Neil Wilby Media

An infamous internet troll, widely known as ‘The Ormskirk Vigilante‘ (read more here), is in the news, yet again.

Paul Arthur Ponting, a 54 year old Liverpudlian (pictured above right), owns and operates the routinely discredited UK Corrupt Police website which appears, principally, to be used to smear and settle his own scores against people against whom he has taken exception. Often on the flimsiest of pretexts.

Two recent examples were posts about a private prosecution against a serving Lancashire Constabulary officer and a futile legal challenge against the district judge hearing that ill-founded claim of, amongst a range of alleged serious offences, perjury and misfeasance.

Both UKCP articles were subsequently, and comprehensively, taken apart by Neil Wilby Media as the facts, rather than Ponting’s familiar Walter Mitty-style tall tales, emerged (read here and here). The ‘vexatious’ private prosecution and the legal challenge that followed both failed, abjectly. 

His latest target is a former Greater Manchester Police sergeant, whom, along with another ex-GMP officer, Maggie Oliver (pictured above centre), founded a rape support charity in 2020 that bears the latter’s name.

On Friday 24th May, 2024 an article headlined ‘Disgraced and sacked GMP officer, Rick Pendlebury, is head of Safeguarding for rape victims’ appeared on the UKCP website. 

The first two paragraphs appear to set the scene, but only to the unwary:

“Rick Pendlebury, a former GMP officer who was sacked for dishonest behaviour after hacking into police computer systems, is now the head of safeguarding at a charity that supports victims of rape.

“This appointment has raised significant concerns, particularly given recent allegations that Rick has been making false accusations to survivors supported by the charity.”

But, in familiar Ponting style, he doesn’t name about whom the alleged ‘false allegations’ were made. As is so often the case with the UKCP articles, the subject is himself, his hurt feelings and his intent to ‘get even’.

The only person in the Greater Manchester Region known to be ‘concerned’ at the Pendlebury appointment is Paul Ponting. No other anxieties can be traced in the public domain.

Pendlebury was formerly Operations Manager for The Maggie Oliver Foundation (TMOF) and his present job titles are Legal Advocacy Manager and Head of Safeguarding. He and Ponting were formerly friends and allies. The ‘Vigilante’ surprisingly, taking account of his propensity for stalking and harassing females, given access to rape complainants and survivors at TMOF’s annual charity ball and being part of at least one ‘strategy meeting’, according to Ms Oliver.

That strategy meeting concerned the nationally-known case of Zayna Iman (pictured above left) against whom Ponting is presently running a grotesque and sustained campaign of harassment, unchecked, as is their wont, by Lancashire Constabulary, whom routinely monitor his social media output.

Ponting’s article goes on to say:

“Rick’s dismissal from the police force was a high-profile case, (read here) marking a severe breach of trust and professional ethics. His actions not only compromised sensitive information but also eroded the integrity of the police service. Despite this, Rick found his way into a position of considerable responsibility within a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals in society.

“The charity in question, which we have not named for privacy reasons, is investigating the report.

“The charity provides crucial support to survivors of rape, offering services such as counselling, legal advice, and safe spaces. The role of head of safeguarding is critical within this context, ensuring that survivors feel secure and supported as they navigate their recovery.

“However, recent reports have surfaced indicating that Rick has been making false allegations to survivors, adding further distress to those who are already in a fragile state. These actions potentially undermine the credibility of the charity but also inflict additional trauma on survivors who are seeking help and support.”

The four-year association between Rick Pendlebury and The Maggie Oliver Foundation can be made with a five second Google search. Accordingly, Ponting’s reference to ‘privacy reasons’ for not naming TMOF, along with concealing himself as the purported injured party, is bizarre.

As is the concept of ‘trauma’ being inflicted on rape survivors by one person making remarks in private, probably true on balance, about another.

The UKCP article continues:

“The implications of Rick’s actions are far-reaching. False allegations can severely damage the trust between survivors and the organisations meant to protect them, potentially deterring others from seeking the help they desperately need. Furthermore, these allegations can lead to unnecessary investigations and legal repercussions, diverting resources away from genuine cases and support services.”

It concludes as follows:

“The charity has announced that it is conducting an internal investigation however, it is not known if Rick has been suspended from his duties pending the outcome. However, the damage to its reputation and the well-being of the survivors it supports may already be done.”

There is no mention of any ‘internal investigation’ on either the TMOF website or on its Twitter (X) feed, usually operated by Rick Pendlebury. He is understood to be working normally at the Foundation despite of the Ponting allegations.

On 10th April, 2024, Ponting lost a civil stalking and harassment claim made against him by two lawyers from the Greater Manchester area. He was ordered to pay £26,640 in costs and damages – and made the subject of an until further Order(permanent) injunction.

In March, 2020, Lancashire Constabulary (Lancs) also obtained a permanent injunction against Paul Ponting in a civil action brought against him by way of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, 2014 (read full judgment here).

That Order places considerable restrictions on his contact with Lancs officers, either on-line or in person. He was also ordered to pay Lancs £30,000 in legal costs, plus bearing his own costs which were estimated to be between £5,000 and £10,000.

Following an operation involving two police forces, Lancs and GMP, Paul Ponting was arrested in March, 2023 over allegations of stalking, harassing and assault and has been restrained by conditional police bail (the same bail that was at the heart of the private prosecution), in one form or another, ever since (read more here). He denies all the allegations, the latter now being statute barred, in any event. 

Maggie Oliver and Paul Ponting were both offered right of reply. Neither acknowledged the email carrying the invitation. There is no statement on the TMOF website, so far, regarding what is a matter of significant public interest.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Thursday 30th May, 2024 at 04h25

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Picture credit: TMOF

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