On the 21st of February 2012 Deputy Trevor Pitman asked an oral question, in the States Chamber, of the Home Affairs Minister Senator Ian Le Marquand and the question reads.
“Will the Minister advise what rights, if any, members of the public have to be informed by the police that their neighbours have a large arsenal of weapons in their homes?"
Readers will note that the word "gun" does not appear ANYWHERE in the question. This did not stop Channel Television running with the headline DOES YOUR NEIGHBOUR OWN A GUN?.
The reason the word "gun" did not appear in Deputy Pitman's question is because the question had NOTHING to do with guns.......But since when have the State Media let the truth get in the way of a good (Tooth Fairy) story?
Below is an interview with Deputy Trevor Pitman and one of his constituents "Tony" (the instigator of the question).
Tony is a 64 year old grandfather who has, for the last 14 months, along with his wife and family members, been living in fear after seemingly being let down by the police, judicial system, and just about every other public administration in Jersey including parts of the State Media.
This is a story of a family that feel terrorised who, according to Tony, can't have their grandchildren visit them at home through fear of another attack from the person, Tony tells us, was found with the large arsenal of weapons (not guns) and has already fired large ball bearings, from a high powered catapult, through the windows of his house.
It's a story of "real life" in Jersey how victims of crime have no rights and are left to live in fear of their perpetrators with no support from the authorities. It once more raises questions of our judicial system how a person can, reportedly be found with an arsenal of weapons, plead not guilty and have the case dismissed.
It also raises the question as to what motives lay behind the State Media's misrepresenting of this story?