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I HAVE ALSO PROVIDED THE CORONER'S OFFICER WITH THE NAME OF THE SCOTTISH LADY WHICH YOU GAVE TO ME AND HE WILL BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH HER HIMSELF IN DUE COURSE.
I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD KEEP WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU IN THIS LETTER CONFIDENTIAL. I HAVE WRITTEN IT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO BE ASSURED THAT AN INDEPENDENT ENQUIRY IS TO TAKE PLACE INTO THE DEATH OF JOHN MACLENNAN AND THAT A SEARCHING ENQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES BY THE CORONER'S OFFICER WILL PRECEDE THE INQUEST.
I LOOK FORWARD ONE DAY TO ACCEPTING YOUR INVITATION TO COME TO SEE YOUR UNIT IN ACTION ONE WEDNESDAY OR SATURDAY, BUT I EXPECT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT JUST AT THE MOMENT PRESSURES OF BUSINESS PREVENT ME DOING SO.
(JOHN GRIFFITHS Q.C.)
ATTORNEY GENERAL+
6. I ASKED MRS. ELLIOTT TO RETAIN CONFIDENTIALITY AS THE INQUEST HAD NOT YET TAKEN PLACE. INSPECTOR XYZ WAS IN FACT SEEN AND GAVE STATEMENTS WHICH WERE SEEN BY THE CORONER AND RULED BY HIM TO BE IRRELEVANT TO HIS INQUIRY.
7. AS HAS BEEN STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, AFTER THE INQUEST AND BEFORE THE DATE OF MY PRESS CONFERENCE, I REFERRED TO THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF POLICE FOR INVESTIGATION BY CAPO VARIOUS MATTERS RELATING TO THE CONDUCT OF THE S.1.U. INCLUDING THE ALLEGED INCIDENT OF INSPECTOR XYZ. I WISH TO STRESS IN THE MEANTIME THAT THE OFFICERS CONCERNED ARE ENTITLED, IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS ANY OTHER CITIZEN, TO BE CONSIDERED INNOCENT OF ANY MALPRACTICE, UNLESS AND UNTIL THE CONTRARY IS PROVED BY EVIDENCE.
8. IN HER STATEMENT TO THE CORONER MRS ELLIOTT MAKES UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF HOMOSEXUALITY BASED ON GOSSIP ABOUT A NUMBER OF WHAT, IN HER PRESS STATEMENT, SHE DESCRIBES AS +FRIGHTENINGLY HIGH-RANKING MEMBERS OF THE POLICE AND JUDICIARY+. THOUGH I HAVE ASKED HER TO DO SO, SHE HAS NEVER ONCE BEEN ABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE THESE ALLEGATIONS NOR PRODUCE TO ME ANY EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY THEM. HER APPROACH HAS BEEN TO SAY, AS IT WERE, THAT IT MUST BE TRUE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL ON HER FILES.
9. UNDER BRITISH LAW, CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST PEOPLE HAVE TO BE PROVED BY EVIDENCE. TO MOUNT A CAMPAIGN OF RUMOUR AND INNUENDO BASED ON HEARSAY COMMENT WHICH CANNOT BE SUBSTANTIATED IS IN MY OPINION A WICKED THING TO DO. I WOULD ASK PEOPLE WHO RETELL SUCH RUMOURS TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHETHER THAT IS A FAIR AND DECENT THING TO DO.
10. MRS ELLIOTT AT HER PRESS CONFERENCE ASKED +WHAT IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOING ABOUT THE SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS MADE IN MY OWN STATEMENT?+ IN SO FAR AS THE QUESTION IS NOT ANSWERED ABOVE, THE ANSWER IS THAT IF MRS ELLIOTT OR ANYONE ELSE PRODUCE ACTUAL EVIDENCE (NOT GOSSIP AND RUMOUR) OF CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT BY ANYONE, BE THEY EVER SO HIGH OR LOWLY, I WILL, AS I HAVE IN THE PAST, ENSURE THAT SUCH MATTERS ARE PROPERLY CONSIDERED AND DEALT WITH..
11, I wish to make