News of the World phone-hacking whistleblower found dead

**spanish_emperor** · July 20, 2011, 12:36 AM

Dunno if anyone has already posted this.

Sean Hoare, the former News of the World showbusiness reporter who was the first named journalist to allege that Andy Coulson was aware of phone hacking by his staff, has been found dead .

At 10.40am today [Monday 18 July] police were called to Langley Road, Watford, following the concerns for the welfare of a man who lives at an address on the street. Upon police and ambulance arrival at a property, the body of a man was found. The man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

"The death is currently being treated as unexplained but not thought to be suspicious. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing."

Source

No specific cause of death was given by the police, who said they were waiting for the results of toxicology tests and were continuing to examine "health problems" identified during the autopsy.
Hertfordshire police said the results were "inconclusive", but detectives could not rule out suicide until they knew the results of the tests, which could take weeks.
"There was no suicide note found at the scene," the spokesperson said. "We cannot categorically say one way or another whether this was suicide, as we have not got the toxicology results."

Source

He is understood to have lived in the block with his partner, Jo.
A neighbour said: "I feared the worst a couple of months ago. He wasn't looking in great shape physically. He was not his usual, bubbly, friendly self."
Another neighbour said Mr Hoare was "paranoid" about people seeing him and spoke of a "conspiracy" and that he was afraid of the police and the Government. "He talked about all sorts of problems that he had in his life. A lot of it was alcohol-related. His passage through life has not been an easy one." The neighbour added: "He said he was in trouble and he was worried about people coming to get him."

One neighbour said last night: "He was physically going down hill. He was yellow in colour and wasn't looking well for the last month and was off sorts and I was really worrying about him.
"He had a constant struggle with alcohol and talked to me about how much he had put his wife through. He was talking about how he was in trouble and that he thought someone was going to come and get him, but I didn't known whether to believe half the stuff he was saying. He did say something about phone hacking and I think that was his main worry."

Source

Looks too convenient for me.

**mw2xboxplayer** · July 20, 2011, 12:49 AM

I wouldn't be too hasty to call this a government conspiracy. The cause of death must first be determined, and it's best to wait until more evidence is uncovered from the investigation before coming to any further conclusions.

The neighbor said that Hoare's health was in decline, and that he was having some issues concerning his wife. He could have easily overdosed himself with a drug/alcohol and died. Nothing is known for certain until the toxicology results are known.

**Simon Cashmere** · July 20, 2011, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by mw2xboxplayer

I wouldn't be too hasty to call this a government conspiracy. The cause of death must first be determined, and it's best to wait until more evidence is uncovered from the investigation before coming to any further conclusions.

Not the government, but perhaps some others. A number of very powerful people have a lot to lose, and he dies just before the Parliamentary hearings start. Very convenient. What evidence is going to be uncovered? They can make that investigation say anything they want it to, and indeed, one of the groups with the most to lose are the Police for their involvement in all of this. And they are investigating his death?

**mw2xboxplayer** · July 20, 2011, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by Simon Cashmere

Not the government, but perhaps some others. A number of very powerful people have a lot to lose, and he dies just before the Parliamentary hearings start. Very convenient. What evidence is going to be uncovered? They can make that investigation say anything they want it to, and indeed, one of the groups with the most to lose are the Police for their involvement in all of this. And they are investigating his death?

I'm not necessarily concerned that the government/police are going to cover-up this case as part of a 'conspiracy'. The police have much to gain after losing a chunk of credibility over being exposed through the phone-hackings. By following this case through and determining the valid cause of this man's death, they will regain some of the respect they lost in the scandal.

Also, wouldn't it have been easier for the 'conspirators' to have made this man disappear without a trace instead of leaving a body on which a toxicology test could be conducted?

**legate** · July 20, 2011, 09:02 AM

Looks too convenient for me.

My thoughts exactly. He was going to name names. Kill one and frighten the rest into keeping quiet.

**Babur** · July 20, 2011, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by legate

My thoughts exactly. He was going to name names. Kill one and frighten the rest into keeping quiet.

Rupert Murdoch was behind this?

**Simon Cashmere** · July 20, 2011, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by mw2xboxplayer

I'm not necessarily concerned that the government/police are going to cover-up this case as part of a 'conspiracy'. The police have much to gain after losing a chunk of credibility over being exposed through the phone-hackings. By following this case through and determining the valid cause of this man's death, they will regain some of the respect they lost in the scandal.

Also, wouldn't it have been easier for the 'conspirators' to have made this man disappear without a trace instead of leaving a body on which a toxicology test could be conducted?

No, because then they would have to look for him. Now it goes to bed, as they say, see he just killed himself.

A toxicology report is drafted up. Or more accurately an autopsy. A call comes through to you saying, best sign this otherwise your career is not going to go very well. Do you think most people are going to do the role of crusader and get killed too? Toxicology report is clear, signed off. Public forgets, no one is interested.

I'm not saying he didn't kill himself - but - its *very* suspicious that just before the Parliamentary inquiry he kills himself. And the stakes in all of this, are perhaps the highest stakes there are. Billions involved. Careers. Economy. Governance. One dead guy is going to stand in the way?

Btw, if they did kill him, they would have just strangled him and then hung him up afterwards. Not used drugs. It's an old prison officer / police specialty. Prisoner committed suicide. Who is ever going to know? And if anyone asks any questions we'll just say 'LOL conspiracy theorist - yeah the murderer is in Roswell LOL!'

**mw2xboxplayer** · July 20, 2011, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Simon Cashmere

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

This could be a huge conspiracy and someone may have killed him. However, with all the public scrutiny after the scandal towards all the parties involved (including the police), I would likely assume that if there is any more foul play; someone is going to report it.

Think about how beneficial it would be to other media corporations if Murdoch was found to have been linked to the killing. Murdoch's media empire would crumble, and his corporate enemies would gain huge profits through his loss. Other media corporations are going to keep a very close eye on this case. I think that such close scrutiny would dissuade any further foul play from corrupting this investigation.

**alhoon** · July 20, 2011, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Simon Cashmere

Not the government, but perhaps some others. A number of very powerful people have a lot to lose, and he dies just before the Parliamentary hearings start. Very convenient.

That.

Too convenient. 2 months of slipping health as in "I can't sleep because I'm afraid" aren't usually enough to kill.

Also you kill one man and all the others wet their pants, keeping in line.

**Ahlerich** · July 20, 2011, 09:13 AM

hey natural death move on there is nothing to see here.

**justicar5** · July 20, 2011, 09:16 AM

unless something shows up on the Tox report I'm inclined to assume natural causes, he was an alcoholic and had been a drug user, that kinda takes a toll.

**legate** · July 20, 2011, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by justicar5

unless something shows up on the Tox report I'm inclined to assume natural causes, he was an alcoholic and had been a drug user, that kinda takes a toll.

Thats true I suppose but just the timing of his death and just before he was due to spill the beans.

**Ahlerich** · July 20, 2011, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by justicar5

unless something shows up on the Tox report I'm inclined to assume natural causes, he was an alcoholic and had been a drug user, that kinda takes a toll.

this attidude is good. you will live much longer.

**justicar5** · July 20, 2011, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Ahlerich

this attidude is good. you will live much longer.

LOL. Seriously though, killing a witness in the run up to a trial is idiotic, it calls a lot of attention (unless the DOA knows something no-one else does ofc). I originally thought Dr David Kelly had been murdered, until I saw the shite storm it caused.

**legate** · July 20, 2011, 09:28 AM

LOL. Seriously though, killing a witness in the run up to a trial is idiotic, it calls a lot of attention (unless the DOA knows something no-one else does ofc). I originally thought Dr David Kelly had been murdered, until I saw the shite storm it caused.

Exactly what they want you to think

**Graeme** · July 20, 2011, 04:51 PM

Dr David Kelly all over again.

**Aymer de Valence** · July 20, 2011, 04:52 PM

The police are not treating this as suspicious. You know what? I DON'T BELIEVE THE POLICE, especially after what has been uncovered in this scandal

**Graeme** · July 20, 2011, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mercenary Crossbowman

The police are not treating this as suspicious. You know what? I DON'T BELIEVE THE POLICE, especially after what has been uncovered in this scandal

Exactly mate. They didnt treat Ian Tomlinsons death as suspicious either...

**legate** · July 20, 2011, 05:06 PM

All the government coverups might come out during this, that would be awesome.

My favourite one so far:

Winston Churchill's government was prepared to let Blackpool suffer the Black Death rather than admit experimenting with germ warfare, a survivor of a test that went awry said yesterday.

The extraordinary story began on Sept 16, 1952, when the Ben Lomond was reaching the end of a series of tests, codenamed Operation Cauldron, involving strains of plague and brucellosis in an isolated bay 25 miles north of Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.

A decision was taken not to stop the fishermen and give them medical checks, but let them steam on towards their home port and to enjoy shore leave that could have started an epidemic in Britain's most famous seaside resort.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...id-a-word.html