Media
WEBB OF DECEIT: Age journalist keeps her close friendship with Theophanous accuser secret
The Age journalist Carolyn Webb who wrote a notorious hatchet-job story accusing Theo Theophanous of a serious crime today revealed in Melbourne Magistrates Court her close personal friendship with his accuser.
The very fidgety and nervous witness Webb – who wore a denim jacket for the occasion – explained that she first met the accuser who cannot be named for legal reasons as early as 1999. She revealed they became close friends exchanging very many emails and phone calls during 2006 and 2007. She explained she even visited the accuser at her home in Greece in 2007, a year prior to the publication of her controversial story.
Despite their friendship, Webb told the Court she “was under no illusions” about why the accuser had renewed contact with her in 2006 and proceeded to make the claims against the parliamentarian that are the subject of the current proceedings. She said the accuser’s call had come “out of the blue” from someone at that time she didn’t know well, but came to later form a close friendship in the following years.
WEBB WAS MOTHER FIGURE TO ACCUSER
So intimate was their friendship that Webb had been described as a mother figure to the accuser, providing advice and counsel to her, making recommendations about lawyers and others who might assist her in the promotion of her claims against Theophanous.
The feisty prosecution lawyer Michelle Williams who has – according to The Australian this week referred to the accuser as “her client” in an apparent reinvention of our system of justice – put to the journalist that she was a “support figure” for the accuser. Webb agreed with this.
Webb’s independence as a journalist appeared thoroughly compromised by her handling of the matter. She explained that the accuser had green-lighted publication of the story as revenge for the former minister’s denial of then unspecified allegations which circulated as rumours in political circles.
WHY DIDN’T WEBB AND THE AGE TELL THE TRUTH AND THE WHOLE TRUTH
When asked by VEXNEWS outside the court why Webb had failed to disclose her close personal friendship with the accuser in the article that made such serious allegations, she seemed very flustered and declined to answer “on her lawyer’s advice.” There were at least three legal advisers from Minter Ellison or The Age guarding Carolyn Webb, perhaps from herself.
The court heard the accuser emailed the supposedly independent journalist “You have given me a great gift” and “There are no words I can use to thank you” after her article appeared in The Age on the front page accusing Theophanous by name of a serious crime but refraining from identifying her or her close personal connection with the journalist.
One of Webb’s colleagues who spoke bravely from behind the walls of the Spencer Street Soviet explained that Webb is a chronic underperformer who has been repeatedly targetted by management each round of redundancy. They described her as “emblematic of The Age’s persistent failure to root out mediocrity.”
Discussion
78 comments for “WEBB OF DECEIT: Age journalist keeps her close friendship with Theophanous accuser secret”
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Sue her Theo, Sue em all
You would have still been minister now if it wasnt for this
Theo is the man
What the fuck? Who is supervising these “journalists” at fairfax?
What the hell? Who is supervising journalists at fairfax?
Good God! What a disgrace. Hope News Ltd roasts this biatch.
if any of the journalists in this case (or any other for that matter) reported the truth, it would be as boring as all your trivial lives. That’s why they are constantly lying to keep you interested!
put my comment back you sick left losers
someone should cross-examined ms webb about her audition for Australian Idol
Sack Webb and anyone who’s been in on her little game.
Time for Theophanous and his flunkies to stop running his defence through the media; to stop defaming and intimidating witnesses and to let this case be resolved where it should be resolved – in court!
Prosecutor Michelle Williams is running “her case” through the media just as Richter is.
More EVIDENCE Theo Theophanous is a sexual predator:
“ANOTHER woman has claimed accused rapist Theo Theophanous behaved inappropriately, a court has heard.
A parliamentary intern made a statement to police claiming that in 1998, the State MP brushed his hand against her thigh, Melbourne Magisterates’ Court heard today.
On other occasions, he told her she was gorgeous and that he found her attractive, moving into her personal space, the court heard today.
“.
This is from the Herald Sun, but I suppose it is again The Age’s fault NOT that filthy deviant Theo!!!!
No “Anonymous” – she is simply rebutting the fake emails and slurs on the character of witnesses that the Theophanous camp have put out there and she has done it IN COURT.
Rumpole you are trying a ‘dirty grubby predator’, who is a crook – where are your morals?
?????????????????????????????????????
Rumpole you are trying to support and defend a ‘dirty grubby predator’, who is a dishonest crook – where are your morals?
Also today, Ms Williams warned that she would make an application for Mr Theophanous to be remanded if he did not control himself.
“There have been a number of outbursts during the running of this committal,” Ms Williams said.
“I’m sick of him having a go at me.”
Mr Richter said Ms Williams’ complaint was that Mr Theophanous had moved toward her and said something when the court adjourned for lunch, but he had actually turned and said something to a friend.
Magistrate Peter Reardon warned Mr Theophanous that he had to remain silent.
“You just have to remain seated and control yourself,” Mr Reardon said.
“I have seen things said and you (Mr Richter) have told him on two occasions to be quiet in court.
“I don’t want him to do it again – this is not parliament.”
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25795563-661,00.html
Just the type of thuggish bullying we can expect from a dirty ALP crook like Theophanous.
You fools. Can’t you see a media tactic when it smacks you in the face?
Michele Williams only conjured up the intern crap and the suggestion of putting Theophanous into custody so that it would get a grab.
She’s panicked and desperate because she knows her case is wafer-thin. This is just her grubby way of trying to obscure the fact that her complainant is a known liar.
Big call, Clarity. And without the cover of any form of privelege. DO you understnad the laws of defamation and also the laws of sub judice?
Perry Mason – do you understand the right to free speech?
The Magistrate is probably so jack of this case he’ll send the problem over to the County Court – exactly the outcome the prosecution wants. Doesn’t matter how you get the case before the County Court I suppose, so long as you do from the prosecution’s perspective.
My dear Annonymous,
I do understand the right to free speech, but also the right of someone else to not have their chracter maliciously defamed, and they rights of recourse to the law they have in such circumstances. I also understand the dim view the courts take of people making public comment outside of the court, which have the capacity to prejudice a jury.
If Theo is innocent, I have every confidence that with the weighting of thwe criminal justice system in favour of the accused and with the aid of the best, most expensive, criminal barrister in town, he will be acquitted.
And if he and his supporters are so confident of his innocence, I look forward to him taking the stand to give his compelling version of events.
There’s going to a lot of fallout from this ghastly case. There was a concerted attempt at disinformation in late 2008 and early 2009. Whatever the outcome, that disinformation ‘narrative’ needs to be very closely examined.
Haha Perry Mason you are a crack up. The biggest bad ass on the block is the Public Prosecution service.
It has an unlimited budget and its own private investigation and enforcement squad aka Victoria Police.
Theophanous and any accused for that matter have to fund from their own pocket their defence.
The Prosecution have hired an SC to try the case so T.Theophanous probably had no other choice than hire a top notch barrister.
Dear Anonymous,
If he is ultimately acquitted, his legal team may apply for costs. If he is found guilty, then he should fund his own defence.
But please do tell – why would the OPP have it in in for Mr Theophanous?
A complaint was made.
Police investigated it. They concluded that they believed there was enought to justify them laying charges.
The OPP reviewed the case and concluded there was enough to proceed.
Now the committal hearing is deciding whether the Mr Theophanous should be committed to trial.
All of these people are part of a conspiracy?????
Sorry Anonymous, but that just stretches any reasonable person’s sense of credibility.
Just let the court do its job, eh?
Perry Mason.
You don’t think “victims” lie? Because perhaps they have a dislike for someone, or they are mentally questionable or are in it for money via victims of crime compensation?
You don’t think the Vic Pol / OPP see her complaint as a “live handgrenade” that no-one wants to sit on?
You dont think the OPP want to just get it off their plate and before a jury so they, the OPP, can be seen as having done their job?
And Perry Mason I thought you’d know – even if you are found not guilty in a County Court trial you cannot get your costs awarded – you can only get costs if you win the Committal and that is rare.
Why I’m on here on a Friday night have pissed I dunno but I’ll add two points to this.
1. I reckon its unfair the accused gets to be publicly named but the accuser doesn’t. Fair enough the accuser doesn’t get named I reckon but its unfair for the accused. Either both are named or neither are named.
2. How the hell can you defend yourself against claims, in some cases, going back nearly 40 years?!!? Take former ASIC Chairman Geoff Clarke. Accusations he raped a woman in either 1968 or 1969. Do you remember where you were 38 years ago ?! How can you “prove” your innocence? Its just impossible. Something needs to be done to protect people from 20,30,40 year old rape claims because its just too difficult to mount a defence to such old claims other than “no I didn’t”.
I give up Anonymous – we’ll just throw a system of justice that has eveolved over hundreds of years out the window and just let you and your bottle of plonk decide who’s guilty and who’s not and who’s telling lies and who’s not.
And maybe we’ll just scrap rape as a criminal offence whilst we’re at it.
Let the court do its work…
One of our girls has yet to speak.
Hmm a Webb of deception…..
…and a lot of other Webb puns, like “what a tangled web we weave”…etc etc
But seriously, do we really expect journos to have any kind of ethical standards? No one else has these days.
Ethics be damned. It is all about the story even if false or mis leading. This journo is so pathetic she should join the Herald Sun
countless female hacks, cardigans & parliamentary staff are applauding the public outing of a reptile
a
they were once know as the dodgy brothers
theo is a disgrace
Theo is innocent. It is Rudd who is a disgrace.
This whole “she says he denies” on 20 year old rape allegations without corroborating evidence is a joke.
Very nasty stuff, with more to come.
Can’t wait for the County Court trial – will be a real circus.
Theo is dirty filthy crook.
the media ethics bores at the age should question how the paper has handled this story. webb, as a friend of the alleged victim, should never have been allowed to have carriage. professional editors should have identified the potential for conflict, and got some other hack to use her contacts and write the story. egos appear to have ruled the day (as usual).
incidentally, it was obvious to media types that webb had a personal relationship with the alleged victim at the time of her splash – she usually writes for the lifestyle sections and is not known as an up-the-front journo
Pre-Selections of the local plebs are now over – what’s the results ?!!?
How’s Jake-the-Snake’s man going?
After following this pathetic ‘media’ committal trial, were you to apply a sportsbet live betting analogy we are now heading for the last quarter, the odds on TT being committed to stand trial have blown out to $4.50.
Perhaps still attractive, but unlikely, GAME ON !!
Theo Theophanous taken a lie detector test to prove he didn’t do it ?
Pollies are professional liars…
Pre-selection
Exit polling for Ivanhoe
Langdon ahead by 5 votes with 20 not revealed.
Theo the game is up.Dont forget the lady from the Phillippines!
And anyone who has Richter as their lawyer is Guilty by association.
“Theo Theophanous taken a lie detector test to prove he didn’t do it ?”
Lie ‘detectors’ are useless. Any half-decent fibber can foil them. Plenty of on-line articles available on simple techniques for doing so. They only appear to work with the gullible who are susceptible to witchcraft and suggestion.
Langdon won 76 to 40
Goodbye SL
Another gem from our comrades at The Age.
Lawyer describes Theophanous’ unwelcome advancesJuly 21, 2009 – 4:06PM .
A woman has described how Victorian MP Theo Theophanous brushed his hand on her thigh when she was a parliamentary intern 10 years ago.
The woman, who is now a practising lawyer, claims the MP also made unwelcome advances toward her in 1998, the same year he’s alleged to have raped another woman in his chambers at Parliament House.
Theophanous is facing a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court over the alleged rape. He denies the allegation.
The former intern’s statement to police was tendered to the court on Friday.
In a police statement of her evidence released to the media on Tuesday, she said she was having coffee with Theophanous near Parliament House when the first incident occurred.
“Mr Theophanous made some kind of reference along the lines that university students lead wild and free lives and as he did so he brushed his hand across my thigh,” she said.
“It seemed to have been intentional, however, done in a subtle way.”
The lawyer said she awkwardly laughed off the moment and pulled her leg away.
She told Theophanous her boyfriend “wouldn’t be cool with that”.
The lawyer said that on another occasion at the MP’s suburban electoral office he told her she was gorgeous and put his hand on her “hip/arse area”.
She said on a third occasion at the same office the MP said he found her attractive and moved into her personal space.
The hearing before Magistrate Peter Reardon continues.
AAP
RDR was more grubby than Theophanous.
Off with his head!
What is with the state MP’s?
Theophanous, RDR, Olexander, Langdon its all grubby and perverted.
Agreed Anonymous. That’s exactly why they should all lose their heads, or at least be locked up.
Maybe then Theo will learn to keep his grubby little fingers to himself….
Mr Theophanous admitted sending text messages to the woman that “might have been flippantly risque”
What did you say Theo? Did you tell her “it wuld b hot”? If so, that is hot. You should txt me Theo. Wld b hot!
Hurry up and get on with the trial. This is becoming boring.
This whole trial by media is an absolute disgrace!!!
Whatever the outcome of this hearing Theo, who has served the State with distinction for many years,has already been judged by the court of public opinion as being guilty.
Even if, as I fully expect, Theo is determined to be innocent he has been destroyed politically, professionally, personally and probably financially.
Somthing’s rotten with our judicial system.
We will never let up in the pursuit of Theo, WE WILL destroy this grubby little man.
He is probably innocent this time…but this is Karma getting him back for his disgusting treatment of women. This behaviour predates his election to parliament all the way back to his days at LaTrobe Uni
I oppose Theo’s politics and I believe his career contributions are vastly overstated. However, only the most churlish would deny him the decency of saying “our system of justice has determined you ought not to face any further investigation and you are encouraged to rebuild your shattered life.” The presumption of innocence is one of the most important pillars of a decent system of justice. It was oft said in the days prior to our paranoia over terrorism that it was better for 100 guilty to go free than an innocent go to jail. Theo was not found innocent nor was he exonerated – the burden was not on him at all during the committal – the rather low hurdle was always on the crown and even that limbo low bar was not jumped – in the administrative opinion of a judicial officer, the crown could not establish there was a legitimate case to go to trial. The public excoriation of Theo is something that should shame all civil libertarians. Most disturbingly, I am concerned that gender politics has played a vicious role in emasculating the career of Theo. Various self-annointed spokespeople who allege they are the official organs of communication for organisations purporting to represent the gender that lacks genital protuberances have been scathingly unfair in their attacks on Theo. They ought now be eating their unpalatable words. However, they are blind to their hypocrisy. Long rule the sisterhood.
You can’t trust and of these ***poulos wogs.
I speak for all Australians. Theo is a boil that should have been lanced long ago.
I don’t think so “Bob” You have no right to speak for all Australians.
In fact every Australian I know thinks that Theo has been treated horribly after many years in service to Victoria. Great way to say thanks. The level of vindictiveness is just unbelievable. Hey “bob” is your real name Doug by any chance??
what a slimy customer is theo just like his brother, Birds of a feather flock together and sex is the common denominator. The cops havent finished with this weasel yet//
I love these anonymous comments, they show how much restrained racism there is amongst some of these Anglos.
Why be a hater ‘Bob’? Why not get up and do something positive with your life?
And you nigger jimmy, why not spend some time learning to spell and getting even with all those ***poulos wogs that have been so much smarter than you your entire life?
Scarlet, you are the saddest of all, so twisted with bitterness… how many tormented years have you spent in that basement brewing failed plans against Theo and those other powerful wogs while he was kicking ass in the Ministry? What happened, did this little wog get the better of you in some preselection years ago?
Hey, here’s an idea, why don’t you all start a support group for each other, call it Assholes Anonymous or something. You can weep into each others shoulders while you blubber out all those racist sentiments you can’t say in public because of this damned politically correct society…
Greeks hate Turks and visa versa;
Hutu’s hate Tutsis and visa versa;
Serbs hate Bosnians and visa versa;
Han Chinese hate urumqis and visa versa;
Iranians hate Israelis and visa versa;
AND so it goes and so it goes – I don’t see any “Anglos” anywhere in this world of hate.
Isn’t it interesting how do-gooder lefties love to hate “whites” as the only racists in the world when in fact most of the hate does not involve “whites”.
Theo and Mrs Theo actively tried to disrupt proceedings during the recent committal proceedings — Mrs Theo by laughing during adverse evidence. Both were reprimanded and warned by the magistrate.
But the outcome is woeful. This was poor justice overall. Magistrate Reardon had a tough job but he blew it.
Joker, where is the fun in rape? Does race matter? It is disgusting whenever and wherever it happens.
You complain about anonymity, but used is yourself. You are an Anglo-phobe.
Go and try to buy a cheap brain somewhere, you time-wasting twat!
Reardon blew it alright. His job is not to insert his own view in place of a jury’s.
Theo and Co have been actively interfering with witnesses and manipulating the media from the beginning (and them crying foul when the media wants to publish something that doesn’t suit them).
He doesn’t deserve special treatment because he’s in politics; he should have to deal with the judicial system like any other sexual predator.
The DPP should directly present.
So the case is over, but where does that leave: “An intern who was touched on the thigh by Victorian MP Theo Theophanous [who] says the politician acted in a “predatory manner” toward her”.
Was she a nutter, too?
Lots more spin than Justice!
Are the cops going to pursue any of these people for perjury?
Will there ever be any accountability for the multi-millions of taxpayer’s dollars spent on prosecuting such a ridiculous case?
Gotta love these lawyer types, in her evidence the woman says that Theophanous “invaded her personal space” – I mean, what the hell is that?!?!
Im a slur
Slur = man slut