I have been asked to compile a timeline of the events leading up to current situation, it appears that some are a little confused.
27th January 2011
Danny Cooke announces on his FB page that I am a journalist and being investigated by the Party:
27th January 2011
Danny Cooke announces on his FB page that I am a journalist and being investigated by the Party:
30th January 2011
Barnsley Day Of Action. The rumours start that I was "dragged out" of the meeting because I had been exposed as a Red/Journalist.
Click Here For More Details And My Evidence Of The Lies
9th/10th February
Phone calls and emails between me, Jenny Matthys and Clive Jefferson who offer and confirm that I am going to be put on a commission based salary. Also asked to travel to Wigton to discuss my position in more detail.
11th February 2011
After all the abuse, attacks and harassment and having a good, long think about whether it's all worth it, I send a message to the other admins of the Official FB pages informing them that I am stepping down as moderator and that as soon as they confirm to me they have seen the message, I will delete myself from the pages and hand them over to them. I also decide to cancel my membership.
12th February 2011
Have a wonderful chat with Chris Barnett who eventually convinces me to stay on as admin and as a member. Feel much more positive after he also asks me to send in the proof and details of the abuse I have been subjected to, telling me he will look into it. I do so via email the same day.
Night out that evening when I see that my recent decisions and u-turn are the topic of conversation on the BDF. Not a happy bunny at the sheer venom of some of the comments and the bare faced lies. Decide that rather than leave I will just let my membership run out at the end of June.
Over the next few days, I receive threats such as being stabbed, having my house burned down, being shot for treason and others, all posted on BDF, all seen by other people, but unfortunately posted during the early hours and deleted before I have chance to get screenshots.
23rd March 2011
Still officially a member and still the lies and attacks continue, I decide finally to make an official complaint. It is sent to Adam Walker and 10 other people including Chris Barnett and Clive Jefferson at 11.23am.
25th March 2011
After no confirmation that the email was received, I send it again to the same people and also the Chairman.
7th April 2011
I send Adam Walker a text message asking him if my complaint has been or will be dealt with. He asks me to send it again which I do the same day. He replies at 15:42 saying that he will look into it.
May/June 2011
Abuse, lies and attacks still continue. I decide to renew my membership for a further 12 months so that I can vote for and support Andrew Brons in the Leadership Challenge.
12th July 2011
I decide to set up this blog following the creation of not just the two attack blogs, but 3 hate groups on FB by Party Officials.
It is clear that the Party are not going to look into my complaint and I have had to sit and watch whilst the people who have lied about and attacked me are promoted within the Party.
I genuinely feel that I have been given no choice in the matter and believe that I should have the right to confront the lies and abuse. The Filth Files is born. I stupidly assume that because people can see the proof that the trouble will stop and the matter be put to rest.
19th/20th July
Two attack blogs are set up about me:
Paula Wood Exposed and Confessions Of A Filth Finder
The first of these blogs, I tackle here:
My Responses To Claims On Paula Wood Exposed
The other blog, I actually only found out about yesterday (25th August 2011), however it's one, clearly faked post, doesn't particularly warrant a response.
9th August 2011
Still a member, I decide to re-submit my complaint considering that my initial complaint has been completely ignored for 6 months when I spoke to Chris Barnett and 4 months since Adam Walker told me that he would look into it.
11th August 2011
I receive my letter of suspension from Adam Walker.
I reply to my letter of suspension the same day via email, here is the transcript:
"Dear Adam
Thank you for your letter which I received today.
If I may, I would like to respond to some of the comments and information contained within that letter.
The first line of your letter states, "I am writing to you following a number of complaints...."
I made an Official complaint on the 23rd March this year regarding the continuing harassment I was receiving at the hands of Party Officials. I resent the complaint twice again, along with a further, additional complaint, 2 days later and heard nothing.
I sent the complaint again, for the fourth time on the 7th April after which I received a email reply which said, "Hi Paula. Thank you for your email. I will look into it. Adam". I obviously trusted you to do that, but I never heard anything again after that.
I decided on the 9th of this month (August 2011) to make a further complaint, not only because the harassment still continues, but also because you and the Party had completely failed to do anything about it.
I had taken the abuse, personal attacks and the spreading of malicious and false rumours about me, by these specific individuals, for 3 months when I sent my first complaint. I have now had to endure it for 8 months and it still continues. Only 3 days ago, Mr Cooke was posting more lies about me on his Facebook profile.
You then go on to quote item 4 of the Party's Code Of Conduct giving it as the reason for my suspension.
I also quoted the Constitution in my complaint, particularly sections 10 and 11, but specifically section 12 where it clearly states;
"The spreading of false or malicious rumours shall be considered an offence against this Code Of Conduct."
This is exactly what Mr Cooke is in breach of and is exactly what I brought to your attention, without any doubt, 5 months ago in my initial complaint, yet you chose to take no action.
I however, set up a personal blog, in direct response to the creation of not one, but 3 hate/attack groups, aimed specifically at me on Facebook, set up by Senior Party members and Officials and you suspend me?
In your final paragraph, you say, "Similarly, if you have any cause for grievance against an officer of the Party or against a fellow member, I would urge you to communicate this via the appropriate channels......"
Oh, I'm sorry, was sending my complaint to over 20 people including yourself, Clive Jefferson and even the Chairman on no less than 4 separate occasions not using the appropriate channels.
I reiterate, my blog was set up following 8 months of attacks, lies, intimidation and bullying by Senior Party Officials. I did use the "appropriate channels" I contacted my Regional Organiser in the first instance, I heard nothing. I contacted you and many others, I heard nothing, I contacted you again, I was told you would look into it, I heard nothing.
I then send in my complaint AGAIN two days ago, then today, receive a letter from you informing me that I am the one being suspended because of MY behaviour.
I used the "appropriate channels", I asked for your help on numerous occasions to bring this whole issue to an end, but you let me down, the Party let me down and I had no option but to defend myself against the malicious and sometimes positively repugnant claims being made against me.
Had you had the courtesy to look into the matter when you said you would, then this whole situation, including my blog, would never have arisen and would have been nipped in the bud months ago.
I will be appealing my suspension. You cannot use reasons and examples given in the Party's Code Of Conduct to suspend one person, then ignore them for another.
I would be very grateful if you could inform me as to the "appropriate" steps I now need to take to appeal this decision as I would like to start the appeal proceedings as soon as possible.
Regards
Paula Wood"
22nd August 2011
I receive a reply to my email:
I reply, again via email with the following:
"This email is to confirm that I received your letter today regarding my suspension.
I would like to request that the Party Officials, which you state will be present at the appeal meeting, are ones that we both find agreeable. I am sure you can appreciate, due to the nature of my complaint, the Officials will need to be completely impartial.
I would also like to know if I am also entitled to have a representative present and what criteria that representative must possess, if any.
Regards
Paula Wood"
Adam's reply:
"Dear Paula Wood
Thank you for your email. Could you please provide me with names of the Party Officials you think we will both find agreeable and impartial.
You are not entitled to have a representative present.
Regards
Adam Walker"
My reply:
Also I find it very odd that whilst the Party is permitted to have at least two Officials present, that I am not allowed to also have someone accompany me to the hearing. Considering the nature of my complaint, I would suggest that it would be beneficial to both sides that I have someone with me. I certainly do not relish the idea, as a woman who has been subjected to harassment, bullying and threats from Party Officials already, having to attend this hearing by myself, in fact, I already feel intimidated at the mere suggestion that this would have to be the case. I would therefore urge you to reconsider.
Paula Wood"
Adam's reply:
Thank you for your email.
I will consider two Officials who may be agreeable and impartial and I will contact you once I have made a decision to check that you are happy with my choice. With regards to your request to be accompanied by a representative, I am prepared to allow you to bring a companion if it will help put you at ease, as long as they are a Party member. I would like to know however who it will be in order for me to ensure they are eligible to attend.
Regards
Adam Walker"
24th August 2011
A further complaint made following yet more lies and attacks on Facebook by the same people. I send it to Adam and every other BNP contact I have in my email address book making it quite clear that if something is not done immediately, I will make a complaint of libel at my local police station.
25th August 2011
A telephone call to Lancashire Police confirms, unfortunately, what I had suspected, that a case for libel would be a civil not a criminal matter.
I decide to send an email to the Chairman via his MEP website. Here is the transcript:
"Mr Griffin,
I am writing to you as I am getting absolutely no assistance from Adam Walker.
I made an official complaint back in March regarding Party Officials, some senior, making up and circulating malicious lies about me being an undercover reporter which led to threats being made against me. Lies that had been started back in January, when I foolishly thought that they would have a short shelf life. That complaint was completely ignored initially. 2 weeks later I chased up the complaint and received a reply from Adam informing me that he would look into it. He never did, it was ignored again.
I resubmitted the complaint at the beginning of this month as the lies and rumours were still ongoing. 2 days later I was suspended.
The reason given for my suspension was because of a complaint made against me for statements on my personal blog. A blog which was set up in July, 4 months AFTER my complaint had been totally ignored. A blog which was set up to defend myself against the lies being spread by Party Officials, containing concrete evidence that the claims made against me were false.
Had my complaint been dealt with 5 months ago when I first made it, there would have been no reason for me to set up the blog at all, I felt I was given no choice in the matter and I am sure that you can personally empathise with the need to defend yourself against malicious and sometimes hurtful lies.
What I cannot believe, is that Mr Walker used sections of the constitution to back up the reasons for my suspension. I also used sections of the constitution to point out where Party Officials had been in breach of it following their constant personal attacks on myself.
Admittedly, things had been relatively quiet of late until yesterday when I was informed that someone else, another Party member/official, had again started off the same rumour. I contacted Adam immediately by email and then via text. He made it perfectly clear that he wasn't going to take any action what so ever against these people who quite frankly, have made my life miserable for the past 8 months.
Now I find myself on suspension for something that isn't and has never been my fault.
I appreciate that you are a very busy man but I would be very grateful if you could look into it on my behalf.
Regards
Paula Wood"
15th September 2011
Following absolutely no response to my latest complaint nor to the email sent to the Chairman, I receive an email from Adam:
Dear Paula
I would like to invite you to an appeal hearing on Tuesday Sept 20. Before we continue with other arrangements could you please confirm that this date is suitable for you.
Many thanks
Adam Walker
My reply sent today, 16th September 2011:
Adam,
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately the 20th September is not convenient to me. I must admit that I am a little surprised that you have only given me 4 days notice of my hearing considering that in your letter dated 17th August 2011 you state the following:
"The appeal meeting will take place at a location convenient to you and with at least fourteen days notice."
I would appreciate it if you could suggest an alternative date, taking into consideration the notice required.
I also find myself very disappointed that you, yet again, chose to completely ignore my email dated 24th August. This email was another complaint which included proof that Party Officials and members were still attacking and harassing me via Facebook. An offence which is in breach of the same Constitution that you used to suspend me.
I have now made at least 3 separate complaints which have all been completely ignored, this simply is not good enough.
Regards
Paula Wood
Another complaint email sent regarding the comments made by Rachel Firth yesterday evening on Facebook, which make her again, in breach of the Constitution:
Adam,
Please find attached yet another screenshot showing that I am STILL being lied about and attacked by senior members and Officials of the Party. Why is nothing being done about their behaviour?
Paula Wood
Adam,
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following Bob Taylor commenting on the FB post a second time, I have sent yet another email to Adam Walker:
Adam,
Please find attached an updated screenshot of the one I sent you earlier. How many complaints do I have to make before you do something about the constant lies, rumours and attacks I am having to put up with?
The evidence I have sent you shows that at least two senior members/officials are in clear breach of the Constitution. How can you use the Constitution to suspend me but not them.
I suggest that you either take action straight away against these people or Officially withdraw my suspension and declare it null and void with immediate effect.
I will keep this page updated with any further developments.
