We heard recently from Jonathan King a former Godalming resident and student of Charterhouse School.
Remember Jonathan the singer-songwriter, record producer, music entrepreneur, and former television and radio presenter. He first came to prominence in 1965 when “Everyone’s Gone to the Moon”, a song that he wrote and sang while still an undergraduate, achieved chart success. Here’s a shot clip.
Cranleigh, Ewhurst and Forest Green were Jonathon’s stomping grounds in his youth – and many there will still remember the larger than life character. Pop mogul King sold an estimated 40million records using various names and discovered the rock group, Genesis. All of whom were former students at Charterhouse.
Well, last week he busied himself with ensuring that his Bête Noire David Monro wasn’t elected for another three-year term as the PCC for Surrey. Mr Monro has already served an extra year due to COVID.
Following an acrimonious bust-up with the Tories, the former Tory Farnham borough and county councillor became an Independent PCC for Surrey.
Jonathon told us:
You may not be aware of my campaign to get Munro deselected as Surrey PCC – I had dozens of supportive messages from Conservative Councillors.
I attach, for your amusement, some photos as I campaigned over the past week.I found dozens of potential voters (many first time) who had no idea that even an election was imminent – or even what a PCC was.Now let’s see how Townsend investigates.Lisa Townsend was elected after receiving 112,260 second preference votes after no candidates received more than 50% first preference votes. The turnout was 38.8l%.
A curious contribution. I’ve no strong views on the PCC and I voted for Labour’s Howard Kaye myself, but I’m not sure why King is revelling in Munro’s defeat. Generally if I help to win something I try not to gloat about it.
If I had known about this I would have most certianly voted for Munro – I was in the ‘music biz’mist of my lfe and know all about Mr King
Surrey Police’s handling of the second batch of charges against King was lambasted by the judge when his trial collapsed and the case thrown out. It was said in court by the judge that Surrey Police’s motivation in pursuing King was an attempt to restore reputational damage caused by their botched Jimmy Saville investigation (or lack of it) David Munro commissioned an “independent” review to establish what went wrong. Surrey’s Chief Constable then jumped ship and the investigation by Munro was dropped, but Why? We’ll probably never know.
Thanks for the above. The independent review by Norfolk Police (Hydrant) did indeed take place and gave 27 serious recommendations to Surrey Police. But most of the gross misconduct or even crimes committed by officers remained unexamined. The IOPC then investigated my complaint that Surrey Police had not properly examined the behaviour and upheld my complaint. Still nothing has, as yet, been done. Munro, from the start, ignored my complaints and failed to investigate his Chief Constables. That is why I was campaigning. Three Surrey residents went on to die – they told me – as a result of the botched operation. Doors were broken down at 6 in the morning. Shocking incompetence and corruption which may even have caused those deaths. And the Surrey Police conviction rate for sex cases has dropped from 20% to under 4% – a tragedy both for the truly abused and for the innocent (possibly) 16% in past years, some jailed wrongly by police tactics. Since my 2018 acquittal many other Surrey residents may have died as a result of mishandled allegations. A well respected and much loved Surrey headmaster recently killed himself. This kind of subtle misuse of power has to stop. The False Allegations Industry is out of control. I suspect it is a national or even international scandal. My short book Not A Knee On The Neck gives details (a mere £1.99 from Amazon). Much love to my many Surrey friends. I hope I’ve done you a service helping get rid of the appalling Munro; fingers crossed Townsend turns out to be at least adequate.
Lisa Townsend has to be an improvement surely. We will read your book a.s.a.p should make interesting reading. Thanks for getting in touch with the Waverley Web.
Jonathon King is a sad dillussioned individual who thinks the world revolves around him and will take credit for every item he was every involved with regardless of his contribution. He is a convicted sex offender who has served prison time for his crimes.
As you so rightly say – he has served time for any offences he may have committed. Which is more than we can say for many!
Dear Chris Wheeler; JonathAn King is neither sad nor disillusioned but he is literate and does indeed feel the world revolves around him. At least HIS world does. Answering in person… I’m also a wrongly convicted sex offender but my appeal is ongoing and I’m hopeful to have the conviction overturned. I take credit for very little – the real credit for Munro’s expulsion should probably go to Hurley. When he decided to stand again he split the Independent vote. But I wanted to bring people to awareness. Most simply choose to ignore incompetence or corruption. That way it allows the Devil to get his (or her) foot in the door. I did serve time in prison but my “crimes” never took place. You are allowed to think whatever you like and if you decide to believe media coverage or even in the universal correctness of our judicial system, feel free to do so. Otherwise, if you have time, please watch my (free) online films: Vile Pervert The Musical and Guilty (on http://www.GuiltyMovie.com). Over 4 million have viewed them so far.
Thank you for your comment which stirred quite a few memories for one of our former journalists here on the Waverley Web. He covered the courts for many years, including the Old Bailey and saw justice metered out at its worst and at its best. You are quite right – the man in the street is entitled to think whatever they like. They can also ignore the incompetence and injustice that occurs all too frequently in our justice system. Most never witness trials and until they do they remain completely unaware of just how justice is done – and seen to be done.