Debunking Paul Connew: Stuart Collier Was Not Investigating Insurance Fraud
Senior NotW Executive Goes to Ground on Stuart Collier Queries
In the world of investigative journalism, the pursuit of truth is often a labyrinthine journey that uncovers unexpected twists and turns. Our ongoing inquiry into the enigmatic Stuart Collier and the 1990s Guppygate controversy has led us to cross paths with Paul Connew, a senior News of the World executive at the time, a figure whose involvement with our investigative target, Stuart Collier, raises intriguing questions.
We obtained Paul Connew's email address and discreetly reached out to ascertain whether we had indeed established contact with the relevant Paul Connew in our investigation. Our emails were carefully crafted, posing questions to which we already knew the answers. This approach was designed to gauge his willingness to engage.
However, Paul Connew's responses were far from forthcoming, marked with phrases such as "will need to be more forthcoming", "you have the wrong address for me", "Frankly your latest convoluted communication means I have no interest", and "I thought I had made my position clear. So, for the sake of absolute clarity, I am not interested". This reluctance to address our legitimate queries raises eyebrows and prompts us to delve further.
Our investigative prowess uncovered intriguing discrepancies surrounding Paul Connew's registered address, which he initially denied. Public records and our own in-depth investigations revealed a different truth — his St Albans address, recorded since 2007, is precisely the one he attempted to dismiss. His attempts to conceal this information from us beg the question: Why is he hiding? In the labyrinthine world of connections, we also uncovered Supernova Projects Limited, previously known as Acre 654 Limited, further solidifying the association between Paul Connew and the address we had initially queried. A company's registered address can be more than just a physical location; it can be a portal to understanding hidden links.
Paul Connew, senior News of the World executive
Now, as we peel back the layers surrounding Stuart Collier, questions arise about the events he was purportedly involved in. Stuart Collier's connection with Clive Goodman at the News of the World for Royal Family-related stories paints a picture that diverges from Paul Connew's repeated claims of him investigating complex insurance fraud cases. It's worth noting that Stuart Collier's forte lay in hack journalism—digging up or fabricating information to tarnish public figures.
We recognise that Paul Connew's reluctance to engage with us might stem from the turbulent activities that swirled around the newsrooms he inhabited throughout the 1990s. The infamous phone hacking scandal was on the horizon, one of the many unsavoury activities carried out by certain elements within Murdoch's journalistic realm.
Debunking Paul Connew
As we continue our quest to uncover the truth surrounding Stuart Collier and his role in the Guppygate controversy, it is imperative that we address the specific claims made by Paul Connew in his Byline Times piece.
Excerpt from Paul Connew’s 2022 piece with pertinent points in bold:
Turning back the personal clock, my low opinion of Johnson began in 1990 when I was a young senior executive on the News of the World and he [Boris Johnson] was a thrusting young Brussels Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph. One of my reporters [Stuart Collier] was investigating Johnson’s Old Eton and Oxford chum Darius Guppy over a suspected fraud and Guppy, subsequently jailed in New York over a fake $1.8 million jewellery heist and fraud plot, had got wind of our investigation.
In a tweet from 2019, Connew affirmed his above recollection, stating, "I was a senior exec on the paper when Boris colluded with Guppy against our reporter [Stuart Collier]…". He goes further, recalling another key detail in a 2022 tweet, "[I] Remember it well as it was one of my colleagues [Stuart Collier] under threat, and I was overseeing the Guppy story". These tweets serve as compelling corroboration of Connew's flimsy recollection.
Paul Connew's authored article, published in the Byline Times, raises questions about his alleged involvement with Stuart Collier and the events surrounding Guppygate. While we respect differing perspectives, our obligation as truth-seekers is to critically analyse and challenge claims that do not align with the evidence.
One claim that stands out is the notion that Stuart Collier was investigating Darius Guppy's insurance fraud against Lloyd's. Our investigation has led us down a different path—one that strongly contradicts the narrative presented by Connew. Stuart Collier's specialisation was not in complex insurance fraud, but rather in tabloid journalism—crafting stories that often involved smearing public figures.
Diving into the details of the Lloyd's insurance fraud, it becomes apparent that Stuart Collier's involvement was incongruent with the version presented by Connew. Contrary to the notion of Stuart Collier's investigation, the insurance claim was paid by Lloyd's without complications. The involvement of the FBI in the gemstone insurance fraud investigation emerged only after a tip-off from an informant tied to the events, Peter Risdon. Stuart Collier played no part in investigating or even coming close to any insurance job.
The Guppygate tape, a crucial element in this complex puzzle, has a history that warrants thorough examination. It all began with Stuart Collier's efforts to compile a covert smear story targeting Guppy's partner, Patricia Holder, and their families, which incited Guppy's ire. In response, Guppy sought out Boris Johnson to obtain Stuart Collier's address and phone number, ultimately leading to Peter Risdon possessing a recording of their conversation. Risdon, motivated by financial dissatisfaction regarding his involvement in the gemstone robbery, resorted to bugging Guppy's residence in an attempt to gather information for potential blackmail. Subsequently, when this plan proved futile, Risdon resorted to becoming a police informant, resulting in a re-evaluation of the previously unchallenged and settled insurance claim. Importantly, all of these events unfolded well after Stuart Collier's gutter journo activities. It is crucial to note that Stuart Collier played no role in any fraud investigation, and there exists no evidence to suggest his involvement in anything beyond low-level tabloid journalism. Contrary assertions only come from Murdoch and other tabloid journalists, such as Paul Connew, shielding their own.
In the realm of tabloid journalism, sensationalism often trumps nuance. We find it intriguing that Paul Connew, who spends much of his day voicing opinions on social media about hapless politicians and Brexit, has chosen a different route when faced with our inquiries.
For the sake of absolute clarity, there are only a few possible reasons for Connew’s incoherence:
Covering for your fellow hacks in trying to legitimise Stuart Collier’s gutter journo activities.
You are blagging your connection to the scandal attempting to raise your status.
You are getting forgetful in your old age.
The tapestry of Stuart Collier, Guppygate, and the individuals entwined in this saga continues to unravel. We invite Paul Connew to reflect on the opportunity he has forgone, and to consider the value of engaging with the truth-seekers.
Right of Reply: Response from Paul Connew
In response to our inquiry, Paul Connew has provided his right of reply, albeit briefly. He warns of potential legal action in response to what he deems as "serious inaccuracies, innuendos, and false assertions" in our article, while dismissing some of our points as "laughable."
Mr. Connew's swift reaction is not surprising. It seems that our investigative light has shone on some rather uncomfortable corners, and those who prefer to remain in the shadows are feeling the heat. However, let us be clear: the truth is a formidable adversary, and it does not yield to threats of legal action or dismissive laughter.
As our investigative project faces an attack by those we are shining a light on, we stand resolute. Our commitment to publishing the unaltered truth is unwavering. His right to reply has been duly considered, but it will not deter us from our mission. The web of Guppygate and its connections to key figures like Stuart Collier and Paul Connew must be exposed.