Royal Call Hoax DJ’s Case Now in the Hands of Australian Police
To further investigate whether Royal call Hoax DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian broke Australian Law, the Scotland Yard called on the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police to take the matter to their hands now.
A statement from Scotland Yard dated July 0 2013 said, "On July 9 the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) passed a file to the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales police in relation to a hoax call made to the King Edward VII Hospital on December 4 2012. The MPS has requested that consideration is given as to whether any offences committed under Australian legislation."
A spokesman for the New South Wales Police said that the state and federal police will now assess the referral, ABC News reports.
The controversial case was brought to life when Ms Grieg and Mr Christian made a call to King Edward VII Hospital on December 4 2012 where Kate Middleton was admitted and given medical aid for a severe case of morning sickness.
Ms Greig and Mr Christian posed as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William's father Prince Charles and demand for supposedly exclusive information about the condition of the Duchess of Cambridge.
Convinced that she was really talking to the Queen and Prince Charles, the nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who took the call, put them through to the ward where Kate was being treated.
Upon knowing that she had been victim of a prank on air, Ms Saldanha committed suicide the next day.
In February of 2013, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service ruled that Ms Greig and Mr Christian were not guilty of charges of manslaughter against them. The court also ruled that it is not in the public interest to pursue subdued charges such as data protection and malicious communication against the two.
According to the statement by Malcolm Mc Haffie, "However misguided, the telephone call was intended as a harmless prank."
The two DJ's were both suspended from their jobs following the Royal Hoax Call. However Mr Christian was given another chance to return on air and was even awarded a Top Jock gong.
Ms Greig on the other hand was still on her extended leave of absence as she pursues a legal action against Southern Cross Austereo on grounds of neglect to maintain a safe workplace.
Steven Lewis, Ms Greig's legal representative told the Guardian Australia that "a general protections application has been filed with Fair Work Australia on behalf of Mel grieg against Southern Cross Austero. The application alleges Southern Cross Austereo failed to maintain a safe workplace."
MP Keith Vaz who had been supportive of Ms Saldanha's family acknowledge Ms Grieg's act saying that "the decision by Ms Greig to sue the radio station is brave, although it comes as no surprise. Ultimately, the radio station made the decision to broadcast the hoax call and must bear responsibility for the tragic death of Jacintha."
Fair Work Australia decided to take Ms Grieg and Austereo to a conciliation meeting but if things were not resolved, Ms Greig will have to take her appeal to the Federal Court.
In an interview with Nine MSN, Austereo said, "We're not commenting at the moment and have nothing to add... we're not making a statement."