Journalists blogging about the Plebgate trial
A very recent tweet by @TomNewtonDunn has made me wonder whether Toby Rowland has just perjured himself.
The Tom Newton Dunn tweet that concerns me can be found at this link:
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40tnewtondunn%20Rowland%20opened%20gate&src=typd
For convenience here is what Tom Newton Dunn tweeted:
What if Mitchell hadn't said f***ing and just called you plebs, judge asks Rowland? "I would just have opened the gate for him" #plebgateI've saved the tweet just in case it happens to be deleted for any reason.
For some that is an unimportant detail.
To me it seems, assuming that Tom Newton Dunn has accurately reported Toby Rowland's words, that Toby Rowland has just lied to the judge.
Let me explain.
Let's return to Toby Rowland's email sent on the evening of 19th September 2012, the so-called "Police Log" which is online in full here:
In full: Police log detailing Andrew Mitchell's 'pleb' rant
The relevant passage of the "police log", written by Rowland is this:
I explained to Mr MITCHELL that the policy was to use the side pedestrian gates and that I was happy to open those for him, but that no officer present would be opening the main gates as this was the policy we were directed to follow.Before Mr.Mitchell swore at Toby Rowland, Rowland had told Mitchell that no officer present would be opening the main gates for him.
Today Rowland seemingly told the judge today that if Mitchell hadn't used the word "fucking" that he would "just have opened the gates for him".
To me it seems that Rowland has lied on oath.
Of course, it's the judge's viewpont that counts not mine.
He heard the words that Toby Rowland spoke. I'm merely going on the basis of a tweet by Tom Newton Dunn.
But, if Tom Newton Dunn's tweet accurately records the interaction between Mr.Justice Mitting and Toby Rowland, it seems to me that Toby Rowland has just lied on oath.
As I understand things Toby Rowland has just perjured himself.
I wonder if the judge will spot the discrepancy between Toby Rowland's oral testimony and the email he sent on 19th September 2012.
And I wonder if he will consider it to be as serious an inconsistency as I do.
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