One of the international awards given to Carol Grayson and Peter Longstaff in recognition of their campaigning and research in 2009
(Image via Grayson)
It is with great sadness that I watch the impact on the haemophilia community as some are realizing for the first time that Jason Evans, son of a haemophiliac, the person they considered their biggest advocate and friend regarding the Contaminated Blood scandal, is in fact a liar and plagiarist giving false timelines of discovery to the media. This is an act that far from supporting accountability from public bodies harms the case for truth and justice. How can a person even ask for this when they are deceiving haemophiliacs and their families on a daily basis?
Thousands of haemophiliascs were infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses during the 1970s and 80s through the factor concentrates manufactured to treat their inherited bleeding disorder where the blood does not clot sufficiently. Plasma used in the production of this treatment came from the highest risk sources such as prisoners, gay men, sex workers, drug addicts and skid row donors. Much of the treatment was imported from the US known to have a higher risk of hepatitis than the UK.
It was during the 1980s, that haemophiliacs first began campaigning for a full and open public inquiry, compensation, improved health care, accountability and justice. One of the earliest media campaigns supporting haemophiliacs was run by the Northern Echo and included my own family. I lost both my husband Peter and my brother in law Stephen both haemophiliacs to the Contaminated Blood scandal.
Only a few victims and their families dared to go public at that time due to extreme prejudice and fear of physical harm as angry mobs chanted outside the homes of those infected, daubing their walls with hate slogans. Despite government blocking and destruction of incriminating documents, refusal of a public inquiry and denial of wrongdoing, a small number of committed activists continued to fight on for decades refusing to give up. They acquired copies of key evidence, generated new media campaigns, worked with supporting politicians, made documentaries, petitioned parliament, attended debates and produced an awarded dissertation.
Haemophilia campaigners were there long before the internet and social media were introduced which made campaigning so much easier with almost instant contact and the ability to mobilize far greater numbers of infected and affected, plus discrimination was not as prolific as in the 1980s.
In 2017, Jason Evans arrived on the scene, who to naive and vulnerable campaigners starting out for the first time, appeared as a shining light with a commitment to reveal to the world “new” evidence he had discovered and work towards exposing what had gone wrong. What Evans failed to reveal was that in actual fact the vast majority of evidence he presented was the work of others that were being plagiarised with any reference to their research omitted.
In order to claim evidence as “new” Evans had to ensure those that carried out original research and campaign work were cancelled out and their discoveries had to be replaced with false timelines. This unethical practice went totally against the fight for truth and justice. For example, if a campaigner had submitted incriminating evidence in a direct meeting face to face with a minister at Westminster in 2002 and that evidence had been suppressed and not acted upon, it only made matters worse when Evans presented this evidence years later with a falsified date of discovery from 2017 onwards. What it did was let government and other public bodies off the hook and collaborate to cover up the truth, denying justice.
One infected widow told me how Evans had admitted to her he was giving journalists false dates so he could get stories in the media. She thought it was a one off but he continued to make it his modus operandi without a thought for those he was harming by ommission, having to fight to uphold their reputation as researchers. As far as Evans was concerned, their work didn’t exist, nor did they.
Much of the documents claimed as “new” by Evans and his theories, analysis and allegations were taken from myself, old media stories and the documents that I had discovered which formed part of an awarded dissertation. He was able to source my copies of the 1991 HIV litigation documents (which included many papers on hepatitis) that government had destroyed and which I discovered as part of my late husband Peter’s legal files in Newcastle. After Pete died, I went to university and wrote a dissertation critiquing the so called “definitive” Department of Health, Self-Sufficiency in Blood Products in England and Wales: A Chronology from 1973 to 1991. I showed what was important, wasn’t so much what was included in the report, but the incriminating documents that were left out. Following the writing of the dissertation in 2005/6, I instructed lawyers in Newcastle to return the documents to the Dept of Health legal offices where they began to assess and release the papers in batches as part of an agreement with me.
I had already released many documents myself into the public domain earlier as part of my ongoing work with the media such as the Newcastle Journal Bad Blood campaign run jointly by Newcastle Journal and my husband Peter and I. The documents were so sensitive, press articles were often delayed until evidence passed the scrutiny of legal offices for fear of litigation against the paper. (None ever came!) The documents were then sent by lawyers on my instructions to the National Archives at Kew for anyone to access under the Freedom of Information Act. Jason and other campaigners were then able to FOI the papers which was my intention providing the correct date of discovery was acknowledged and the documents referenced to myself as the person that had discovered and analyzed them first in her dissertation.
I should also state that in 2005, Sir Patrick Jenkin and I had worked to save and ensure that ALL existing blood policy documents and anything related to haemophilia, HIV, hepatitis, v CJD held at NA Kew and other government archives were saved. Our intention was to stop government destroying important evidence and preserve as much material as possible in the hope of a future public inquiry.
Just before the Infected Blood Inquiry began under the Chair of Sir Brian Langstaff, Evans began his media campaign and founded Factor 8 Group. I first became aware of him when a researcher from Panorama rang me requesting all my incriminating documents so they could go out under the name of Jason Evans who had been chosen to front the programme. I was very shocked at the total disregard for my own work and the proposed rehash. I did however offer to participate in the programme myself, explaining my own research and documents but this was declined. In response to this and the risk to my reputation as an awarded researcher, I threatened to litigate if my documents were used without referencing. The resulting programme was a watered down version of what had been planned with less focus on Evans.
At the time the Panorama programme went out, an ITV journalist who was making another feature piece wrote the following email to me, (see below). We had discussed what was being done to me regarding the documentary and he looked at the evidence of my work which Panorama had requested and a recent article about the forthcoming programme. The Panorama researcher was very specific about what material she wanted which she said I had referred to in my Radical Sister blog and she needed the actual papers. The ITV journalist empathised with my situation saying,
I’m sorry to hear you are being put under stress at the moment. As a Journalist I can understand to some degree your frustration at the situation you are facing. Having your hard work being passed off as someone else’s must be deeply upsetting especially as you yourself have worked for the BBC in the past. I’ve read both articles and it’s clear that what’s being broadcast this evening isn’t anything that’s not been in the public domain before.
Perhaps with the degree of scrutiny journalists (especially at the BBC) are under with social media the truth will come out at some point.
For what it’s worth I think it’s obvious you’ve put so much work into exposing this terrible injustice, work which is incredibly admirable and to be applauded.
I’m sorry if I’ve contributed in any way to the stress you’ve experienced.
I’ll be watching tonight with a more enlightened view on the programme.
If you are interested I’ll keep you informed of my progress with my programme.
In 2017, I sent the following emails to warn Collins Law of their clients behaviour following a phone call to their office.
Email sent from Carol Anne Grayson to solicitor Des Collins dated 10th May 2017
Dear Des Collins,
Totally disgusted that your client Jason Evans is trying to pass off documents I submitted to the Archer Inquiry several years ago and part of my award winning dissertation on contaminated blood as his own research.
My late husband and I spent 23 years collecting evidence and documents some of which were part of our piece with Newsnight 2007 for which we were nominated for RTS award. Pete will be turning in his grave that one of our own community could behave in such a despicable way.
Guardian press at the time of Archer with documents I shared
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2007/may/25/health.politics
and here is the Daily Mail rehash with Jason Evans and Panorama
Jason is cutting off his nose to spite his face as what he doesn’t have is the wider evidence… What he does have is access to the documents that I had returned to government via my solicitor as government trashed their own, now released in batches via National Archives as instructed by myself and solicitor.
The Haemophilia Society admitted today they know Jason is lying, they admitted that much. What kind of sick person does this to a widow who lost 2 family members to contaminated blood.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/feb/22/oscars-newcastle-nurse-campaigner-film
I have copied in Colette Wintle with whom I have shared my documents.
END
E-mail sent from Carol Anne Grayson to Des Collins 11th May 2017
Dear Mr Collins, (Re documents I returned to government)
Can you please ask your client Jason Evans to stop saying documents that I had put into the public domain and have shared with several solicitors over the years are “new”. Listen in at 2.19.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p050zkg3
Let me explain for clarity. These are documents WHICH I DISCOVERED from MY HUSBAND’S litigation files and were accessed legally for my dissertation research (old firm disbanded, retired). They were later returned to the Department of Health around 2006 via our solicitor of that time letters record this AND they were also submitted to Archer Inquiry. Some could not included by Lord Archer as there was no remit for negligence in the Archer Inquiry
This is why I was given an award for using these same documents to critique a government report…. DOH Self Sufficiency Report 2006 which was a SHAM!
These are the documents now released in batches via the National Archives. Solicitors were meant to destroy these files but for some reason those in Newcastle DID NOT and had been passed across different legal firms that took over through the years. The government wrote to me saying they had “inadvertently” destroyed their own documents and wanted these back. Make of that what you will! I had requested that documents be kept in a neutral place via my solicitor but was overruled.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/may/21/health.medicineandhealth
The scandal is not that new evidence has emerged but that key evidence was IGNORED for years, some of which is in my dissertation and dozens of media articles and in letters to government, doctors and the Haemophilia Society that also managed to destroy key records. All of which will be shared in a public inquiry or court whichever comes sooner, waiting for advice on that.
To say these documents are new is a FALSE narrative… and we have had enough of those. The DOH are supposed to reference and inform me as each batch is released but as governments change as Andy Burnham MP has told me information is not passed on and civil servants told him the matter was closed. I have now written back to government to ask why their part of our written agreement is not being carried out and should have an answer soon or will return to the solicitor that assisted me at that time out of the goodness of his heart as I had no funds to pay him!
I know Jason is searching for the truth but that shouldn’t be through making claims which don’t stand up. Jason has no idea what I have shared or with whom. I can only say that a recent legal opinion echoes what I have alleged for years and that is the questionable role of some solicitors that had all this evidence and sat on it… at least in my area!
I have copied in my campaign colleague, the Haemophilia Society and solicitors who have been made fully aware of the circumstances pertaining to my returned documents!
Perhaps now they will also listen more closely!
Some of the things Jason is saying are almost a repeat of my own words, it is really disturbing! If he is going to use my evidence at least have the bloody courtesy to quote me.
Yours sincerely
Carol Anne Grayson
End
Email sent from Carol Anne Grayson to solicitor Des Collns dated 6th July 2017
Dear Mr Collins,
I am writing to make you further aware that the Craske, Walford documents are neither “new” nor “secret” as falsely reported in the Daily Mail Article. They have been in the public domain for some time.
Daily Mail article here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4662690/Patients-infected-contaminated-samples.html
and my 2006 dissertation chapter 4 from page 49 onwards here and in appendix, chronology
There have been several other incidents recently where my documents have been claimed as “new” by others in the media and it has wasted a lot of my time having to seek corrections but pleased that when journalists have seen original documentation that they have obliged and removed the word new.
Although I wish you well in your case it is completely wrong to portray this evidence as new or secret in 2017.
I have little choice but to make official complaints regarding the publication both misleading the public and defaming me as a researcher.
I list the following ways in which I have used and shared them over the years…. List not exhaustive as will have to go through 36 crates of evidence.
- Part of award winning ESRC Michael Young award winning dissertation in text and appendix which is on Haemophilia Society website
- Sent in a letter to the Haemophilia Society
- Disseminated on CD to haemophilia campaigners with the assistance of Dan Farthing, Haemophilia Society. I still have copies.
- Organised via solicitors in writing and on my personal instructions for these documents to be returned to government and released via the National Archives, Kew (documented in media and Hansard)
- Dissertation shared with Andrew March of Tainted Blood which he HOSTED on his website “Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey” at the time I was sharing many of my documents so he could win the 2010 Judicial Review against the then Secretary of State for Health on the key evidence acquired by Colette Wintle and I in 2004, original letters sent to us which no one else had in 2004 and which we still hold.
- Presented in face to face meetings with ministers at Westminster
- Presented in dissertation to both MPs and Lords including Andy Burnham, Diana Johnson, Paul Goggins, Lord Archer, Owen and Morris and many more as well as my own MPs
- Submitted to both Archer and Penrose Inquiries
- Shared with media and sent to the DOH as part of the Newcastle Journal award winning “Bad Blood” campaign” which my late husband and I ran jointly with the Journal in a dossier of documents and evidence… as a direct response DOH announced they would do their own research and produced the DOH 2006 Self Sufficiency Report which I later critiqued for my dissertation
- Presented to lawyers and barrister for husband’s case and case of haemophiliac PM
- Shared to obtain QC legal opinion re state of knowledge
- Presented at a conference in the US where I was given COTT Action = Life Award
- Shared with campaigners, lawyers in China where I was keynote speaker who were collecting evidence on global state of knowledge regarding dangers of hepatitis in blood products (Henan blood disaster). Host arrested by govt agents, so we held meets with lawyers in secret…. Documented in media.
- Used to influence an MP sent to media to persuade her to change her mind and sign EDM for HCV infected haemophiliac.
- Used as part of teaching sessions on powerpoint history of state of knowledge for MA Activism and Social Change, Leeds University
- Used in hand-out chronology/timeline which I used to give media to help them understand the complicated history.
- Shared at support week-ends for haemophiliacs where campaigning was discussed.
- Shared with campaigners in Eire, Scotland and Wales
- Included in my own writing.
- Dissertation shared with Martin Harvey, Macfarlane Trust who attended my award ceremony alongside campaigner Colette Wintle, Chris James, CEO Haemophilia Society and Sue Watts, Newsnight
- Discussed on video interviews and in testimonies
- Shared with interviewers for HIV/HCV project.
- Shared in discussions with LR scientist researching blood safety
- Included in letter to my late husband’s haematologist 2004. There is mention of Private Eye around August 2004 so will have to check whether published there also.
- Submitted in questions to the Department of Health, further questions sent last week BEFORE publication in Daily Mail, acknowledgement received
- Discussed, shared with Dr Harash Narang virologist specialising in hepatitis C, v CJD
- Discussed, shared with Dr Spence Galbraith who dedicated a copy of his book on John Snow, the Broad Street Pump to me in recognition of my research
- Discussed with contacts at the FDA
- Dissertation submitted by both myself and Colette to the APPG Haemophilia
- Shared with lawyers to argue our case for Recombinant synthetic product which went to High Court to highlight dangers of blood products
It is hugely distressing to me that such lies are being told by the media incited by certain individuals more recently arrived on the campaign scene. I am a widow that lost 2 family members but despite my grief I have done all I can to disseminate the evidence writing my dissertation within months of my husband’s death. In fact as soon as I discuss my research some campaigners actually block me from groups so they can continue to assert they just found these documents. The same reason many of our media articles are not included in the Tainted Blood Timeline, we are wiped out of history.
The Haemophilia Society was asked to host papers rather than they be returned to government and out through the National Archives at Kew but they refused… so Blackett Hart and Pratt solicitors and I had no option but to return them to government as they were meant to have been destroyed … I have a letter to BHP in my files discussing my concerns and the need for a neutral place in case they were trashed by civil servants like the others. We held out on condition they were released into the public domain (not secret files) and that is what your client is now using… documents from my late husband’s legal case in 1991 but failing to reference despite being informed of this. Referencing is something done out of courtesy and respect and am very sad that some cannot honour the memory of my late husband Pete who dedicated many years to helping others. It is a sad reflection of the selfish times in which we live!
I have sent this list to this email as this is the active email advertised on your website. I will also make this letter public and open as would not wish to be accused of putting it away in a secret file.
I don’t expect you to reply, this is simply for your information.
Yours sincerely
Carol Anne Grayson
End
It is with great disappointment and anger that Collins Law failed to address the lies and plagiarism with their client and nip things in the bud in 2017. Instead Collins added to the problem by also rehashing old evidence as “new” (as highlighted in the media) and using it as the basis of a case, a Group Litigation Order launched in the High Court. They allegedly misled their other clients. This case is currently stayed whilst the Inquiry is in progress. How can this GLO case stand now with false Timelines of discovery… you can’t deceive the High Court?
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 