Man is critical after attack by Palladium Associates contractors [*** NOTE: Palladium Associates was set up and is owned by Edward Smethurst, The McCanns' 'Co-ordinating Lawyer' for 9 years and a Director of the Find Madeleine Fund for the past 7 years]

[size=48]Man fighting for life after being attacked by Metrolink security staff in city centre[/size]

• 17:01, 15 OCT 2016
  
  
• UPDATED 17:08, 15 OCT 2016
  
  
• BY CHARLOTTE COX
  
  

GMP were called to Spinningfields and a 28-year-old man is in hospital in a critical condition

    

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A man is fighting for life in hospital after four Metrolink security staff launched an attack on a group of passengers after an incident near Victoria Station .
It’s understood the staff, contracted to the tram network by Palladium Associates, chased three men down Deansgate before launching the assault at Spinningfields .
GMP confirmed they were called to Spinningfields at 11.46pm on Tuesday after a 28-year-old was detained by security guards.
The man then ‘fell ill’ shortly afterwards and was taken to hospital.
A spokesman for the force described his condition as being “critical” and that he was fighting for life.
Four men, aged 52, 43, 32 and 60, were arrested on suspicion of a section 18 assault in connection with the incident and have since been bailed.


READ MORE

• New figures reveal the shocking scale of violence and abuse on Manchester's trams
  
  

A Metrolink spokeswoman said: “We are aware of an incident involving members of security staff from our contractor, Palladium Associates, on the evening of Tuesday October 11. We will work closely with Greater Manchester Police and Palladium as they conduct their investigations.”
A witness to the incident told the M.E.N: “The three lads had been causing issues at Victoria - they were chased the length of Deansgate and badly assaulted.”
The M.E.N has contacted Palladium Associates for comment.

Ex Police Inspector Peter Giles who is a Director of Palladium is banned for drink driving.  

SUSIEB has kindly forwarded these news items because Edward Smethurst is the owner and manager of Palladium Associates and many questions have been asked about how on earth he got the contract.

One source informed me some time ago that this particular contract was not put out to tender as it should have been - and that the contract was awarded by one of Edward Smethurst's senior Freemasonic contacts in the East Lancashire Masonic Province.

I will have to be careful about what I reveal because Edward Smethurst is litigious.


NOTE: According to Wikipedia:

"In English, since around 1600, the word 'palladium' has been used figuratively to mean anything believed to provide protection or safety... "

Hmmm, not for someone apparently badly duffed up by Smethurst's men and now critically ill in hospital...

http://www.stephenmorris.info/
ALLEGATION OF NEGLIGENCE – TFGM STAFF, DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR GENERAL and TWO RATP DEV (UK) EXECUTIVES

Administrator / 16/10/2016

I have today received a copy of a communication which was sent to senior Councillors in Greater Manchester, this is a follow up of previous correspondence regarding Health and Safety concerns with Palladium Associate Staff and makes interesting reading.
Re- METROLINK / MAJOR INCIDENT
ALLEGATION OF NEGLIGENCE – TFGM STAFF, DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR GENERAL and TWO RATP DEV (UK) EXECUTIVES
I write to you, specifically in relation to the major incident reported in the Manchester Evening News last night. Last Tuesday evening, four contractors, (one of whom is the contractor’s manager) from RATP Metrolink’s hired security firm Palladium Associates Limited have restrained, then assaulted and put a person into a coma during a ‘restraint gone wrong’. Greater Manchester Police have charged the four ‘Palladium Ltd’ staff and bailed them. Whilst I am aware that the male had indeed tried to assault staff this in no way allows for such a disproportionate response. This particular letter is sent not only to you, but a wide audience of others to ensure you act in an appropriate manner.
It is my allegation that within the last ten months-
i) RATP Metrolink Managing Director Chris Coleman
ii) RATP Group CEO Tim Jackson
iii) TFGM Louise Barry, Metrolink / Travelsafe Manager
iii) TfGM Metrolink Director Peter Cushing
iv) TfGM Director General Dr Jon Lamonte
…all five of these were anonymously sent emails or letters directly mentioning our concerns over the situation with Palladium Associates, with casually hired new staff filling in application forms during their first day, no CRB checks, no walk away policy, zero drink-drugs testing, no training, no track safety training, risk of endangering ordinary Metrolink drivers and inspectors, some staff signing on at the job centre, others using false names, some working on nightclub doors/other jobs then coming straight to Metrolink with little if any rest – all proven.
Ordinary RATP Metrolink staff had previously raised concerns to Metrolink managers, but were ignored and considered ‘irrelevent’.
Concerns were also raised that no proper tendering ever took place when Palladium were hired, instead the (former police officer) company owner was already known to RATP DEV Manager – Graham Lord Jones (also a former police officer). Marie Daly, was the HR+Customer Service Director at RATP who signed off and approved the Palladium contract, obviously with no proper scrutiny. On Companies House Palladium lists itself as having just four employees, so effectively anyone else is self employed – does Metrolink’s insurance cover those non-employees?
ALL THESE CONCERNS WERE EMAILED AND LETTERED TO THOSE FIVE PEOPLE OVER SIX MONTHS AGO – leaving plenty of time for competent persons to intervene and put matters right, but instead TfGM did nothing whilst RATP bosses chose to launch a witchunt to find out who sent the letter exposing the serious shortcomings.
Ordinary Metrolink staff have been sacked for ‘gross misconduct’ within the last few months for merely ejecting people from trams. One incident involved a sacking after a teenager at Sale Station was forcing the door emergency releases open on the wrong side (track side) of a tram. An employee used minimal force to remove him, having hold of his clothing, and was sacked. If you recall the incident with the 13-year-old going into a coma after taking ecstacy tablets at Timperley that same teenager, involved in the Sale ‘door’ incident was arrested for dealing the drugs to the 13-year old in the Timperley incident.
The fact that this latest incident involves Palladium Associates Ltd’s contract manager should be of most concern.
Further, I do not feel it is appropriate given the seriousness of these incompetence allegations that any of the TfGM people named in this email should have been allowed to consider bids for the Metrolink replacement contract, and the four bids should urgently be reviewed and scrutinized by an independent panel or consultancy. It is my belief that the latest string of incidents occured due to falsely percieved ‘savings’ due to contracting things out, and perhaps a Metrolink contract would now be better operated and more fiscally accountable directly run by the PTE.
Ends
Metrolink RATPDev Ltd have gradually been replacing their own Passenger Service Representatives (Inspectors) with Palladium Associate staff in an attempt to reduce costs, and it is believed if Metrolink RATPDev Ltd gets the contract then all employees currently working as ‘Inspectors’ will be made redundant, being fully replaced with Palladium Associate contractors.
Manager Carla Taylor, Previously Head of Customer Services and a key Manager involved in bringing in Palladium Associates, has previously been involved in misreporting of data to the Transport for Greater Manchester.

https://stemorris.wordpress.com/2016/10/16/allegation-of-negligence-tfgm-staff-director-director-general-and-two-ratp-dev-uk-executives/

Interesting reading on Stephen Morris of The English Democrats Party website

SUSIEB wrote:https://stemorris.wordpress.com/2016/10/16/allegation-of-negligence-tfgm-staff-director-director-general-and-two-ratp-dev-uk-executives/

Interesting reading on Stephen Morris of The English Democrats Party website

Thank you @ SUSIEB for your update from Rochdale, once the haunt of Sir Cyril Smith, the paedophile MP who for years shared the same office as his fellow Liberal MP - and paedophile - Sir Clement Freud, who had a villa in Praia da Luz and got on famously with the McCanns over dinner, plus 'strawberry vodkas' and 'large glasses of brandy' - all in Kate McCann's book. Small world, eh? - especially when you throw in Smethurst having had his summer holiday pad down in Praia da Luz for the past 17 years.

What is it with these paedophiles getting knighthoods...Sir Jimmy Savile, Sir Greville Janner...?

But back to Smethurst's company, Palladium Associates.

Some while ago an anonymous source in Rochdale briefed me on certain matters regarding Palladium Associates, owned I believe by Edward Smsethurst (certainly was) and on Metrolink, who run the Metro.  

I can't verify what he told me, but his reports included these claims:

QUOTE

1. Somehow his companies have wheedled their way into Metrolink and got contracts. Senior staff at Metrolink should be investigated as I believe they gave Palladium the contract without going through the tnedering process. In doing this they have breached tendering process.

2. The route to Metrolink was and is via Peter Giles, a former police officer, probably Greater Manchester Police, who is big mates with Wes Marchant, a high-ranking Freemason and former colleague who has enjoyed copious amounts of Smethurst's hospitality. Marchant worked for Metrolink and is mates with his boss Mike Mabey who has now moved to Metrolink Nottingham

3. Wesley Marchant has or had a 'Donate to Wesley Marchant via JustGiving' site LINK: https://www.justgiving.com/wes-marchant/4w350m3/donate/#MessageAndAmount

4. Masonic news page re Wesley Marchant: http://www.pglel.co.uk/District_Pages/Manchester/Manchester_News.asp:

“A large gathering of over 100 Brethren attended the Hosted Meeting in the presence of the RWPGM Sir David Trippier at Freemasons Hall, Manchester. The PProv DC, Wesley Marchant brought the RWPGM into the Lodge with a Provincial Deputation and after taking the Chair he commented on how wonderful it was to see the Derby Lodge room so full. He thanked the WM and the Brethren of Minnehaha Lodge for the work they had put in in hosting the meeting and how important such meetings were to enable him to meet as many brethren as he could in the Province...”.

You'll find that Edward Smethurst has a very high rank in the same Provincial Lodge. 

THAT'S IT

He did give me more on other Smethurst issues though

This has come up on Google Alerts today:

http://edwardsmethurst.co.uk.composesite.com/

It will probably mean something to anyone who knows a thing or two about domain names (which I don't)

[size=53]Man dies after being detained by Metrolink security staff in Spinningfields[/size]

The 28-year-old was chased to Spinningfields after an assault took place at Victoria station

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BYTODD FITZGERALD

• 12:24, 5 DEC 2016
  
• UPDATED12:24, 5 DEC 2016
  

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A man has died after being detained by Metrolink security staff in Spinningfields following a chase down Deansgate.
The 28-year-old died in hospital on Friday following the incident on October 11 in Manchester city centre .

An assault took place at Victoria station at around 11.20pm.
It is believed two of the men involved in the incident ran away, before being chased by two security staff - who are contracted to the tram network by Palladium Associates - down Deansgate to Spinningfields.
Two more guards later arrived in a taxi.
At around 11.45pm, the 28-year-old man was detained by security officers close to Australasia restaurant.
Police were called after he later fell ill.
The man, who has not yet been named, was taken to hospital where he remained in a critical condition, before he died on Friday.
A post-mortem is due to take place.


The security guards chased the man from Victoria station to Spinningfields (Photo: Mark Waugh)
READ MORE

• Paedophile 'monster' set up fake social media accounts to prey on girls as young as 11
  

Four men - aged 32, 43, 52 and 60 - were arrested on suspicion of assault and remain on bail pending further enquiries.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident.
They keen to speak to the taxi driver who drove two of the security guards to Spinningfields.
They also want to hear from anyone who witnessed the initial assault at Victoria station or the incident outside Australasia.
Detective Inspector Rebecca Boyce of GMP’s City of Manchester Team, said: “Sadly, a man has now died following the events of Tuesday, October 11 and my thoughts remain with his family who are being supported by specially trained officers.

READ MORE

• Police appeal after CCTV shows man and dog 'being attacked with baseball bat' in Salford street
  

“We are continuing our enquiries to determine the precise circumstances of that night and need the public’s help to be able to do so.
“If you were the taxi driver who drove two of the security guards to Spinningfields or, if you were one of the taxi drivers who were parked outside of Victoria Station around 11.20pm that night, please get in contact with us.
“Alternatively, if you witnessed the assault at Victoria Station or saw the man being detained outside Australasia, please call us at the earliest opportunity.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4082 or 101 quoting reference number 2536 of 11/10/16 – or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/man-dies-after-being-detained-12274206

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4001502/Three-ex-footballers-launch-Offside-Trust-support-victims-sexual-abuse.html

Lawyer calls for 'further investigation' into coaches still working in football
A lawyer representing former footballers who say they were sexually abused at clubs as young players has claimed there are still individuals in the game who "need further investigation".
Edward Smethurst, the managing director of Manchester-based firm Prosperity Law, was speaking at the launch of the Offside Trust - an independent body set up by victims of abuse at football clubs to "fight for justice" and provide support.
When asked by reporters about a former youth coach from a leading club who remained in the game until recently despite warnings about his behaviour, Smethurst said: "It's not a surprise."




+1
Steve Walters wants an apology from Crewe
Smethurst, whose firm is supporting the Offside Trust on a pro bono basis, continued: "There are other individuals within the game, past and present, against whom further action could be taken.
"There are absolutely people, involved in the game today, who victims have spoken to me about. I can't comment until further investigation, but they certainly need further investigation."
Smethurst, a former director of Sale Sharks rugby union club, also said former players have told him that clubs have asked for confidentiality clauses in compensation packages for sexual abuse by coaches within their youth systems.
"We can't discuss specific cases but I certainly have awareness of other situations where confidentiality clauses have been used in relation to footballers (in relation to allegations of abuse)," he said.
This follows Chelsea's apology on Saturday to former player Gary Johnson for asking him to sign a non-disclosure agreement in 2015 in return for £50,000.
That agreement was waived last week, enabling Johnson, now 57, to tell the Mirror that he was sexually abused by the club's former chief scout Eddie Heath between 1978 and 1981. Heath has since died.
Before Johnson's interview with the newspaper, Football Association chairman Greg Clarke said he found the idea of confidentiality clauses in child abuse cases as "morally repugnant", while his chief executive Martin Glenn said "hushing up" was a breach of FA rules.
The Offside Trust is the brainchild of f ormer Crewe players Andy Woodward and Steve Walters and ex-Manchester City youth player Chris Unsworth.
Woodward, whose harrowing interview with the Guardian nearly three weeks ago started a wave of allegations that has now swept over the entire game, said he and his partners are " fighting for justice" and trying to support fellow victims.
The Trust is asking for donations from the FA, professional leagues, players' union and all commercial organisations that profit from the game, as well as any private individuals who want to back this cause.
Smethurst and the players stressed that they believe only a fully independent public inquiry would be able to uncover what was happening in clubs more than 20 years ago, as well as assessing what responsibility the football authorities must shoulder.
Last week, the FA asked Kate Gallafent QC to lead a review of its response to historic allegations to sexual abuse.
Walters, who became the youngest first-team player in Crewe's history when he made his debut in 1988 aged 16, said he and Woodward also wanted an apology.
"We haven't been offered any money, not even had an inkling of an apology from the football club we were at, w hich is, in our opinion, disgusting and upsetting," he said.
"Fair play to Chelsea, it's too little, too late, but they have put their apology out there in a sincere manner.
"(From) Crewe, there's been nothing. Head in the sand. Let us suffer all our lives.
"There's so many more. I'm getting phone calls every day off players who I've grown up with - there are so many. You won't believe how many are still to come out, honestly."
The Cheshire club - famous for their academy - have now launched an independent inquiry into what happened in their youth set-up in the 1980s and 1990s.

This is very sad news for the family of the victim.

Two months after the attack by Palladium Associates, hospital staff were regrettably unable to save him.

The assault on him must have been brutal.

One imagines there will be a inquest, as well as the ongoing police investigation by Greater Manchester Police.

Senior Freemason Edward Smethurst was certainly the original owner of Palladium Associates and remained so during the failed prosecution of Clive Garrad by Sussex Police in 2011. During the failed prosecution Garrad's defence team alleged that Smethurst had employed a team of staff from his Palladium Associates company to 'fit Garrad up' for a crime of 'conspiracy to cause criminal damage'. 

As Edward Smethurst is known to be litigious, I will simply say for the record that Garrad was found NOT GUILTY despite several Palladium Associates staff giving evidence against him. Whether the jurors thought that Garrad had been 'fitted up' by Smethurst's men is impossible to say.

The inquest will no doubt want to hear more about how Palladium Associates got their contract to run Metrolink's security, and whether or not, as claimed, this contract was secured by circumventing the normal tendering process - and whether senior fellow Freemasons were actively involved in awarding Smethurst the contract.

The full background of the four men who killed the victim will no doubt be gone into by the police and the inquest.

In a year when the McCanns' friends and helpers Sir Philip Green ('Sir Shifty') and the late Sir Clement Freud have both been in the news for serious wrongdoing, is Edward Smethurst - as yet unknighted - about to be a third?

Have just seen 'Ed' Smethurst on Channe 4 news as the abused footballers' rep. Googled and found this:   



[size=32]5 December 2016 2:45PM[/size]
Three former players who have said they were sexually abused at the start of their careers have called on professional football to back a new, independent trust that will "fight for justice" and support victims.

The Offside Trust, which is fronted by former Crewe players Andy Woodward and Steve Walters and ex-Manchester City youth Chris Unsworth, is asking for donations from the English Football League, Football Association, Premier League, Professional Footballers' Association and commercial organisations that profit from the game.
Speaking at the trust's launch in Manchester, Woodward said: "We are fighting for justice. We have all been through it and we just want justice."
It was Woodward's powerful interview with The Guardian last month that opened the floodgates on a scandal that has now spread throughout the UK.
In a press release for the trust, Woodward added: "The sheer size and scale of the problem is illustrated by the fact that over 860 victims have come forward in the last few days.
"It is clear that abuse has existed on a major scale for many years. This trust does not just relate to football but also relates to other sports."

The trust will be supported by Prosperity Law, a Manchester-based firm that specialises in child abuse. 
Prosperity Law's Edward Smethurst explained that his firm was working on a pro bono basis as it has in the past on other causes, such as the Madeleine McCann foundation.
Smethurst said the trust's three founding directors were Unsworth, Walters and Woodward but he has spoken to other former players who claim to have suffered sexual abuse at clubs as youngsters and they are "actively considering" joining the board.
"The purpose of the trust is to urge people to come forward," said Smethurst.
"We're not the establishment, we're independent and completely transparent. People can come forward in confidence."
Both Smethurst and Woodward acknowledged the FA's recent moves to address the issue of child protection but questioned the rigour of the inquiry the governing body has asked Kate Gallafent QC to lead on its behalf.
"We would call for a completely independent and transparent inquiry because clearly mistakes have been made in the past - it needs a thorough, truly independent investigation," said Smethurst.
"We're not making any allegations about any organisation today but it may well be that some constructive criticism comes out of that review about certain establishment bodies."
Walters, who made his debut for Crewe aged 16 in 1988, called on more high-profile players to back their campaign.
"It's happening everywhere down the years," he said.
"The bravado in football has to stop. We need more help, publicity and support from high-profile sports people.
"You think about how many pro or ex footballers there are, so please come ahead and support us.

ETA Was looking for link without success as several similar articles have since  superceded on google,  all concerning this trust.

re: The trust will be supported by Prosperity Law, a Manchester-based firm that specialises in child abuse. Prosperity Law's Edward Smethurst explained that his firm was working on a pro bono basis as it has in the past on other causes, such as the Madeleine McCann foundation.

---------------------------------

It seems that Edward Smethurst is becoming something of a national hero!

A selfless 9-year campaign in which he hasn't even taken a penny piece in his quest to help his friends the McCanns find their precious daughter Madeleine McCann.

And on top of that, even more selfless, entirely altruistic help for the tragic victims of the sexual abuse of footballers by their coaches in the 1970s and 1980s.

Is there no limit on the amount of human good this self-sacrificial man can do for those around him?

And on the telly again - wow!    

And no-one has yet mentioned him holidaying in Praia da Luz every year since 1999 with one or other of his three families.

ETA , 11.54am:      We now have the great privilege of seeing 81 seconds of Smethurst being interviewed by the BBC, here:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38218888  - the man who has acted as 'Co-ordinator of Legal Services for the McCanns' for over 9 years, and who has been a Director of the controversial Find Madeleine Fund for over 7 years - and all 'pro bono' - for free!! What a man!

-------------------------------------------------- 

I have a 'Google Alert' set up for 'Edward Smethurst'.

Months, even years go by, and there is nothing, except a very occasional reference to a U.S. businessman by the same name.

And then today, out of nowhere, this...

--------------------------------

Edward Smethurst As-it-happens update ⋅ December 6, 2016
	WEB
	'Several' clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst ESPN FC Speaking at the launch of the Offside Trust in Manchester, Prosperity Law's Edward Smethurst said "calls and emails are coming in all the time" from ... Flag as irrelevant
	clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst ddns.net 'Several' clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst. The lawyer who helped set up a new trust to raise money for footballers who ... Flag as irrelevant
	'Several' clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst Premier League News The lawyer who helped set up a new trust to raise money for footballers who were sexually abused as young players has claimed gagging orders... Flag as irrelevant
	Several clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst English News - Shafaqna Several clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst. The lawyer who helped set up a new trust to raise money for footballers who ... Flag as irrelevant
	clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst Sportsdesk24x7.com 'Several' clubs paid hush money after abuse - lawyer Edward Smethurst. December 5 , by www.espnfc.com The lawyer who helped set up a new trust ...