Official Statement From Alleged Blair Kidnap Plotter

In any civil rights movement there will be good times and bad. In any large gathering of people there will be positive relationships and negative. Our equal child custody movement is no different. Most of us who report on these people we consider friends try to focus on the positive aspects, the positive advances we've made. I know I have avoided reporting things I felt would have a negative impact on our image. Those incidents do not reflect the love and devotion for their children of the parents we represent. They are a very small part of a large, and constantly growing, civil and human rights movement.

Matt O'Connor has stated he expelled 30 extremists last year. It just so happens that he said this was done at the same time that 30 members of Fathers4Justice walked out over poor management and started the Real F4J. Since that time both groups have gone on to do demonstrations in support of equal child custody.

There are Fathers4Justice organizations in several countries. A couple of them are O'Connor's sanctioned groups. The rest are run by individuals who refuse to be under his management. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that for the last 3 years I have witnessed much frustration, disappointment and anger over O'Connor's management skills. [I should add there has always been great respect for his vision.]

I'm pretty sure we'll be hearing from more ex-members now that O'Connor has officially pulled the plug. For now I offer you the official statement by the alleged kidnap plotter:

I, Martin Matthews, would like to make a few things clear about the Sun newspaper article about kidnapping Leo Blair.

1. At no time did anyone ever suggest anything of the sort.

2. The following people were present, Artur – a 58-year-old father who is ‘T–Total,’ Dyian - A photography teacher who also did not drink as he later went to work, Gary , Jolly, Graham, Eddie, and two women.

3. After speaking with the Daily Mail, Sun and Daily Mirror, I feel it necessary to point the following:

On the 18th of December 2005, I was feeling unwell and only had two glasses of Coke in the pub. I do not have the slightest idea from where these roomers of a kidnapping came from. I have noted in the tabloids that Jolly Sainsbury and Graham Manson are quoted as saying, that I may have suggested this as a joke. However, after speaking with Jolly and Graham it must be made clear that they have been miss-quoted.

4. I found yesterday exhausting, as I had made it clear to the tabloids exactly what the position was. However, I find that in today’s papers have reported that a conversation had taken place with fact or evidence to support this.

5. Late last night and early this morning I was approached by a 3rd party offering me £10,000 from the Sun Newspaper to lie and admit that the kidnapping plot was a Matt O’Conner idea and that he had asked me to look into it for the group.

6. I would like to thank Matt O’Conner for everything he has done for us and suggest that he should be included in the next honours list.

7. I did meet with Police Officers in Epsom on the 27th of December 2005. However, I find it particularly strange that if I did in fact suggest or take part in any kidnap plot on the 18th last, the police have not ever questioned me about this. In fact when I telephoned the Police Officer who spoke to me on the 27th last, about the Sun Newspaper article, and asked him directly who was involved he could not give me any information.

8. I am of the opinion that the entire saga is a complete fabrication by someone in power and ask most loudly that proof or evidence should be made available for public scrutiny.

9. As I am not a politician and have no experience with such matters all I can say is the only Party to benefit from this saga would be the Labour Party, by taking the heat of Ruth Kelly and off the front page of the newspapers.

Regards,
Martin Matthews

For the Channel Four interviews with Matt O'Connor and Graham Manson click HERE.