This doesn't answer my opinion that Wade and Murdoch are guilty of a crime by inciting crime but it is a start (from, sadly, a toothless watchdog)...


PCC investigates alleged payment to Alfie Patten parents
Stephen Brook
Monday February 16 2009
guardian.co.uk


The press watchdog today launched an investigation into allegations that the Sun and the People paid for the story of Alfie Patten, the boy who reportedly became a father aged 13.

In its investigation, the Press Complaints Commission will seek to determine if the papers paid Patten's parents - a practice that breaches its editors' code, unless it can be shown to be in the public interest.

The PCC will make a public ruling on whether either paper has breached clause 6 (iv) of the Editors' Code of Practice. "Minors must not be paid for material involving children's welfare, nor parents or guardians for material about their children or wards, unless it is clearly in the child's interests," the clause states.

Unusually, the PCC decided to investigate of its own volition, rather than responding to a complaint about the story. If the Sun and the People can demonstrate that it was in the public interest to run the story, they will escape censure. The PCC investigation will take about three weeks.

"Our concern is about whether the children's welfare, and if there's such a public interest in this story to trump the rights of the children, all three children, the baby and Alfie and Chantelle," said the PCC director, Tim Toulmin.

"Either they have paid them or they haven't. If they have, they will have to rehearse their public interest defence," Toulmin added.

The Sun, which broke the story on Friday over three pages and ran video of the 13 year old on its website, has boasted that the story broke its record for online web traffic.

Maisie Roxanne, the baby at the centre of the story, was born at Eastbourne hospital on Monday last week to Chantelle Steadman, 15.

Patten told the Sun: "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good though and care for it. I thought it would be good to have a baby. I didn't think about how we would afford it. I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10."

A spokesman for The Sun said: "We will be happy to fully co-operate with PCC's inquiry into this story which we absolutely believe to be in the public interest."

The People had not responded to a request for a comment by the time of publication.

Of course the PCC, owned and run by the big papers (in a subtle way) will exonerate The Sun.
Of course it is a story "in the public interest". The public are interested in such stories. Just as Karen Matthews became interested in the detail about the large sums made by the McCanns when their daughter was abducted.

And thousands of parents and kids will be "interested" in the fact that babies made by children earns front pages, fame and fortune.

The question is - should they be encouraged and incited?

And for those perplexed by the editor's strangely contradictory attitude (condemn abusers whilst being an abuser)...

nothing will come of it of course.

These tabloids and the PCC were the first to claim they would no longer buy papparazzi pics after Princess Diana's death.

Forgotten within 2 years.

This whole story is becoming a farce and quite comical !

Poor little Alfie doesn't get pocket money !.you couldn't make it up.


Max Clifford..all class !

Some day soon Max will suffer a serious setback.

But the only thing that would advance this is if a member of the public were to walk into their local cop shop with a copy of the Sun's front page and make an official complaint that, by doing this, The Sun is committing a crime by inciting others to break the law.

Then the police HAVE to investigate and it becomes a news story.

And we all know - all that matters is - IS IT A GOOD STORY?

but I work on the news desk at a national paper and you would not believe the hilarity caused by the link above.

Expect dozens more views for the movie.

you bring up interesting points about Clifford.

Australia had it's own version-Max Markson. Don't get me wrong, I'm very fond of Markson-he's a wonderful personality. Emigrated at age 19 after selling saucepans from a stall in Sheppherd's Bush and has become a multi-millionaire as one of the countries greatest hucksters.

He's become a Buddhist (much to the chagrin of his Jewish family) and has given up promoting anything he views as unethical or may hurt other people.

His last client and newspaper venture was the cute kid Corey whose party resulted in his parents house being trashed by 1000 gatecrashers. Poor Corey's career faded into nothing (although he was a harmless but gormless lad) but Markson is now promoting only sport's stars or several charities succesfully to make up for -as he puts it-his "past ills".

And he believes strongly in Karma...Cifford should take note. I guarantee they know each other.

Oh my God !!!

I'm falling around in fits of hysteria..Flame Mitchell was just so funny.

I must admit I haven't watched Vile Pervert fully...but I now will. You really are a hoot JK !

(scary..she's the spitting image of the aunt I lived with in her Acton pub for 2 years when I was kid!)

We all saw it coming and there is much more to go...

www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/0...ive-115875-21132243/

What I see is major media companies havinga tug of war with a little boy's emotions. They quite merrily print claims that Alfie is the victim of the adults around him, which might be true, but they are exploiting him themlseves. I'm thinking ahead to what this kid's life is going to be like if it's proven that he's not the dad. He might not be an angel, but the pressures he'll be under from media and public would be difficult for some adults to bear. He's very small for his age, so bound to be targeted by bullies. He'll be shunned by the self righteous. His face has been all over the media, so he won't be able to just relocate.

On top of this, there already seems to be a plot to criminalise his mother. Maybe slam her in jail, take Alfie into care and reduce his esteem even more until, long term, he's so bitter against the system that crime is his only way of hitting back.

Then there's baby Maisie, but her appearance will change (as with all babies), so she'll be able to avoid the public gaze more than Alfie.

I suspect Chantelle will be less bothered about all the attention.

Alfie is the real victim here. I don't think either set of parents are the most guilty parties. I point the main finger at the media who have taken an everyday situation and turned it into a public soap opera without any consideration of the consequences. Shame on them.

Ah Emma you've finally come around to our way of thinking!

Yet again it's the meeejah justifying disgraceful behaviour in the quest for a good story (and the Mirror is just as bad as the Sun and the rest of them).

I believe it has been so irresponsible that crimes have been committed and the papers should be brought to court.

Not quite your way of thinking. They've been totally wrong, immoral, insensitive and despicable, but I still don't subscribe to the view that they have incited criminal activity. They are mostly guilty of exploitation.

If there is a sudden major increase in teen pregnancies following on from this story, then I might concede to an extent.

I'm becoming quite fond of little Alfie-he comes across as so innocent. I think he is rather angelic-instead of saying he may not be an angel. Afterall what has he done wrong ?

For all we know-he may have thought he had sex !!..he is only 12.

Yes-exploitation..sexploitation..all involved are guilty I reckon except the baby...and baby Alfie.

Oh Max Clifford..how low can you go ?

Let's be fair, Max has always said he's willing to represent people who sleep with 14 year olds, hasn't he?

I read a letter on teletext from someone saying they never liked Alan Titmarch until they saw him giving Max Clifford a hard time this week. Did anyone see the show and hear what was said? I wonder what was meant by hard time.

JK2006 wrote:
Some day soon Max will suffer a serious setback.

But the only thing that would advance this is if a member of the public were to walk into their local cop shop with a copy of the Sun's front page and make an official complaint that, by doing this, The Sun is committing a crime by inciting others to break the law.

Then the police HAVE to investigate and it becomes a news story.

And we all know - all that matters is - IS IT A GOOD STORY?
An excellent idea.

When are you going to do it? Please keep us all up-to-date.

JK2006 wrote:
Let's be fair, Max has always said he's willing to represent people who sleep with 14 year olds, hasn't he?

Tut tut. Put your claws back in your paws.