Published: March 22nd 2010 - at 2:04 pm

Venables journo has manslaughter conviction


by Unity    

This one come firmly from the file marked ‘You couldn’t make this up even if you worked for a tabloid’ via the offices of Private Eye.

If you look at the bylines under much of The Sun’s recent coverage/speculation about the recall of Jon Venables to prisons for as yet unknown breach of his licence terms, you’ll frequently find the name of the Sun’s Chief Reporter, John Kay.

What you won’t find in The Sun is any reference whatsoever to Kay’s 1977 conviction for the manslaughter (by diminished responsibility) of his Japanese wife after an apparent murder-suicide bid.

The story was, however, recorded by the Miami News who, on 21 December 1977, published this brief account of Kay’s efforts to end his own life…

John Kay, 33, drowned his wife in the bath, said the prosecutor in court at St. Albans, England. Then he tried six times to kill himself. First he slashed his wrists – but the cuts were not serious. So he threw himself head first out of a window, but landed on a plastic garbage can. Next he turned on the gas in the kitchen, but the oven had a self-lighting mechanism he was unable to put out. He tried to hang himself but couldn’t get into an effective position. He then stood on a bridge overlooking a bypass, but decided, remembering the window episode, it was not high enough. His final attempt: driving his auto full speed into a stationary car. Kay (a reporter, it must be recorded) lived, slightly injured, to tell the tale – in court.

I dunno about anyone else, but I can’t help thinking ‘Wasp Factory’ when reading that…


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About the author
'Unity' is a regular contributor to Liberal Conspiracy. He also blogs at Ministry of Truth.
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Story Filed Under: Crime ,Media ,News


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Reader comments


1. Paulo

Sounds like suicidal sid from the Viz.

2. Watchman

Sorry. Kay presumably compeleted his sentence after his conviction, has returned to society and found (gainful?) employment, so why is an event from thirty years back being used to discredit him here? Because I have in the past been in debt, can I no longer criticise bankers? Because I have had a fight, am I in no position to express my views on violent thugs. Surely the liberal thing is to admit that Mr Kay made a tragic mistake, appears to have plead guilty (so admitted responsibility) and served the time. It is reactionary and tabloidistic (neologism, sorry) to drag this up in an unrelated context.

3. Thomas Greenan

@ Watchman

Presumably it’s because The Sun have been publishing details of the allegations against Venables that might undermine his right to a fair trial, when Kay benefitted from a fair trial?

4. Watchman

Thomas,

I think he pleaded guilty, so no trial was necessary?

As to publishing, presumably this is why injunctions were designed. In this case it would be legitimate.

5. Daniel Hoffmann-Gill

It has a hypocritical feel about it, esp. as the Scum are such vile scare mongers and do not seem to believe in rehabilitative criminals, even though they employ one.

Come come W, I think you’ve picked the wrong side here.

6. Charlieman

Back in the 1980s, one of Shirley Williams’s aides had a serious conviction for violence. He served his time, was rehabilitated and got a job. With the SDP, which says something good about them for once.

7. Elizabeth

“John Kay, 33, drowned his wife in the bath, said the prosecutor in court at St. Albans, England. Then he tried six times to kill himself. First he slashed his wrists – but the cuts were not serious. So he threw himself head first out of a window, but landed on a plastic garbage can. Next he turned on the gas in the kitchen, but the oven had a self-lighting mechanism he was unable to put out. He tried to hang himself but couldn’t get into an effective position. He then stood on a bridge overlooking a bypass, but decided, remembering the window episode, it was not high enough. His final attempt: driving his auto full speed into a stationary car. Kay (a reporter, it must be recorded) lived, slightly injured, to tell the tale – in court.”

Incompetent or has feline blood?

8. Col. Richard Hindrance (Mrs)

Can you really not see the point here, Watchman? Kay is the “chief reporter” for the Sun – and has been for many years. During this time he has written and overseen countless stories based around dredging up some poor sod’s past and using it to smear them in the present. There is a clear double standard here: The Sun continually invites its readers to hate and distrust its victims because of What They Did, which is portrayed as “proof” of What They Are.

9. Col. Richard Hindrance (Mrs)

“Incompetent or has feline blood?”

Actually, if you look at a picture of him, he more closely resembles Edward Tatt-Syrup from the League of Gentlemen…

10. jojo

I think he’s just been arrested, with others, for paying people in trusted positions for confidential information, I wonder what The Sun are going to make of it – leopards and spots maybe.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Unity

    RT @libcon: Venables journo has manslaughter conviction http://bit.ly/aOtnob – Seriously… and The Sun as well!

  2. Dave Harris

    Today's WTF is brought to you by @libcon: Venables journo has manslaughter conviction http://bit.ly/aOtnob

  3. Unity

    @bloggerheads And if today couldn't get any better on the WTF front – http://bit.ly/aOtnob

  4. Liberal Conspiracy

    Venables journo has manslaughter conviction http://bit.ly/aOtnob

  5. Elinor Taylor

    RT @libcon: Venables journo has manslaughter conviction http://bit.ly/aOtnob <!!!

  6. Dare2bbare

    Liberal Conspiracy » Venables journo has manslaughter conviction: The story was, however, recorded by the Miami Ne… http://bit.ly/b0Cest

  7. uberVU - social comments

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by Daveip1966: Today’s WTF is brought to you by @libcon: Venables journo has manslaughter conviction http://bit.ly/aOtnob...

  8. Rich

    The Sun's chief reporter John Kay arrested. Incredibly he failed 6 times to kill himself after killing his wife http://t.co/mfUgfdt6

  9. Edward Buxton

    The Sun's chief reporter John Kay arrested. Incredibly he failed 6 times to kill himself after killing his wife http://t.co/mfUgfdt6

  10. Tricia McDaid

    Venables journo has manslaughter conviction | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/YXB1NcAJ via @libcon

  11. freiahill

    John Kay arrested journalist on The Sun has a murder conviction. Hypocrisy. Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/ZCuKTn3c

  12. Sun journos nicked in hack enquiry shocker « andrew henley

    [...] John Kay doesn’t tend to mention very often is his conviction and prison sentence in 1977 for the manslaughter of his wife. Now, I don’t have any problem with someone being a journalist who has also been a prisoner [...]

  13. Andrew Ellard

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  14. Robert Florence

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  15. Tracy King

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  16. Moonbootica

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  17. Lady flashheart

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  18. Edward Jude Thompson

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  19. Nick Frost

    Crazy story: http://t.co/MZdYj49O RT @LFBarfe: Sun chief reporter John Kay has been arrested. Again. Last time, it was for killing his wife.

  20. Rosie R.

    @GeorginaBloor http://t.co/xT9LfFiV

  21. Josa Young

    Thank you popbitch for alerting us to this: http://t.co/xZl0t877

  22. Kaiser Of Crisps

    Remember recent news of 2 Sun hacks attempting suicide? Nor do I. But one has past form (+ a bit of manslaughter): http://t.co/uUj1pkNi

  23. Gael

    #Murdoch Sun Jouno since 1974, John Kay , drowned his wife in the bath & tried to kill himself 6 times http://t.co/xls14ivR #leveson

  24. Brown Moses

    #Murdoch Sun Jouno since 1974, John Kay , drowned his wife in the bath & tried to kill himself 6 times http://t.co/xls14ivR #leveson

  25. Citizen K

    @zelo_street John Kay has previous – lest we forget (I mean bridges as well as the other).

    http://t.co/hgttdJdk

  26. herr flick

    @SueEvison so is this http://t.co/IGWOSFOB

  27. Sue Evison

    @SueEvison so is this http://t.co/IGWOSFOB





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