[...] twisting the tiger by the tail is never a clever idea.
***
Riding the tiger neither; you cannot get off anymore …

Old Holborn and others can request information about our betters and it magically appears.(Though how can they corroborate it?) That is no longer the preserve of the behind-closed-doors media and Night Jack’s case will push things further into our own hands.

They take out a very popular blogger for a few column inches and look what happens – twisting the tiger by the tail is never a clever idea.

Presumably the good judge is OK with the concept of knowledgable people (say a telephone employee) issuing such data to the Times to print. Of course why stop there, lets have all chief constables, MP’s and various do-good agencies CEO’s addresses revealed.

If Polly Tonybee were someone else but was crap at covering their tracks should they enjoy the protection of the law in remaining a pseudonym to make up for their mistakes?

Should Guido be able to stop people broadcasting his real name?

Old Holborn said enough on his blog to be identified via messages he had posted elsewhere. Who is most at fault for this: The person who linked to the website where OH said who he was or OH for being careless?

It seems to me The Times set out to spoil things for him but if Night Jack chose to publish details that could identify the cases he was discussing and thereby identify him surely that is his own mistake and he should accept responsibility for it. The risk to his career was present with or without The Times sticking their oar in.

Was it in the public interest? Not sure. All seems very petty. He had made a pseud0-name for himself by publishing what he had and blogging anonymously is bound to arouse curiosity if not suspicion. If his behaviour is contrary to Police regulations should the freedom of the press only apply to plods who are devious, evil bastards?

He was like Icarus and flew too close to the sun.

http://bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com/2009/06/patrick-foster-of-times.html

http://my-own-doubts.blogspot.com/2009/06/hacking-iranian-government.html

Richard Dale is trying to help the Iranians crash government websites.

I hope you and your readers will take a look and maybe spread the word.

This is one in the server for Amahdidinnerjacket and his girl-hurting pig-fuckers.

Pardon my Spartan.

You should read the Register comments on this – the Times gets slammed.

I am being heavily spammed by ‘amateur incest movies’ – are there professional ones???????

How do you know that Polly Toynbee’s real name is Polly Toynbee?

I can agree with this sentiment. With his career on the line Night Jack could have done a more thorough job of disguising his identity by giving less away about his cases.

The consequences of Night Jack’s behaviour must be carried on his own shoulders. Yes he was providing a valuable insight into policing* and yes the Times story is niggardly and without merit but he didn’t have to give so many clues as to his identity.

Would readers trust newspapers that carried no names on it’s articles?

* Why do the Police fear serving officers discussing the way Policing is done, for good and ill? They will never regain our trust by trying to clamping down on such things.