later decided not to pursue the case, choosing instead to believe the goon's highly implausible justification for why he'd tried to force the door back open. The first time Capita volunteered any information about this incident to their BBC bosses was in an email dated 17th December 2012. It is quite clear that had we not pushed the BBC for answers, Capita would have probably attempted to brush the matter under the carpet. We'd ask the BBC to consider just what else Capita is trying to keep behind closed doors.

The male occupier of the Hartlepool property, who was not present during the 9th October 2012 incident, subsequently wrote twice to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management, Pipa Doubtfire. His emails expressed concern about TV Licensing's aggressive style of enquiry, with particular regard to the Capita knuckle-dragger that had terrified his wife. Ms Doubtfire, who is the senior member of the BBC's TV Licensing Management Team, replied in some detail to each of those emails.

On 28th September 2013 we sent a second FOIA request to the BBC, seeking disclosure of the Hartlepool occupier's emails. We didn't mention to the BBC that we have had, all along, copies of those emails in our possession. The only reason we wanted the BBC to disclose the information was for their self-embarrassment.

It should come as little surprise that the BBC, with a chequered history of covering-up and denying scandal, refused to disclose any of the emails in question. According to them, their refusal was on the basis that it would have been unfair to the Hartlepool occupier to release any of his personal information to a third-party. 

The BBC's refusal to disclose struck us as a bit disingenuous, as having read the emails carefully we could not see anything that directly identified the occupier. In an attempt to force the BBC's hand we contacted the occupier and asked him to consent to the BBC's release of the emails in response to our request. Even after receiving that explicit consent, it would appear that the BBC wants to keep the content of those emails under wraps. Five months after our asking, they have still not released the information requested.

 Image © Dixie Allen, webclipart.about.com

We've got a spot of bad news for the BBC. Having been pissed around for the last five months, we've finally decided press print on the emails they've been trying to keep hidden. We consider there is a legitimate public interest in the BBC's response to the Hartlepool incident, as the BBC is ultimately responsible for all aspects of TV licence enforcement and administration. It's also fair to say that the BBC continues to receive regular and fully justified criticism for the dubious conduct of its TV Licensing operation.

You can read the text of the emails at the following links:

• Text of email from Hartlepool occupier to BBC's Pipa Doubtfire, dated 2nd January 2013.
• Text of email from BBC's Pipa Doubtfire to Hartlepool occupier, dated 23rd January 2013.
• Text of email from Hartlepool occupier to BBC's Pipa Doubtfire, dated 31st January 2013.
• Text of email from BBC's Pipa Doubtfire to Hartlepool occupier, dated 28th February 2013.

As you'll see, it would appear that BBC's cries of "we're protecting the occupier's personal information" were a complete crock of shit. Their handling of this request is another clear indication of their deep-seated culture of FOIA evasiveness.

In this new promised era of BBC transparency and accountability, it would seem they're still prepared to deal with information requests in a less than transparent manner.

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