Howard Fredrics
 Howard Fredrics      (academic, whistleblower) | |
|---|---|
| Born | US |
| Residence | US |
| Exposed | Kingston University |
| Victim of | Protection from Harassment Act 1997 |
Composer and academic who was placed on the UK's "Most Wanted" list after releasing a satirical music video Circle of Corruption about Kingston University. | |
Howard Fredrics is a composer and former Senior Lecturer of Music at Kingston University in the UK, a position which he held between 2002 and 2006.
Legal charge
In the Spring of 2010, he was charged with breaching Section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 for having published a satirical whistleblower website alleging wrongdoing by public officials at Kingston University. [1]
On 22-23 July 2010, Howard Fredrics was found to have 'no case to answer' by District Judge Kreiman sitting at the Kingston Magistrates Court. In his ruling, Kreiman found that Harassment laws were not intended to protect individual reputations. He also found that the site contained material in the public interest.[2]
In April, 2012, Fredrics was named to the "Most Wanted" list by the Kingston (UK) Police.[3] Fredrics responded to the news of being placed on the "Most Wanted" list by releasing a satirical music video, 'Circle of Corruption,' which portrays a number of public scandals, including several involving Kingston University and its affiliates.[4]
A warrant for his arrest had been issued by a District Judge for Fredrics' failure to appear at a July 2010 trial at which he was convicted in absentia for an alleged July 2009 breach of Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in connection with a chance encounter with then Kingston University Vice-Chancellor, Sir Peter Scott, during which Fredrics is alleged to have dared to question Scott about his management of a University with a widely perceived culture of bullying, and to have publicly identified Scott as a "criminal" because of his alleged role in the sending of threatening letters to Fredrics, his wife, and his solicitor, letters which had resulted in criminal charges being lodged against Scott's deputy, Donald Beaton, but which were later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
In December, 2009, after publicly revealing an alleged association between Kingston University and an alleged member of the Islamist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Fredrics received anti-Semitic death threats, and his wife was physically assaulted, motivating him to flee the country, hence absenting himself from further legal proceedings, including the aforementioned Harassment and Public Order trials.
In October, 2017, the UK's Southwest Magistrates' Court issued an Absolute Discharge of the Public Order case against Fredrics. [5]
See Also
- Ian Puddick - Another case where heavy-handed use of section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Though in this case it is the cosy relationships between global 'Security' firms and the police that is of dominant interest.
References
- ↑ The offending website
- ↑ 'Victory for Free Speech' - Surrey Comet 30 July 2010
- ↑ 'Hunt for Kingston's most wanted goes international,' Surrey Comet, April 24, 2012, p.5
- ↑ ' Most wanted fugitive responds with music video,' Surrey Comet, April 27, 2012, accessed on 30.4.12
- ↑ 'Fugitive academic Howard Fredrics finally given all-clear,' Times Higher Education, October 31, 2017, accessed on 31.10.17
