SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

Tony Bennett on Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:01 pm

Details have reached me of an extraordinary - and unsuccessful - venture by the company owned by the McCanns’ co-ordinating lawyer, Edward Smethurst, and his co-partner Steven May: Palladium Associates.

Stephen May, husband of Rossendale District Councillor Nicola May, was a former Detective Constable with Greater Manchester Police.

It seems that wholesale distribution company Palmer & Harvey, based in Hove, Sussex, had a long-running dispute with a former supplier. The company Chairman, Christopher Adams, decided, for some reason, to call in Palladium Associates for help, back in January. The Directors of Palmer & Harvey apparently believed that the former supplier was blackmailing them.

To cut a very long and complicated story short, the following events occurred:

In mid-February, Adams arranged to meet the former Palmer & Harvey supplier at the Goring Hotel near Victoria Station, London. Unbeknown to the supplier, the meeting was secretly taped by May, hoping presumably to get evidence of blackmail. This attempt was a failure, however, because - as May had to concede in his police witness statement: “An attempt to record this conversation was made but, unfortunately, due to background noise, the quality of the recording is such that it is more or less inaudible”. No doubt Palladium will have reviewed the quality of their recording equipment.

May - who is Member No. F/1622 of the Association of British Investigators - then brought in an array of security staff to monitor the homes of Adams and Palmer & Harvey’s Chief Executive, Christopher Etherington, who live, respectively, in multi-million pound mansions in East Sussex and Hampshire. In addition, May and his team of security personnel used a variety of surveillance measures to try to track the movements of the supplier and his contacts. .

A series of strange incidents then took place in and around the homes of Adams and Etherington, with May soon badgering Sussex Police to arrest Garrad for blackmail.

May managed to secure a top-level meeting with Detective Chief Inspector Allan Hibberd of Sussex Police on 7 March.

Eleven days later, on 18 March 2011, May was also invited to a top-level meeting at Chichester Police Station, chaired by Detective Inspector Trevor Bates. Also present was top Palmer & Harvey Executive, Derek Bruder. A decision was made by the meeting to arrest the supplier ASAP.

Bates’ write-up of this meeting included this bizarre note:

“Derek Bruder requested we hold off the arrest until 31/3/11, due to the fact that Mr Etherington and his wife are going on holiday next week and their daughter will be at home on her own. We agreed to this. You [Detective Sergeant Mark Gowling] will co-ordinate the arrests”.

In the event, the supplier, and another person with him, were arrested by a team of armed officers on the morning of 1 April 2011 whilst parked along Hove seafront. The two men were then charged with blackmail and spent several weeks in prison on remand.

Later, a trial was fixed to take place at Guildford Crown Court, starting on 21 November. The case was remarkable for the sheer numbers of police officers involved in the investigation: at least 83.

The trial of the former supplier began on 21 November. It ended on 19 December a jury finding the two men Not Guilty.

The estimated cost of this police operation is well over £1 million, and the prosecution and court costs for a 21-day hearing probably top another £250,000. The supplier, who was represented by a top London barrister, will now be able to claim his costs from public funds, following the Not Guilty verdict. All in all the total bill for this strange sequence events could be in the region of £2-£3million. An internal Sussex Police enquiry into the handling of this investigation is a distinct possibility.

In a press article dated 24 November 2010 and headed: ‘Palladium investigates for firms hit by crime’, it was stated that: “Lawyer Edward Smethurst has launched risk consultancy Palladium Associates to work with businesses which have been targeted by criminals. Mr Smethurst, who has previously acted on behalf of Kate and Gerry McCann, parents of missing toddler Madeleine, has recruited a network of investigators for his venture, which is based at Norden, Rochdale. They include ex-Army and police officers who are experienced in tracking down missing cash and information...”

The trial, however, shed some interesting light on Palladium’s choice of security and surveillance staff.

One of them, Garry Dominic Wood, was convicted on 2 December 2004 at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, of several offences, including theft and possession of prohibited weapons and firearms, possession of a handgun and of a shotgun with a shortened barrel (in common parlance, a sawn-off shotgun). He served a lengthy term of imprisonment.

Another of Smethurst and May’s men, Joseph Dunn, received a police caution from Essex Police for battery in May 2002.

Yet another of Palladium’s security officers, David Anthony Sykes, was fined £200 in 1990 by Aldershot Magistrates Court, and ordered to pay £290 in compensation and costs, for assaulting another.

I should add that no criticism whatsoever is implied about the quality of any of Palladium’s staff from this brief factual recital of the criminal histories of these three Palladium security men.

More about all this when I get it.

Gillyspot on Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:11 pm

Wow!

I also note the word "previously" in regards to Edward Smethurst and the McCanns - interesting choice of words for a current director of their fund.

aiyoyo on Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:04 am

This post has been removed from the forum by Tony Bennett at the request of Edward Smethurst.

Tony Bennett on Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:11 pm

It would appear from new information received that things are going from bad to worse so far as Smethurst's company Palladium Associates is concerned.

It seems possible that the unexpected outcome of the failed 4-week-long prosecution of a London businessman, which had been achieved with the backing of several staff from Palladium, has had significant repercussions.

As I reported above, many of the main witnesses at this failed prosecution included Stephen May himself and several Palladium 'security staff', a number of whom had criminal records. Their evidence evidently did not persuade the jury.

Palladium Associates boasts on its website [ http://www.palladiumassociatesplc.com/news.php ] that the origin of the word 'Palladium' is connected with the ability to 'safeguard and protect'.

See: http://www.palladiumassociatesplc.com/about-us/index.html

Whether that is the case or not, I cannot establish; in fact the word 'palladium' seems to orginate from a Greek goddess, Athena, and her fascination with a chap called Pallas.

Be that as it may (no pun intended), according to Wikipedia, "palladium dissovles slowly in sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric acid" and becomes "lightly tarnished in moist air".

Palladium Associates appears not so much to be 'dissolving slowly' as breaking apart through spontaneous combustion.

For reports reach me that there has been a vigorous disagreement between the two founding Directors: (1) the McCanns' co-ordinating lawyer and Director of the successful Find Madeleine Fund, and (2) his fellow founding Director, Steve May, the ex-Greater Manchester Detective Constable who is married to Rossendale Councillor Nicola May. That would appear only to leave former British Nuclear Fuels Legal Director and fellow Freemason Alvin Shuttleworth as the sole other Director - though information about just who are the Directors and staff of Palladium has always been very scant.

Turn to the 'news' page of Palladium Associates, and there is a clear reference there to 'Fellow Director Steve May'.

However, the disagreement between Smethurst and May has resulted in the recent departure of Steve May.

Log on to the Companies House website under under Palladium Associates and this terse message can be read:

PALLADIUM ASSOCIATES, 16-01-2012 - Appointment terminated: Stephen May.

Hopefully Palladium Associates won't be 'lightly tarnished' by these events, but it would probably be a good idea if they tidied up and updated their website, making clear that Steve May and Palladium have parted company. A little news item about the precise circumstances might be of not a little interest.

(And it probably isn't a great idea to have as your main news item on your website an article heralding a forthcoming event that took place months ago, either).

Meanwhile, the role of Palladium Associates in working for food wholesalers Palmer and Harvey for nine months last year does not apparently (yet) rate a mention on Palladium's website.

jd on Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:33 pm

Tony, you know well that I read this with a very big smile on my face!!

Tony Bennett on Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:56 pm

jd wrote:Tony, you know well that I read this with a very big smile on my face!!

Palladium's accounts have just been filed at Companies House and inter alia they reveal the following:

1. A new Director has been appointed: Peter Giles

2. Palladium does not employ anyone; presumably therefore its security staff are treated as 'self-employed'

3. It made profits of £13,097 in the last financial year.

That's a modest £4,365.66 per Director.

Pershing36 on Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:41 pm

Must have come as a shock. Despite the apron not everyone will drop at his feet and roll over.

Tony Bennett on Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:48 am

More information has come to light about the circumstances under which the firm Palladium Associates, formed and run by the McCanns' co-ordinating lawyer, Edward Smethurst, and husband of Councillor Mrs Nicola May, ex-Greater Manchester Police Detective Constable, Stephen May, came to be engaged by Britain's largest wholesale distribution company, Palmer and Harvey.

The matter centres around a dispute between the Directors of Palmer & Harvey, and a south London businessman, which culminated in a 4-week trial of the businessman, and two others, at Guildford Crown Court in November and December last year. All were acquitted.

Some kind of contract between Smethurst and May, and the Directors of Palmer & Harvey, appears to have been made prior to a bungled attempt by May to record a conversation between the south London businessman and the wealthy Chairman of Palmer & Harvey, Christopher Adams, at a meeting between the two men at the Goring Hotel, Victoria, on 10 February 2011 (see OP). May's listening device failed to record the conversation as he had hoped.

In a statement made to Sussex Police on 26 May 2011, May began as follows:

"As a result of information received from Derek Bruder of Palmer & Harvey McLane Ltd., I attended a meeting at the Goring Hotel, London, on 10 February 2011 between Chairman of Palmer & Harvey, Christopher Adams, and [a south London businessman]...After the meeting, I liaised with Derek Bruder, Head of Risk at Palmer & Harvey...as a result of a risk assessment, it was decided to place security on the homes of Christopher Etherington, Chief Executive Officer of Palmer and Harvey, and Christopher Adams, Chairman...Derk Bruder and I engaged with the police and requested that they actively investigate what we considered to be a series of serious criminal offences. We reported the incident to Sussex Police and they responded and some statements were taken...it was felt that the resources the police were able to commit to the investigation were insufficient to deal with the situation. After an assessment of the situation on 28 February 2011, I was instructed by Derek Bruder to carry out enquiries...surveillance was conducted and observations commenced..."

It was on the strength of evidence provided by Stephen May of Palladium Associates and their security staff that Sussex Police were persuaded to embark on their own investigation and commit a huge team to arresting three men on 1 April 2011. The 4-week trial of the three men in November and December at Guildford Crown Court followed. All were acquitted.

As the dust settles from this extraordinary set of events, some of the fall-out is becoming apparent. I have gleaned these snippets so far:

* The failed Sussex Police investigation cost £2 million and altogether involved at least 83 officers. I understand that an internal enquiry is under way into the debacle of this failed prosecution

* As reported above, Stephen May and Edward Smethurst, founding Directors of Palladium, appear to have fallen out, and have certainly parted company with each other as May ceased to be a Director of Palladium last month

* Palladium Associates appear to have charged Palmer & Harvey around £700,000 for its work on the case last year. It is not clear how much of that was paid into the bank account of Palladium Associates and how much was paid into the bank account of Stephen May

* Some of Palladium's security officers, who gave evidence at the failed trial in November and December, were apparently paid £1,000 a day for their services. The security staff were mostly very vague in their police witness statements about how, when and on what terms they were engaged by Palladium, but most admitted to being 'involved in a civilian, covert surveillance operation [by Palladium Associates] under the codename 'Operation Gold'," which seems to have run from late February to 3 April. One of the security staff was more forthcoming in his witness statement, however, and wrote: "I, Richard James Graves...am currently sub-contracted as a security officer by Palladium Associates plc since 21 February 2011"

* Stephen May appears now to have obtained a salaried position with Palmer & Harvey

* Legal action is likely by the south London businessman who claims that Palladium Associates, in conjunction with Palmer & Harvey, set him up. There is talk of the whole thing being a 'malicious prosecution'.

It will be noted that Stephen May in his police witness statement twice speaks of 'liasing with' and 'taking instructions' from Derek Bruder. Bruder is a Director and 'Head of Risk' at Palmer & Harvey.

A likely explanation for why Bruder chose Smethurst and May's Palladium Associates - and why May is now apparently employed by Palmer & Harvey - is that I understand that Derek Bruder and Stephen May were once close colleagues on Greater Manchester Police Force.

More when I get it.

Tony Bennett on Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:26 am

Palladium Associates, Palmer & Harvey and the High Sheriff of East Sussex: The plot thickens

More information is coming to light about the involvement of Edward Smethurst’s company, Palladium Associates, in the mysterious case of leading food wholesalers, Palmer & Harvey -v- a south London businessman, who was charged in April by Sussex Police with the serious crime of blackmail, largely on the evidence of two Directors of Palmer & Harvey [Christopher Adams and Christopher Etherington], aided and abetted by witness evidence from Smethurst’s partner Stephen May, and several temporary security staff employed by Palladium.

May, who described himself as the ‘Operations Director’ for Palladium, resigned as a Palladium Director last month - and I am informed that he now works for Palmer & Harvey, no doubt alongside his former colleague from Greater Manchester Police, Derek Bruder, who is Palmer & Harvey’s Head of Security and Risk.

Derek Bruder by the way was formerly also employed by South Yorkshire Police Force and was off duty at Hillsborough in 1996 on the day of that appalling crush which killed dozens of people. He gave evidence to the Hillsborough enquiry. He made a statement about how he tried to help a dying man, Kevin, which was mysteriously changed after he was interviewed by West Midlands Police. A Google search for ‘Derek’’Bruder’’Hillsborough’ will bring up the details.

The case against the London businessman was founded on a series of strange incidents which took place between 10 February 2011, when Adams met the businessman at the Goring Hotel, London, to discuss their dispute, and 1 April 2011, when the businessman was arrested.

Evidence in the abortive 4-week trial of the businessman last November relied heavily on the witness evidence of a large number of security staff employed by Palladium Associates during the six-week period 21 February to 1 April 2011.

Although his partner Steve May led the collection of evidence against the businessman, Edward Smethurst was also deeply and personally involved in the case. No sooner was the businessman safely locked up in Lewes Prison, where he remained for 10 weeks, despite a bail applic\tion, than a writ arrived from Palmer & Harvey making a substantial financial claim against the businessman. The Solicitor acting in this matter for Palmer & Harvey was Edward Smethurst.

I understand, however, that Palmer & Harvey have since terminated their instructions to Edward Smethurst and have now employed City firm Herbert Smith to act for them.

Let’s go back now to the actions of May and Bruder in this case.

Matters began somewhat ignominiously for Palladium in this case when May’s attempt to covertly record the conversation between Adams and the businessman in the hotel failed as his recordng equipment wasn’t up to the job.

Eleven days later [21 February], Palladium employed security officer Richard James Graves, though on a ‘sub-contracting’ basis.

That very night, a small fire was reported which slightly damaged the security gates at the home of Mr Adams, Chairman of Palmer and Harvey. This incident, logged by the police as an arson attempt, featured heavily in the 4-week trial of the businessman. Other incidents followed in the next 4 weeks.

A Police Constable Davidson prepared a statement the following day [22 February], based on what Adams told him. But when he called Adams to get it signed by him, Adams “wanted to change it and wished for time to think about it”.

Meanwhile, Mr Bruder lost no time in ‘phoning Brighton Police Station, seeking an urgent meeting with Sussex Police. Without delay, Bruder and May met later that day with Detective Sergeant Harbour at Hailsham Police Station. When he got there, Bruder began to ‘voice his concerns’ about the lack of police action.

As the police notes reveal: “Bruder, on behalf of Palmer & Harvey, and with the assistance of May and his company Palladium Associates, have been conducting in-depth covert investigations”, but “Bruder was not prepared to divulge these methods”. Bruder also made complaints about the witness statement taken by P.C. Davidson. According to police notes: “Bruder was very unhappy that this was done over the ‘phone”.

On 26 February, Detective Sergeant John Witt noted on file his concerns about the above incident. He wrote: “The circumstances of this offence are not clear. I note that in both this and the linked matter, there is reference to information being withheld from police by company representatives...clearly police are unable to provide a measured response if they are not in possession of the full facts…I note that the police are also expressing a similar lack of information from Mr Adams”.

On Sunday 27 February, Bruder and May demanded, and got, a further meeting with Sussex C.I.D, which took place at Chichester Police Station. Detective Sergeant Vickers was one of the police detectives at this meeting.

On 28 February, Company CEO Christopher Etherington and Chairman Christopher Adams each sent round the following note to senior colleagues:

“I hereby give instruction for Derek Bruder of Palmer & Harvey McLane Ltd and Steve May of Palladium Associates plc to act on my behalf in all matters relating to [the south London businessman]”.

But it was on Thursday 3 March 2011 that one of the most mysterious of many puzzling events in the case took place.

For on that date, Chairman Christopher Adams wrote to a friend of his, Michael.

“Dear Michael”, the letter began…and continued:

“I attach a briefing note prepared by Derek Brudeer, our Head of Security, as discussed in our telephone conversations of the last two days. I know that you would like to release this to a senior officer in the police force and you have my authority to do so. Kind regards, yours sincerely, Christopher”.

What did these two men discuss over two days on the ’phone?

And more to the point, who was the mysterious ‘senior officer in the police force’ who was prepared to help out Mr Adams?

These may well be questions that will be asked, and hopefully answered if, as seems possible, HM Inspector of Constabulary investigates why a £2 million investigation came to naught.

And who is ‘Michael’?

Well, that question at least can be answered, as Mr Adams wrote to Michael at his home address, which is simply: Ringmer Park, Lewes. Ringmer Park is an attractive 25-acre garden in East Sussex which is from time to time open to the public. It is owned by Mr Michael and Mrs Deborah Bedford, as can be seen by scrolling down on this link:

http://sussex.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/25-gardens-sussex-leisure-days-out-bank-holiday-31291/

Michael Bedford is a graduate of Clare College, Cambridge:

http://www.clarealumni.com/s/845/file_lib/1/1/Clare_News_22_633621606633011546.pdf

Mrs Deborah Bedford’s C.V. is of perhaps greater interest. Amongst other ‘hats’ that she wears, she is not only on the East Sussex Police Authority, which no doubt gives her many useful connections, but also no less than the High Sheriff of East Sussex, a post which probably makes her even better connected.

Shortly after Adams’ letter to ‘Michael’, the police agreed to set up ‘Operation Hague’ to investigate Palmer & Harvey’s claims that they were being blackmailed.

Anyway, back to the unfolding events leading to the arrest of the businessman on 1 April.

On 18 March, at a meeting chaired by Detective Inspector Trevor Bates of Adur and Worthing CID, it is recorded in police notes that “Derek Bruder requested we hold off on the arrest [of the businessman] until 31 March, due to the fact that Mr Etherington and his wife are going on holiday next week and their daughter will be at home on her own”.

Sussex police meekly agreed to Bruder’s request.

And duly arrested the businessman on 1 April.

Palladium set on two sub-conracted security staff, Robert John Graves and Neil Robert Green, in the last week of February 2011.

They worked in tandem with three Palmer & Harvey security staff, David Nulty, Nigel Melvin Davies and Barry Christopher Jones.

The following staff said they were all employed ‘from 28 February to 3 April’ [exactly 5 weeks] and appear to all have been employed by Palladium:

These were employed at Chris Etherington’s home:

Harry Walker
Dominic Gary Wood.

These were employed at Christopher Adams’ home:

Joseph Dunn
David Anthony Sykes
James William Woolfenden
Tommy John Tomlin.

Other staff employed on miscellaneous surveilance/security duties were:

Michael Richard Dunne
Gary Shaw
Paul Johnston
Paul France
Steven Elliott
Robert Morris
Stuart Colacicco
James Colacicco

All of the above 19 security personnel gave evidence to the police about what they said were instances of criminal damage at the homes of Adams and Etherington, and which they and Derek Bruder and Stephen May alleged were part of a blackmail conspiracy.

But despite all that effort, the involvement of nearly 100 police officers, police time costing £2 million and a 4-week trial costing at least tens of thousands of pounds, they didn’t convince the jury at Guildford Crown Court.

The businessman was acquitted.

**Get 'em Gonçalo** on Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:06 am

I seem to recall getting a letter from Carter Ruck on 24 October 2011 instructing me to remove posts that suggested Steve May was a bent copper.

CARTER-RUCK LEGAL COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF STEVE MAY

Dear Madam

Steve May and Yourself

We have been consulted by our client Steve May in relation to a thread which is
being published at the following link, on a website which we understand is
administered and moderated by you:

http://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t3643-edward-smethurst-and-his-49-directorships

The thread contains a number of highly defamatory postings about our client,
suggesting that he is, or is to be suspected of being a 'bent cop'. Not only is
this grossly defamatory of our client, it is also entirely untrue; there can be
no credible suggestion that our client (who is indeed a former policeman) was or
is corrupt or 'bent'.

The 'evidence' upon which certain posters purport to rely in making these
allegations against our client appears, to say the least, to be dubious, but we
can in any event confirm that our client is not the "Police Constable
Stephen May" who is alleged to have committed 'deception' in a list of
allegedly corrupt policemen posted by a user on the thread.

Self-evidently, the publication of such allegations about our client threatens
very serious damage to his professional and personal reputations.

The purpose of this letter is to require you to remove the offending thread from
the website. Should you fail to do so, you will become primarily liable for its
publication, and we will accordingly advise our client of his entitlement to
take action against you.

Yours faithfully

Carter-Ruck

SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

Re: SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

Re: SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

News from Palladium Associates. Steve May departs.

Re: SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

A bit profitable

Re: SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial

PALLADIUM - Update

The High Sheriff, Ringmer Park and an unnamed senior police officer

Re: SMETHURST LATEST The McCanns' main lawyer (Edward Smethurst), Palladium Associates, and a failed 4-week-long blackmail trial