RANK HYPOCRISY FROM BARRISTER PAUL ANTHONY McDERMOTT
In bold print at the start of his article Sunday Times column, 22/10/17, Paul Anthony states: “A time to kill confidentially in harassment settlements”. In saying this McDermott has shown an incredible lack of understanding towards women who remain quiet about sexual assaults - in particular from Harvey Weinstein. They don’t do so for financial recompense – and make no mistake this is exactly what Paul Anthony McDermott is saying, i.e. without payment there would be no silence. The abused women did not speak out because of the horrendous pressure they were put under, ‘that their lives and careers would be ruined’. [not an idle threat]. No doubt, Weinstein’s solicitors swore blind that their assault was a ‘one off’ and he promised never to do it again, to convince them to accept – and then to live with the rumours of what they may have unleashed. Hoping against hope that they were not complicit, and longing for the day when they’d be secure enough to be able to speak out – be believed.
McDermott - the barrister is fine example of the legal establishment. He has dressed up and hidden in legal jargon, his opinion - that the Law has been well and truly, flouted. I wonder will any of our Feminist Brethren on Sunday Times object to this patronising and sly attack upon wronged women - especially Justine McCarthy, [who in relation to Jack O’Connor] has been struck as dumb as her male colleges. It is well known in legal circles that a barrister may be called upon to argue both sides of an argument, depending entirely who is paying him, so in this instance his ‘personal opinion’ is unwanted, unwarranted, entirely out of place and unnecessary.
In a pathetic attempt to disguise what he is really saying, [in bold print again] he says : “The problem arises when ‘moving on with your life’ means assaulting other women”. No! The real problem is that the rich and powerful people in Hollywood who were in the ‘Know’ covered up and facilitated what Weinstein was doing - for the sake of an Oscar. This was just moving on to the next vulnerable young actress. After more muddying of the waters and bringing up a case from 1926 in England, he gets to sickening point.
“It is now mandatory to report child abuse. But when an adult is sexually harassed, new legislation would be needed to prevent an Irish Harvey Weinstein from buying civil immunity. Such a law would be difficult to draft, since you would be balancing the right of one actual victim to settle in private with the rights of future victims to know”. And now for the crux of the matter. “It is equally important to educate attitudes. It is easy to forget, that in cases of criminal conduct, your first call should be to the police and not to a lawyer
Paul Anthony McDermott has shown just how much empathy for young women threatened and blackmailed into keeping quiet, he has - especially in view of his parting shot. “This is not something you will learn from watching legal thrillers”. And this from a lawyer who denies and ignores the truth about Jack O’Connor covering up corruption at Belfast Docks.
I would rather have heard from this legal eagle what possible legal ramifications would fall upon the heads of women who accepted and then spoke out. Could the abuser from his prison cell legally demand his money back for breach of contract? Would any jailed abuser have the audacity to pursue such a facile claim? Or in Paul Anthony McDermott’s opinion what would happen if it was the abused woman’s best friend who reported the abuse? McDermott is determined to blame the victim for not going to the police.
The Hypocrisy I accuse this champion of Jurist Prudence, Paul Anthony McDermott of, is: He, Sunday Times, Irish Times and all so called Journalists are well aware of the cover up by Jack O’Connor, which I’ve highlighted in my posts on LinkedIn, and allow it to continue.
Under the Casual System, Belfast Dockers didnt know that their Union could not persecute them – because it had been doing it for so long. The Union was the Employers police-force - and any action against the employers resulted in a Ten Pound fine – or sacked, as happened to Shortt, Quinn and Turner. Sometimes Dockers were charged with three offences and fined ten pounds on each charge, then sent to John Docherty, a moneylender whose office was situated below the Union Rooms to borrow 30 pounds before being allowed to return to work. Needless to say, the moneylender stayed open late on Tuesday nights, which were committee meeting nights.
However, with Decasualisation, which was to give Dockers ‘jobs for life’ [and lasted last less than eight years] the employers joined with the union in policing and sacking union members.
Seeing Paul Anthony McDermott is public- spirited enough to bestow on Sunday Times readers the benefit of his legal training in regard to sexually abused women - so why does he remain silent on Jack O’Connor is covering up the fact that his Union ordered union members to discharge Asbestos without protection to save the Belfast employers money. Any Docker who refused to work at Asbestos was sacked. The Union and Belfast Docks employers formed an illegal Court for carrying out this betrayal and dereliction of Trade Unionism . The Court which named itself ‘The Joint Disciplinary Committee’ was created by the ex Union Chairman before he left the Union and joined the Employers as Labour Controller.
The existence of this Court and the Union’s diabolical behaviour is confirmed by solicitor John O’Neill of Thompson McClures, Belfast, whom Jack O’Connor engaged to “sue the arse off me” after I accused him at three large public meeting - of being corrupt and of covering up corruption. He told O’Connor by letter that what I said about the Belfast Branch is true. This letter along with the documentary evidence is on the quoted website. No doubt at Jack O’Connor’s insistence O’Neil pretends that O’Connor is looking for an inquiry into my complaints, but that he as a solicitor for several reasons advises against it. To cut a long story short O'Connor dropped his legal action against me.
Due to my persistence Jack O’Connor set up a sub-committee to investigate what happened at Belfast Docks, and I was delighted but ultimately refused to attend. By telephone and confirmed by letter, the Finance Director Martin Naughton stated that the sub-committee was ‘not’ to investigate what happened at Belfast Docks’ but just to listen to what I had to say. This letter is also on the website. Why then was the sub-committee set up? I don’t believe there ever was one, and the involvement of the Finance Director and not O’Connor or a leadership person meant they were prepared to buy my silence.
Seeing Paul Anthony has put himself in the public domain, and saw fit to state, is it “A time to kill confidentially in harassment settlements” will he answer this question. Why does he and the Trade Union movement, today, cover up the persecution and sacking of trade union members in Belfast? For the first time anywhere in the World It happened in Ireland. A Trade Union Chairman changed sides, became an Employer, remained a Union Member and several years ago was awarded his Fifty Year Long Service by Jack O’Connor .
Needless to say in any right thinking Democracy a Trade Union Chairman cannot form a Union and Employers Court for persecuting Union Members – but this is exactly what happened. Anyone who showed contempt for the Court by not attending when summoned - was sacked. For documentary proof of the Court see www.siptupresidentjackoconnorexposed.com – Hughmurphy16 on twitter and numerous postings on the web.
Seeing Paul Anthony is so good at quoting historic cases he should look up Quinn verses Leatham which went to the house of lords and is printed in a book entitled ‘THE RISE OF THE IRISH TRADE UNIONS’
“In 1901the North of Ireland Operative Butchers’ Society, a local union was involved in a lawsuit that has become world famous and has been studied by generations of lawyers in many countries”. But apparently not in Dublin. “The case arose out of an attempt by J Quinn and other officials of the union to compel Leatham to, a flesher operating in Belfast Abattoir to employ only union labour. The case is listed in the law records as Quinn V Leatham.
Leatham refused to dismiss some of his workmen who had been expelled from the union for not paying their contributions . He tried however to encourage them to rejoin the union and even offered to pay their arrears of contributions. But the union rejected this offer and in the course of dispute that followed Quinn and colleagues persuaded Munroe, a meat retailer, not to take supplies from Leatham.
When Munroe stopped buying meat Leatham brought an action against the union officials on the grounds that they had conspired together to injure him and that as a result he had suffered material damage. The case was tried by a judge and jury who found for Leatham and awarded him ￡250 damages. The union appealed against this decision and took the appeal to the House of Lords. The Lords up held the jurys verdict. The Quinn V Leatham case was estblished – and this is presumably where it is of interest to lawyers”. [but not Irish ones] that “if two or more persons combine together, without legal justification, to injure another and by doing so cause him damage, they are liable to an action for conspiracy”.
Paul Anthony McDermott either you are a lawyer or you are a well educated chancer. Instead of using your law degree to undermine abused women – sue Jack O’Connor for conspiracy and put to shame the Judiciary, leading members of the legal profession, a multitude of Td’s Ministers and all TV and print media who are aware of the magnitude of this scandal and will do nothing about it.
I have often wondered is it because of shame and not to be washing dirty linen in public, that they take no action? Or - is it simply because I cannot afford to Pay for Justice in Ireland - that nothing is done? However, methinks, there is a deeper darker reason. Because of past deeds the ruling elite of Lawyers and Employers now see Union leaders as their equals –- and don’t wish to see them charged with Corporate Manslaughter? Is there a Lawyer in Ireland prepared to expose this cartel of Union and Employers who ordered Belfast Dockers to their deaths – and who allowed a Union Chairman in Belfast to change sides and remain a Union Member.
Paul Anthony McDermott, Pro Bono does not mean that you love U2 – but rather that you love the Law you claim to practice. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hugh Murphy