Ssb - john higgins case takes new twist

[MySockPuppet]

The John Higgins case has taken a dramatic new twist.

The Sporting Intelligence website has reported that the News of the World, which ran edited footage on its website in May purporting to show Higgins agreeing to lose frames for money, will not hand over the full unedited tapes unless the three times world champion agrees not to sue them at any point in the future.

Higgins, who remains suspended from all tournaments, is likely to hear his fate at a tribunal in early September.

The full story is on the Sporting Intelligence website.


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[Mr P]

It was late August last time I heard.

Jesus christ, what an abolsute farce.

[Terry Davidson]

It sounds like John (and perhaps Pat too) will be taking NOTW to court and it also sounds like they have a valid case.

He will likely face a fine and the time already served for 'bringing the game into disrepute' but I think they will sue NOTW for not only damages but also lost income in open court where NOTW will (or should) be forced to reveal the full and unedited tapes.

If John's role was really only peripheral and he was asked to comment on a 'what if' scenario then I hope he gets off with only time served and then sues NOTW for liable and lost income plus damages. I think he'll get more than the amounts discussed (supposedly) on the tapes. Of course I guess the lawyers will get more than he does.

NOTW just lost another case against Jolie and what's his name for big bucks (or pounds in this case I guess). Their record just ain't too good.

Terry

[jonnylovessn8ker]

(trying to be devil's advocate here)
this is interesting.
the worst outcome: if things dont go in john's way by being suspended for the season or something, this could be the year of the rocket (a parallel to the year of the hurricane 1982)

10yrs after ronnie first won his WC title in 2001, ronnie wins it again because his lifelong rival since adolescence john higgins is not there...

i'd be really interested in how this drama unfolds...

nonetheless, john's predicament doesnt do anyone good at all, especially in dire circumstances like now

[Odrl]

Right, I don't think I've made any comments on this Higgins fiasco so far...

The whole thing was very depressing for me, and I didn't even want to think about snooker in the weeks after the WC. The whole forum was and still is divided on this matter, some members aggressively defending Higgins, others calling for severe punishments. I didn't want to get involved in this, partly for not wanting to choose sides, but also because I had better things to do than to comment on an unpleasant thing which I ultimately couldn't do anything about.

But the season is about to really get under way now, and as it looks now, John Higgins will not be a part of it for some time. And if everything that Sporting Intelligence writes about is true, I see no reason for Higgins' suspension to still be in place...

He would be mad to agree to NotW's terms, because he has been basically let off the hook now. He knows that the snooker authorities have no way of seeing the unedited footage, and he also knows that they can't pursue a case against him on the basis of a montaged video. So, the only possible ending to this story is for Higgins to be cleared of all charges, which is why I think this has gone on long enough. They may as well make the decision tomorrow.

Higgins' reputation has been badly damaged in all of this, and he now has two options... If he knows the full video will not show anything incriminating, he could indeed sue the NotW, otherwise he could just drop it and get on with his life. Either way, I'm hoping that his snooker will be just as entertaining as it was before.

[beechy1212]

Higgins will sue. If he doesn't, he will still be classed as guilty in many people's eyes. A court of law or a tribunal must see these tapes (if the story from Sporting Intelligence is true)

The main problem i see for Higgins and Mooney, was there reaction when it first came out. Nowhere did they claim the tapes were edited and they were stitiched up. I can't remember their excuse but it was pretty lame.

[snooky147]

It was late August last time I heard.

Jesus christ, what an abolsute farce.

For god sake, Give it a rest will you?. Justice takes time.

[Mr P]

For god sake, Give it a rest will you?. Justice takes time.

Well perhaps they should tell us the amount of time it will take, rather than changing the time every fortnight.

[snooky147]

Well perhaps they should tell us the amount of time it will take, rather than changing the time every fortnight.

You are talking about a hearing that will quite possibly end a man's career and ruin his reputation and you want a definitive timeline on that?. Please.
Oh and btw I am not really a fan of John's but justice should be SEEN to be done fairly and if that takes some time well so be it.

[Mignon]

No offence to absolutely anyone but I'm not 'in the know' here and I have a few questions>
who is Mr Nick Harris?
who is running this site (sportintelligence.com)? and
how much credit should a reasonable person give to what we can read there?

[miscuehamburg]

Oh no, I can see this ending somewhere 2014 with many lawyers pockets full of money

[Erwan_BZH]

Well, if this newspaper isn't sure enough of his position by asking John to swear he won't sue them.....it's another proof to me that NOTW created this sh*t from scratch to shoot him down. Plain and simple. They probably edited this video from A to Z to give the effect they were looking for, which was put a great champion in disgrace.

If I am right, then I hope John get cleaned of everything and he will sue them to death....

[beechy1212]

I'd never heard of Sporting Intelligence before but they seem very much pro Higgins. Good to see because most media would jump on the bandwagon.

The other problems for Higgins, even if he is cleared, is that he still didn't report it.

[the_paz]

i've also not commented on any of the higgins stuff but why would the notw 'pick' him, out of all the other players? ronnie in particular i'd have thought. seen as he's the biggest name so to speak.

is there no smoke without fire?

opinions please.

[cuemaxx]

There must be something wrong otherwise we would have here'd from him. hopefuly now they can contain the damage to the minimum this way.