Man of God backs Beverley porncoder

A church official has come out in support of Paul Smith - the owner of Beverley news website HU17.net who was sensationally revealed by the Hull Daily Mail to have coded "thousands" of porn websites. Smith's previous form, exposed by the Mail, includes sites such as Teen Sex and Hot Nude Teens, some of which treat visitors to …

[Jason Bloomberg]

"Gutter Press"

I'm sure there's a reason for that term.

Good on the good people of Hull who are standing up against this character assassination and slinging mud in the hope it sticks.

Still, I bet vetting checks are already returning 'alleged porn-monger, suspected paedophile, potentially involved in sex trafficking, possibly involved in facilitating international sex-industry crimes'. Of course, that won't affect his employment prospects.

Raise a glass to presumed guilty until proven innocent.

[Gordon Pryra]

Ive been to Hull

I doubt anyone in Hull actually earns enough to buy that POS paper in the first place.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hypocrites!

Let's look into the backgrounds of all HDM employees, and see who has a conviction, or sleeps around, or smokes (contributing to the 40,000 deaths each year) or drinks excessively.

This is bullying and harassment from a newspaper against someone who has broken no laws, from an anonymous and cowardly reported. I hope they're reported to the Press Complaints committee.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hypocrisy indeed

Our local rag recently outed a "brothel" as they like to call it (when did we go back to 1850?), which has apparently been running for 10 years so discreetly that the neighbours didn't know.

Iteresting that the paper's main angle on the story is, shock horror, the flat isn't that far from the local school. Think of the children!

Of course, a quick flip to the classifieds section reveals dozens of adverts for similar establishments in the paper itself. The paper is delivered free to every house in the city, even houses where children live. I don't expect a shock report on that any time soon.

Aren't these papers basically pimping? Living off immoral earnings? Potentially corrupting minors?

[Disco-Legend-Zeke]

The Stigma...

...attached to the porn industry is amazing.

During my brief excursion into porn production, just appearing in a photo with me could get people fired.

Beer is better then porn. (Except for 13 minutes a day.)

[Anonymous Coward]

Tc...tc... envy is a mortal sin

If he is indeed doing the photography for his sites as well as design he is probably a better choice to take pictures than the average flak at a regional rag. He most likely knows and understands basic things like lighting, composition, point of view. All the stuff you do not usually see in a "regional" newspaper unless they have bought it from stock photos.

[Semihere]

Man takes photos of kids... shock horror!

It's very clear that the HDM is trying to insinuate a link between the adult sites Paul has built and his taking photos of kids where none exists.

But have the HDM also considered that every single parent in the world who takes photos of their kids has, at one point or another, taken part in an actual real-life sexual act!?!?!? Oh the horror - who will think of the children now?

/sarcasm.

[Rattus Rattus]

"[Parents] taken part in an actual real-life sexual act"

The presumption! I'll have you know that my parents are fine, upstanding citizens and have never in their LIVES taken part in a sexual act!

[Anonymous Coward]

Go reg

This may be out of place, but well done to Lester and crew for continuing to report on this particularly nasty attempt to destroy a man's career and reputation.

Don't let 'em get away with it.

[Anonymous Coward]

sadly

Sadly this is the most telling part of the story

"East Riding Council leader Councillor Stephen Parnaby said: "What the Mail has unearthed is clearly unacceptable. I want to know how we became involved with this website. I aim to find out what we knew and what we did not know about this man.""

I suspect almost all politicos and council leaders would respond in a similar manner.

[Andrew Norton]

re: politicos

"I suspect almost all politicos and council leaders would respond in a similar manner."

I strongly doubt that 'Pirate Party politicos' would. (hint hint!)

Vote Pirate come election time!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Unexpected outbreak of common sense"

More of this sort of thing.

[Neal 5]

Ah yes, journalistic license.

And freedom of the press.

This enquiring mind wishes to know if the Hull Daily Mail is the breeding ground for El Reg hacks, or vice (no pun intended) versa.

[Rippy]

@Ah yes, journalistic license.

Wouldn't that be journalistic licentiousness?

[Craig 28]

Re:Gutter press

Calling this gutter press is being bloody generous.

[ratfox]

Trying to knock down the competition

Obviously, the rag is worried that people might read his website rather than their stories...

[AlistairJ]

Well I never knew

That Beverly is so open minded.

Beam me directly to sick bay, Mr O'Brien!

[Rob 5]

The question is...

Will the PCC do the decent thing, and rule against the paper, or will it be a whitewash, with the paper getting off on the grounds of "Well, they never actually said he was a nonce..."?

[Steven Raith]

Also, hilariously...

The editor of the HDM suggested that the 300+ comments slating them for basically talking crap and making a non-story are 'misinformed' about the situation.

Despite many of the commenters knowing the difference between designing website content frameworks, and actually producing the content for those frameworks - which the deigner would normally not take much part in, other than specifying that you can have twenty images in this box, and forty character descriptions of each image below them, etc.

Hopefully the PCC will tear HDM a new arsehole - I've never seen such a blatant personal attack on someone in any 'press' article in my life - and I used to live in Wick/Thurso, where the local paper, the John O Groat Journal [and it's midweek companion, the Caitness Courier] was basically a collection of rumour and hearsay, but they at least had the decency to stay objective about those rumours and hearsay and didn't try to use their position in the community to slander local businesses.

What a crock of shit - keep tabs on this story, El Reg, please :-)

Steven R

[mafoo]

Delicious Irony

The fact the newsagents carying the Mail have, a few shelves above it, a cornucopia of smut for sale.

I think we know why Paris...

[charlie wallace]

HDM watching too much american media

maybe hired an american journo ?

[Stone Fox]

I don't know about anyone else

but I read the HDM article, then complained to the press complaints commission.

If anyone can't be bothered to call them, the address to complain online is www.pcc.org.uk

[JCL]

It goes on.

From http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2010/03/05/hull-daily-mail-hyperlocal-smear-job-backfires/

That comment is particularly salient when reading the Hull Daily Mail’s justification for running the story:

“What Mr Smith has done is not illegal, but it is certainly not consistent with publishing a responsible local website carrying reports, pictures and videos of community events and activities, many featuring children. It is in the public interest that people know the truth about the man behind HU17.net”

Replace ‘Mr Smith’ with ‘the Hull Daily Mail’ and you get an idea where the backlash is coming from.

HDM look like they are still failing.

[Jacqui]

competion

HDM's sister company is competing with the HU17 web site and this article is an attempt to close down the site so they can take over with thier commercial offering.

Of course a backhander (beer) to your local mayor for a nice juicy quote helps grab headlines.

I bet Mr Mayor now feels like a complete tronk!

Jacqui

[LinkOfHyrule]

Commercial suicide?

I am stunned. Seriously, do the journos at the Hull Daily Mail have serious mental health issues or something? They are a danger to themselves and others around them. Try suing me you pricks. Dare ya!

No offence to anyone with mental health issues, I have, see my previous comments here on el Reg for proof!

[Lionel Baden]

Jesus this pises me off

He's a web designer :/

so BMW cannot design a car designed to get your dick sucked if they make a car that is family friendly ???

[Anonymous Coward]

Stop digging

Holy cow - is the editor of this paper mad?

They are just building a stronger and stronger harrassment case for Mr Smith.

I'll enjoy watching that.

[Maverick]

which is why

I never, ever buy any newspaper - local or national

I haven't for well over 15 years

every time I hear the word "professional" in the same sentence as "journalists" I want to puke

the sooner every newspaper closes the better the world will be

[Disco-Legend-Zeke]

If You Never...

...buy a newspaper, what the heck does your doggie pee on.?

[LinkOfHyrule]

@Disco-Legend-Zeke

Surely his doggy will soon be peeing and pooing on the new iPad! Wonder if multi touch works with body temperature dog poo logs or not?

And I'm not slagging off Apple, i'm slagging off "old media" before you zealots start cyber bullying me again!

[A Non e-mouse]

Not all bad eggs

"every time I hear the word "professional" in the same sentence as "journalists" I want to puke"

I'm sure many people have a negative view of journalists, but I think it's a bit harsh to tar them all with the same brush. There are some that manage to research a story and write about it in a coherent and balanced way.

[Scott 19]

@e-mouse

Proof or it didn't happen.

[Graham Marsden]

HDM obviously hasn't heard of the maxim...

... when you're in a hole: STOP DIGGING!

[Andrew Taylor 1]

Got to be fair to HDM though

Even though they have to look upwards to see the gutter, they have finally managed to find a subject on which all the regular contributors to their comments section agree, this one and the universal condemnation of HDMs harrassment of Mr Smith.

[Paul 4]

Have a look at this...

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=45142&c=1

[J 3]

Heh...

"an extremely enthusiastic promoter of life and events in Beverley"

Definitely!

"obviously a very talented web designer who works hard"

Fnar, fnar...

[Wokstation]

According to Smith...

...on HU17 he's said he never agreed to make the site for the journalist.

[Pauliroth]

Journalism at it's worst

And yet it sells newspapers?

Yes this is a complete non-story, but the readership who buy this ridiculous rag (and the many others in circulation in this country) must take a portion of the blame for encouraging them. Show me a newspaper that isn't packed full of non-stories and I'll show you a newspaper that's going out of business.

And if someone could tell the TV news-makers to lay off the garbage and start showing some real news I might be tempted to tune in from time to time...

[Anonymous Coward]

Glasshouses. Stones.

What about the shocking past of Hull Daily Mail deputy editor David Bourn, who left his previous job after being arrested on suspicion of assault - http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=37548

And who was accused of making a colleague breakdown in tears - http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=38223

When will the HDM expose this apparently upstanding member of the community?

[nigel 15]

Please follow up on this story...

...i want to see how it pans out.

what's worse html or supporting hitler???

there are so many contradictions it's untrue. but the prozzie angle is one of the funniest. what's worse agreeing to meet a reporter pretending to be an escort to possibly help design a website. or the following collection of ads from the HDM:

SERVICES » Personal Services

HELAINE discreet Escort.- 07931 238124/ 01482 xxxxxxx.

Published: 06/03/2010

SERVICES » Personal Services

PRIVATE, discreet appt, in/out calls, special offers. 07593 xxxxxxx

Published: 06/03/2010

there are plenty of them. the hypocrisy is astounding.

[Destroy All Monsters]

Politicians, I tell ya.

Mayor David Elvidge on hand to gasp: "I was not aware of the websites he has designed. I am speechless."

If one really wants to play the blowup doll at the prow of the latest populist bandwagon, it is advisable to first look in which direction it is actually rolling.

[Armus Squelprom]

Hull Daily Mail isn't fit to wrap chips in.

This is my local paper, and yes it's notorious for having multi-page adverts for sexlines, massage parlours and escorts, which make a veeeery tidy profit for them.

I have no connection with Mr Smith or his hu17.net site, but I can tell readers exactly what crime he has committed - he is providing free, fair and interesting news for the town, and that threatens the HDM monopoly.

They're just vermin who weren't good enough to get a job with a national tabloid.

[myhandle]

Mental health issues

Where did this idea that sex is evil? I still can't understand why there isn't a murderer's offenders register and assault offender's register. Make's no sense to me. I personally think all of the people that are trying to repress sexuality these days have mental health issues and should be in any position of power or influence.

[Anonymous Coward]

And they wonder why people don't buy newspapers any more.

It's been a long time since I bought a newspaper, and it's the utter tripe spouted by these newspapers that ensures that I never will.

Assholes.

[Adam West]

interesting logic

HDM is such an inspiration I figured I'd try writing an article in a similar style. It goes like this:

"John Meehan is the editor of a newspaper that carries adverts for 'adult services', and he may have looked at porn in the past. Sometimes, he has contact with children."

Gosh, that just might maybe probably almost certainly definitely mean that John Meehan is a you-know-what! Scandal!

[Anonymous Coward]

Local rag still continuing shite non-story......

The HDM have a follow up article again in the Saturday online edition, but I notice that they've now stopped allowing the readers to comment on the story.

I live in the HDM catchment area, but haven't bought a copy in over ten years. They also distribute a local free advertising paper, and a glossy free magazine (the glossy mag is only delivered to the upmarket areas, ahem!). Both publications go straight into the recycling bin when they are delivered to my home.

[John Sturdy]

They seem to have removed the comments section

Although the link given ends with "#StartComments", not only does it not take you to the comments section of the page, but it appears there is now no comments section.

[Anonymous Coward]

So hit them where it hurts!

[with apologies for the re-post...] Sign up to boycott the paper and its grubby reporting ways until they issue a prominent apology:

http://pledgebank.com/boycottHDM

[The BigYin]

Good grief

Porn site - index pictures and video, search on same, deliver content to verified users.

Photo sites - index pictures a, search on same, deliver content to verified users.

Video - index video, search on same, deliver content to verified users.

Actually...

Content delivery web interface - index content based on meta data, search on index, deliver allowed content to verified users.

Technically they are all very, very similar. If not fecking identical! What next? "Same models of Cannon cameras used at school sports day also used for smut filth! Shock!"

Thinking about, losing the prudish attitude and using the solutions the porn industry have found to verification, delivery, distribution and piracy could well save millions (billions?) in other sectors.

Mad thought of the day: perhaps the porn industry would be better suited to delivery NHS SPINE than the incumbent consultants?

[Arclight]

They ain't giving up

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Beverley-partnership-don-t-check-members/article-1889957-detail/article.html

"A protest at the Mail's coverage over the issue discussed online failed to materialise yesterday."

Hardly surprising with the entire comments section on the site locked down.