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Police have been asked to investigate the astonishing dirty tricks campaign which has been ignored by the mainstream media, as well as potentially criminal issues at a headline-grabbing Welsh university where a top-level inquiry is underway into a questionable multi-million pound land deal during which senior officials have been suspended, The Eye can disclose.
In a remarkable turn of events Swansea University has for the first time responded to the anonymous computer messages sent out by ‘Your friend’ stating in an email a few hours ago that many of the so-called ‘facts’ are incorrect.
Officials have included the latest gmail/email, and say that it will be referred to officers, along with all the previous ones.
The university’s response from the ‘Associate Director Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Head of Legal and Compliance Services’ reads: “The below email has been referred to the police to consider, together with the previous anonymous emails that the University’s staff and others have received”.
The statement from the troubled institution, confirms also for the first time that the police are involved too in investigating serious issues that have come to light during the top-level inquiry.
It says: “Alongside the University’s internal disciplinary process, there is also on-going police involvement (i) with regard to the issues uncovered during the University’s investigation; and (ii) anonymous communications sent to University staff relating to the suspensions and disciplinary processes.
“The matters under investigation are very serious. The University has invested a significant amount of resource investigating the alleged misconduct, as have the authorities. It is essential that nothing is done to undermine the on-going processes. They must be allowed to run their course without interference.”
The response says sorry for the continued anonymous messages in the campaign, and states: “I apologise for the continued anonymous emails that some of you have repeatedly received over recent months”.
The latest anonymous ‘Your friend’ message which has been attached comes from a ‘Vanitas Vanitatum’ address, and is set against a background of extraordinary events at the university where the one-time Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Richard Davies, the Dean of his controversial School of Management Professor Marc Clement, as well as other senior officials, have all been relieved of their duties as the investigation into the land deal continues.
It alleges that: “Swansea university are prepared to dismiss their Vice Chancellor and Vice President for not declaring their interests properly”.
The astonishing message claims the investigation has involved huge costs and includes “malice and incompetence”, attaching a confidential email about a declaration of interest from last October by Professor Clement.
The note starts ‘Dear Friends’ and also says: “After six months, hundreds of thousands of pounds and the thrashing (trashing?) of your Institution’s reputation, your Magic Circle firm has pulled a dead rabbit out of the hat”.
This, like others in the campaign, has also been sent to the left wing First Minister of Wales (FM) Mark Drakeford who is at the centre of a huge storm over his problematic decision to scrap plans for an M4 relief road to the south of Newport, even though the planning inspector had recommended it. The message has also been sent to members of the media, although we have been alone in reporting it.
The anonymous dirty tricks operation at Swansea University which has now been referred to the police, is in parallel to a probe of the multi-million pound Llanelli ‘Wellness Village’ project. Previous messages have alleged that the former VC has been ‘crucified’ during the investigation.
The stunning crusade at the scandal-hit university also forms a worrying backdrop to our exclusive disclosure that officials had employed a fraudster called Steve Chan who used to work on a contract at the management school, and after we had revealed that a previous Dean there accused of bullying had died.
We showed how Chan had even represented the university in advising an international agency on the ways to combat fraud. Chan had been imprisoned by a court in Boston for four years and three months, and ordered to pay millions of dollars in compensation. His jail term was followed by three years of supervised release, after he admitted one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and one count of mail fraud, he was also ordered to pay restitution of $12,596,298.
Another gmail in the unbelievable campaign from ‘Your friend’ which the police are now looking into, was sent, like the others, to the university’s Chair of council Sir Roger Jones and staff, coming from a further created address which has also been used in the past, called ‘Lilith Sumerian’. Others have been employed including ‘The iniquities Of the selfish’ and ‘Ivs Titia’.
All have been ignored by the mainstream media in Wales even though some of the messages have been sent directly to them.
An earlier gmail from the ‘Vanitas Vanitatum’ address about a recent award ceremony was misspelt, but stated: “… your Registrar (Andrew Rhodes) was shamelessly picking up Prof Richard Davies’s award – clearly he made (Pro Vice-Chancellor [PVC]) Hillary (Lappin-Scott) stay at home”. And added: “I am sure you will all join me in congratulating him (Professor Clement).
In one of the gmails, ‘Your friend’ has claimed: “Why is this witch hunt … still continuing?” and that there has been “A trial by media, a kangaroo court, a selection of evidence and suspensions before interviews”.
Another, highly-libellous, message was also sent to workers, and included criticism of an identifiable individual. It asked tendentiously: “When will you explain that a never ending smear investigation is an appropriate use of charity funds? When will you accept the damage to the university will cost jobs?” A past message to staff using the ‘Iniquities Of the selfish’ address was highly-libellous too, and the only part of this gmail we can reproduce is: “It is time you step up to your responsibilities and take control of the situation“.
A further one which was sent in the astounding campaign undertaken by ‘Your friend’ at the university alleged that previous messages were “blocked” and that again a “witch hunt” was underway. This one was also addressed to the university’s council members and was headlined “More truth”. It was another which came from a ‘Lilith Sumerian’ address.
The scurrilous gmail included attachments like the latest one, and a section of it read: “Last week’s email was blocked – here it is below for completeness’ sake. Ask yourself: what else is the leadership keeping from you?… Why is this witch hunt therefore still continuing?”.
The campaign inside Swansea University which has been completely ignored by the mainstream media, appears to be designed to undermine the incredible inquiry underway and boost the reputations of those who have been suspended, as well as key senior executives such as the antagonistic senior PVC Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott (another recipient of the gmails).
Yet The Eye have shown how Professor Lappin-Scott enraged her own workers by sending Tweets from glamorous parts of the world on university ‘business’, and her exploits have become the subject of our satirical writer.
The anonymous communications have claimed in the past that Professor Lappin-Scott would lead the university to “an era of gold and honey”. In part, one recent gmail to staff as well as the Chair of the Swansea University’s council read: “Why are these things happening and being leaked to Sion Barry (the Western Mail Business Editor) and, in turn, (our Editor) Phil Parry (someone trolling Professor Hillary {sic} Lappin-Scott) whilst in the middle of an independent internal investigation?”.
Another added: “Appended below you can find the previous installments (American spelling) and alleges there has been “A trial by media, a kangaroo court, a selection of evidence and suspensions before interviews – almost as if the facts were at odds with the desired outcome”. Although again misspelt a further gmail was clear: “Please Hillary (sic) (Lappin-Scott) out (put?) your hat back in the ring!”.
It is alleged that legal rules may have been flouted, and ‘Your friend’ also appears to be unaware of them because as the gmails he or she has sent were published to a third party they fall within the remit of libel laws. If this person can be found legal action could follow.
University officials have been less keen than ‘Your friend’, though, to give The Eye information – this time about Chan’s background, and we have been told in the past our questions about him in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request had been refused on the grounds they were “vexatious”.
Police activities appear to swirl around Swansea University – and now ‘Your friend’ may be hauled in…
Our Editor Phil Parry’s memories of his extraordinary 35-year award-winning career in journalism as he was gripped by the incurable disabling condition Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major new book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the book now! The picture doubles as a cut-and-paste poster!
