UK & World News
- 14 December 2012, 4:16
Royal Hoax Radio Staff 'Moved Into Safehouses'
Staff at a radio station behind a hoax call that led to the apparent suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha have been moved to safehouses, according to reports.
Managers at Sydney radio station 2Day FM have also recruited 24-hour bodyguards to protect employees.
Ms Saldanha was found dead days after the DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian called London's King Edward VII hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for severe morning sickness.
They impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles, with the "monarch" making enquiries about her "granddaughter".
Australian news website news.co.au said police have launched an investigation due to staff receiving death threats, with one letter specifically targeting Mr Christian.
The letter reportedly said there are "bullets out there with your (Mr Christian's) name on" and contained further threats involving a shotgun.
An inquest into the 46-year-old nurse's death opened at Westminster Coroner's Court on Thursday, and heard injuries were found on her wrists and that she had left three notes.
Two of the notes were found in her room at the hospital. The other was among her possessions.
The mother-of-two's body was released to undertakers on behalf of the family after the hearing.
The court heard that police are exploring emails and texts sent by Ms Saldanha, who was discovered by a colleague and a security guard on Friday.
Officers are also interviewing her friends and family, and staff at the Australian radio station responsible for the prank.
Detective Chief Inspector James Harman said: "On Friday December 7 Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security staff. Sadly she was found hanging.
"There were also injuries to her wrists. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. At this time there are no suspicious circumstances."
The inquest came as pressure mounted on bosses at the radio station to name the executives responsible for airing the hoax call.
Sky News understands Australia's independent media watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has had 2,500 complaints from around the world over the 2Day FM segment.
ACMA has announced a rare fast-track investigation into the prank, which saw Ms Saldanha put two radio hosts through to a fellow nurse who unwittingly revealed details about Kate's treatment.
Australia's radio broadcasting code stipulates that it is a breach to record a person in conversation, and also air it, without their knowledge.
The radio station insists it did not break the law and says it tried to contact the hospital on five separate occasions. The hospital disputes any contact was ever sought.
Update:
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what do you think?
jimmyjedi1979
She was either very unwell or this was an inside job. Just while the levason enquiry is attempting to fool the public into handing over the media to the state we now see people trying to gag live broadcasters too. Very strange.
annskipp
Shame, shame on the 2 radio presenters who carried out this prank. Not only did you try to invade the privacy of 2 young royal family members who were worried enough under the circumstances, but you were also responsible for the death of an innocent nurse. You should be sacked and prosecuted. ARE YOU LAUGHING NOW!!
jimmyjedi1979
They didn't think or intend to be taken seriously. Clown.
Juliecrumpton1234
Get a grip, annskipp, how can you possibly come out with such an outrageous comment!
hollywoodbowden
How did they make her kill her self it wasent a threatening prank no one forces you to do anything
ziggy1947
Your a clown they never intended this to happen.
Andrea Hill
i agree with you annskipp.
Juliecrumpton1234
No suprise there, Andrea!
simon calvert
Talk about irony, your name is skip and you're full of rubbish.
hollywoodbowden
This is all gone so over the top its untrue
TIM x
This prank was not the sole cause of the woman's death. They have paid out to the family they have taken steps to stop future pranks the presenters have been taken off air. The lady was clearly unwell beforehand. Learn from it and move on a protracted witch hunt will solve nothing
jimmyjedi1979
Still no pedophiles in jail. Nope, they are still running around in parliament, the banks and corporate sex parties abusing children with complete impunity. This is why we must give them full control of our press.
Paul Grice
RIDICULOUS THEY DID NOT KILL HER the media have stirred up a mass frenzy I said it earlier there is a lot more going on here Marks on her wrists three notes left one in her personal belongings . To me she has though about killing herself before but people being people being fed by the media need someone to blame . So all you on here condemning the two radio DJs might just need to wind your necks back in
Juliecrumpton1234
Agree, Paul!
shirley sutton
This isn't getting ridiculous let it go. If they stopped reporting all the time people could move on especially the family of the poor nurse
jimmyjedi1979
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
barbara
I can't understand why so many rational responses are getting minus votes and all the emotional ones are getting pluses. There's no doubt it was a tragic incident but it started out as an innocent, even humorous, prank. The newscasters were smiling about it, as was I and millions of other viewers. No one protested at the time. If the DJs are guilty then so am I and millions of others. You could jump out and say 'boo' to someone. If they dropped down from shock, does that make you evil? Ridiculous that everyone is condoning such a witch hunt!
Juliecrumpton1234
Well said, Barbara!
Gillian Silcox
Definitely agree, I don't think the prank should've happened but the presenters are not to blame for the suicide of the nurse.
Louisa Gieldon
I also agree. It seems that there is a certain kind of emotional, cheesy, irrational response that gets loads of thumbs ups. If you try to bring logic and fairness into the diccussion, then you are a pariah! The responses to this sad run of events have been absurd and this tendency to scapegoat and blame everytime something bad happens is puerile.
jimmyjedi1979
In fact from here on in every eventuality that occurs in relation to this nurses suspicious death will be blamed on these dj^s. Lets just execute them now- that will name things better and cheer up the orange sheep no end
Juliecrumpton1234
With you, I agree! It's a terrible tragedy for this poor lady, but I also feel for these two youngsters being hounded. Do people really think they intended to set out and kill anyone?
jimmyjedi1979
Two things that are infinite - the universe and human stupidity. Not sure about the universe though.
jane cumming
MIKE KILBRIDE PLEASE LOOK AT SNOWBOADING ACCIDENT PAGE.
ellierosecreate
This is ultimately heartbreaking for the family and friends of Mrs Saldanha, however it would seem there was more going on with the poor women. The prank was just the last imagined straw for her. While I understand the two DJ's couldn't have expected this to happen in their wildest nightmares, they still need to take stock of their culpability; and stop saying they didn't expect to get through. If you prank someone, you need to be sure that the person can take it and secondly (more in this case as they are in Aus) what are any possible repercussions for that person pranked? Possibly someone at the hospital would have been fired as an example. Could these DJ's afford to have that on their consciences?
david
THIS IS A BIT O.T.T. so the woman killed her self she must have had more issuse.than a prank call ...
Juliecrumpton1234
I agree as sad as it is, to lay the blame at the door of these two youngsters is wrong...
SagePhotoWorld
This has all got a bit ridiculous
Juliecrumpton1234
It has, hasn't it? No way are those two DJs responsible for that ladies death...
Louisa Gieldon
It is utterly ridiculous to be hounded like that.
Mark Hussey
At the end of the day thay should of not done it med staff have better things to do without prats makeing crank calls.rip and just let the family greve in peace now
simon calvert
She killed herself.....read and understand...no one else killed her. She killer her self...she alone was responsible for her own death... She committed suicide.. She took her own life... Read these words.... Stop trying to make out it is someone elses fault....it isn't, all you witch Hunters need a good look at yourself because you are hounding these people these innocent young people to well beyond a reasonable level. If anything were to happen to them or they were driven over the edge, you would have caused it with your malicious blame shame ... You are all far more guilty of more than they could ever have been. Nasty vicious thugs.
david
if the press kick up a storm it sells more papers.simon there seems to be a lot of idiots in this world..why are they starting up a fund for this family when a lot lose out on the insurance when there loved ones top there selfs
simon calvert
And one more thing... When Gary Speed took his own life, want he happy in a good job etc... Were you all slagging off his wife because they argued and then he killed himself....? Eh? Come on tell me. Nasty callous thugs.
david
2 teenagers killed there self by throwing them selfs of a bridge in scotland last year....lets all go after the person who built it ...thats how idiotic this is getting ,,BUT IT SELLS PAPERS
Terry Heath
11:22am on 13/12/2012
if it tried to contact the hospital five times as stated and did not get permission from the nurses then by broadcasting it broke the law .they shoulds have the broadcasting licence withdrawn and criminal proceedings instigated against all involved
Gordon Wright
5:13pm on 13/12/2012
It does not matter how many times they tried to contact the hospital. It should be the victim they tried to contact. Unless they actually made contact and obtained permission from the victim of the hoax, Australian broadcasting rules specifically preclude them from putting it on air. Yet they went ahead and did so.............. Even if the lady had "other issues", as has been suggested, this highlights the danger of playing tricks on people you don't know. You can never be certain how they will react..............
Louisa Gieldon
7:23pm on 13/12/2012
Gordon though I abhor the way the djs are being blamed, I do agree that it's not good enough to say they tried to make contct. If the rules say you need agreement, then you cannot broadcast and they were wrong to do so. Also agree that the nurses and not the hospital. should have been the contact