On 26th February 2019, The Mail Online published an article about a pregnant mother who’s reaction to a car that was driving in Middleton Park in Leeds caught the internet by storm. The article was by a Jack Newman who describes himself as a Trainee Reporter for the Mail Online, entitled:

Furious pedestrian refuses to move out of the way of vehicle in park for seven minutes after she mistakenly thought it was not entitled to be there

 

The driver of the vehicle is named in the article as a Mark Smith and described as a member of a community group who’s members have permission to drive in the park, as long as they adhere to agreed rules including giving way to other park users.  What strikes me as off is that  Mark Smith appeared to be filming whilst driving, which is an offence punishable by way of 6 points and a £200 fine. I wonder if following the driving laws are included in these “agreed rules”

Driving and filming on a mobile phone alone are dangerous enough, but in a park, where there are clearly a number of children surely should be at least frowned upon; however, there is nothing mentioned about children’s safety in the article. It makes more sense to provoke more hatred and trolling for the unidentified mother than to promote safety of children.  This appears to be the typical workings of the Mail.
People have commented on The Mail’s article giving away the pregnant mothers identity and the Mail have done nothing to protect this.  This is a vulnerable pregnant woman, with two children and another growing inside her.  She has received over 520 abusive messages on social media following this and is fearful for her safety after receiving but not limited to messages as follows:

“You bitch ..move from the way .. your video of being stupid is viral fucking move over and give way to car bitch .. I would fuck your pussy and fill my loud of cum in your mouth for that”

“You fkin silly slag. Lucky I weren’t driving or Id have run your son over. Saved the poor kid from a mother like you”

“You’re a weird ass bitch if it was me I would’ve ran you over then dragged you to side  drugged out flat ass whore”
The woman that I will not name for her privacy, is 20 weeks pregnant and admittedly hormonal and protective for her children.  She described to me what happened before the man started filming her whilst driving in a public park where lots of children were walking and playing as follows:

“I’m walking in the woods and this car comes speeding behind me and he is revving his engine at me so yes I get annoyed cos he is so close to me.”

She went on to tell me he came up so fast she felt intimidated.

As women, and mothers can we not all relate to being hormonal when pregnant, along with being outrageously protective of our children?

The mother of two told me she walks in that area weekly and never sees cars there.  She visits the area to try and have some calm but was scared to death for herself and her child so she lost it.  Is it not natural for a mother to react in this way?  Does that mean that a TRAINEE should be allowed to publish an article, including photographs, to provoke more hate on her and her family?

As someone who can relate to having someone film myself and my child in my own home undercover, who ironically was a reporter for the Mail, I completely feel for her.  What right did this man, Mark Smith have to film her and her children as well as other children in a park?  There are so many angles to look at here; however,  The Mail saw one angle, and that was to provoke hate on a vulnerable pregnant mother.

The police officer rightly said Mark Smith wouldn’t have behaved the way he had if the mother had have had a man with her.  This is a typical example of how vulnerable women are easy victims to men like this.

There is no video footage showing how this incident began.  As the mother of two said he came up fast, and, if this is true and she has had all this hate for behaving in a protective way because people have seen half a story.  The Mail must relate to this.  In my opinion, giving half or a one sided story is exactly what they do best.

The police also told the mother that they couldn’t find Mark Smith to speak to him about his driving offence, which I find interesting given the mother had a photo of his car with his clear registration plate, and it’s been confirmed he is part of a community group that the council are aware of.  More like the police didn’t want to find him.

 

Is it not time the press and the police worked with more integrity?

The problem with social media is that people like Mark Smith need the glory, the likes, the validation. The decent thing for Mark Smith to do would be to remove the video of the pregnant mother.

Being pregnant is hard enough when she has two other children, without the added stress of being trolled by social media and the now press too.

The Mail know this well because on 3rd of July 2012 they wrote an article and I quote “Expectant mothers who suffer from stress are 60 per cent more likely to have babies with health problems”.

 

In what world is it acceptable to write, in my opinion, a pretty pointless article about a pregnant woman knowing she will be trolled?  Did they check who she was, to see if she was pregnant or if she had any mental health issues, or even to give her the right to reply with her side of the story?

Of course they didn’t!

This kind of article could be the final straw for someone…

So now the ruling of my complaint against the Mail on Sunday is published on the IPSO site I can FINALLY have my silence broken!!! And finally be free of the public unjust humiliation I was subjected to.
In September 2017, a new client attended my home salon and received a treatment carried out by me.  Shortly after, the client made a number of false statements and allegations about me and the service she had received.  She attempted to bring disrepute to my business by making contact with my insurance company, two solicitors, trading standards, the company that trained me and also the local council in an attempt to put across false claims and pressure me into giving her a refund which I believe she was not entitled.  Each of her attempts failed.  I was harassed and slandered for a number of weeks until, eventually she turned to social media.  Contact was made to The Safety in Beauty Campaign by the client, where she was allowed to use their resources to continue to publish untrue and defamatory statements about myself and my business.  This was all broadcast despite a lack of any evidence.  Although I fully support what the #safetyinbeauty campaign is about, I believe that Antonia Mariconda (owner of The safety in Beauty Campaign), acted in a completely unprofessional manner.  Her interest appeared to be more focused on there being a scandal rather than directing this passion to uncover the whole truth of the matter.  I am not the first professional in the industry to have been unjustifiably shamed on her page.  I believe the information that she was provided from the client hugely benefited the campaigns plan to meet with #theresamay.  In my opinion, the problem now faced by The Safety in Beauty Campaign, is that they are discrediting themselves by believing the first piece of information they receive rather than investigating the whole truth, as they did with me.  When the evidence on their page showed to be in my favour, Antonia added a comment granting me the opportunity to provide my view on the situation, which she would review.  At this time evidential comments were removed and instead, sarcasm and patronising comments appeared from Antonia to myself stating she was too busy to comment further as she watching the television. I do have screenshots of all of this.
Some time later an undercover journalist Charlotte Wace, came into my home posing as a client, which, unfortunately for her was not particularly convincing.  I however, at the time, did not for one second believe she was a reporter. I suspected she was a friend of the client.

She had recording equipment in my home, not only capturing myself, but also another client and friend and, worst of all, my child!  The reporter tried her very best to lead me into saying and carrying out treatments which, in my mind, and following years of training, I deemed to be unprofessional.  After nearly two hours when she finally left my home, it wasn’t  long, after checking a few false details she had provided, before I suspected who she was.  I confronted the reporter the following day, who at the time, stated that she did not have any distinguishing imagery recorded of my child, which I later found to be a false statement.  I suggested the reporter contact me directly to discuss the matter regarding this particular client; however, to no avail.  By this time, the client in question had already been issued with an harassment order by the police.  The client had been reported to the police approximately six times for the continued harassment I endured.  The reporter had no interest in hearing the truth and later emailed with a brief of what she intended to write in the article.  It was clear that none of this had been researched or fact checked.  I was granted a right to reply, and, on providing this information, it put to bed almost everything she wanted to write.  What she did write was cleverly worded, between typos, and seriously defamed my character, professional reputation and business.
I like to stress, that the client who stated I ‘scarred her face’, failed to send me any photos of the alleged ‘scars’, not only that, she point blank refused to send me such photos.  Antonia at The Safety in Beauty Campaign who allegedly saw the scars, also never sent or showed such images even after asking for these on numerous occasions.  The Mail, who also say they saw them, have also never provided such images to me.
We are now in August, almost 1 year after the treatment and this alleged scarring is still a mystery to me.  I ask the intelligent people of the UK, why on earth would I have been disallowed to see the damage I allegedly caused / created? I feel at this point the need to tell you, I myself have many photos of the client from the first 14 days post treatment, and NO scarring is present.  Unfortunately,  I have a professional and moral obligation to protect the clients identity, and will continue to do so.  Regardless of how disgraceful I find this behaviour toward me, I shall not lower myself to be unprofessional where my clients are concerned.  Suzanne Wormald, a respectable professional in the beauty industry, who is a friend of the client and coincidentally offered me a job years ago in her beauty school, was working on the clients behalf on many of the published conversations following the police’s advice that the client have no contact with me.  Suzanne also stated she had photos of the scarring.  Again, I did not receive these and was told that she refused to send them to me.  I have in the past done Suzanne’s daughters hair, to which they were both always happy with the service and, it was following that, I received the offer of employment to teach at her beauty school.  I did not take her up on the offer of this.  It upsets me greatly that, despite a clear lack of evidence and our past encounters and relationship as acquaintances, that Suzanne was more than happy to publicly shame me for something she must have known I was not, and would never be guilty of.  I appreciate we defend our friends; however, professionalism is professionalism.
The article in the Mail was published over the Christmas period of 2017; more than a month after the reporters visit to my home.
Since the clients harassment, and the reporters invasion of my home, my anxiety and mental / emotional stability took a downward turn.  Over the Christmas period I was forced to take time off work with stress caused by the invasion on my privacy.  I was unable to get my son’s Christmas presents and actually gave him an IOU.  I couldn’t pay my bills and I was beyond paranoid in my own home.  I was scared to advertise myself and services for fear of public shaming of offences I wasn’t guilty of.  I suffered with shakes most days, and to this day the palpitations I suffer with continue to be horrendous.  I am now battling with skin problems as well as stress related alopecia.  I am ashamed to say that one night it all got the better of me and I attempted to take an overdose.  I can’t tell you what I was thinking at the time and now know that it was not a well thought out plan.  I took a full box of paracetamol.  Following this, I was prescribed medication for my mental health as I couldn’t function day to day.  I still have odd days where this continues.  It would be impossible to not stress at this point that my son may have grown up without a mother because of the actions of all involved, mainly the Mail.  My son has also suffered with anxiety since the journalist violated our home, and currently his bowels are causing major issues in his day to day life, even leading to him taking numerous sick days from school, and this was not an issue before this invasion.  The doctors have carried out various tests on his stools and numerous blood tests, and, so far it totally coincides with this whole situation.  His other anxiety symptoms and timeline of the stresses encountered, also coincide with this situation. He has had children bully him at school, has become very reclusive, choosing to remain in either his room alone, or inside with me, rather than socialising with friends his own age, and I am now awaiting child counselling due to his downward spiral of his confidence levels.  I have endured local villagers and even parents from school call me things like ‘scum, trash, cowboy beautician, that dodgy beautician and rogue beautician’.  I have worked in the beauty industry in my own business for 16 years with a site full of 5 star reviews.  I ask, is it right that this should take a downturn for reasons caused by a catalogue of lies.
I have had more past clients and acquaintances than I can count, share all this fake news on various social media sites. Every time I looked on Facebook, there was another local salon or someone I knew sharing the article like it was funny. They did so believing it was all true!  As a single mother not relying on, or claiming benefits which is a difficult task, I am appalled that people have taken such enjoyment in beating me down.
I feel the need to also mention that since the distribution of this article, Save Face, who are a register of practitioners for treatments I do not even offer, took the article and, not only did they re-distribute it, but they created a poster to imitate the front cover of the Mail on Sunday which included a photo of myself with ROGUE BEAUTICIANS EXPOSED smeared across it.  I attempted on so many occasions to get them to stop distributing this untrue statement about me, but they have continued for months using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to distribute this. Only recently after I have emailed suggesting I take legal action, has Ashton Collins from Save Face finally responded to say they made the poster based on the Mail branding me as that.  I do intend to sue Save Face for this defamation, and, although they did say they would remove references to myself, they have so far failed to do so.  I would also like to state that more than 10 of my clients had brought this particular companies continued publishing’s to my attention; therefore, this clearly has affected my business.  I also believe it worth noting, this company advertise themselves as government approved and I will be making enquiries as to who deals with this company within the government. A  company willing to make such publishing’s, should really be reconsidered for government approval.  Yet another organisation willing to discredit themselves for a scandal rather than looking into the truth of matter.  Despite my number of attempts, this organisation not only ignored my information and requests to cease publishing this falsehood, they tormented me further in continuously sharing the same information on numerous occasions.  Most people who saw this that I have spoken to said they believed it to be worse than the Mail’s original article because it imitated a front cover of the National rag.  Although this would never have happened without the Mail’s original article, the company still took it upon themselves to ruin my reputation without evidence.
I did take a second job in January to survive because I didn’t want to resort to benefits, although I know many single parents need this and I support those parents as it is not easy to do it without.  Luckily for me my second job saved me. Literally!  I now distribute health products part time which I also use and these have hugely contributed to an improvement in my anxiety.  Although in my job I make no medical claims, with that, I will say my personal experience on those products is they contributed to making me healthier in body and mind.  To my saviour, the business pays me a wage that has really helped me get by and begin to rebuild my life whilst my own business has suffered losses.
I am due to open a salon away from home soon due to the fact that I am now completely uncomfortable working at home. This is going to add so much in outgoings for me but I need to continue doing what I love and what I am passionate about but in a way I feel my son and I are safe.  Working from home given all that’s gone on, much of which I cannot and will not state, it is impossible for me to continue to do so.
To conclude the most important part of this update, the IPSO have ruled that the Mail, publish a clarification as remedial action, which I believe will be published this weekend.  The Mail have also said, any online publications referencing myself, will also be removed.  Although this is good news and I am grateful this happening, I do not think this takes away the hell myself and my son have been put through and I will be pursuing a claim for damages against the Mail.  No doubt it will be a piddly little two liner with no apology attached, but as long as the facts are stated what more can I really expect?
If you are one of the people who shared, commented , mocked or bought into this story, including many locals and even local competitors, then shame on you for being so naive and having your part in something that had ruined me.  To local competitors especially, I hope you now read the truth and realise how easily a lie could tarnish your name and I hope nothing like this happens to you or your business.
I have learnt so much during this process. I have had no choice but to become patient.  Staying up all night long crying, stressing, worrying and having panic attacks did me no use.  I had to learn to be stronger and patient and believe in the truth.  I had to close my eyes and remember how my dad would have told me to be strong and fight for what’s right every time I felt like giving up.  I learnt the most immense gratitude to my friends, family, loyal clients, employee and online supporters.
My gratitude and thanks go to the following people:

Melanie Shackleton who has literally been my rock throughout the whole process.  All of my friends for their support in various ways.  My family for knowing me enough to not bring it up because I couldn’t bare to talk about it.  My poor angel son who has cuddled mummy in her weakest moments and had to live with a less than perfect mother at times because of this.  Tim Fenton, who’s blogs about my situation made me feel less alone.  Rachael Swindon, who came to my rescue to help me get some online support.  Lucy, trusted and most loyal hard working angel who has stuck with me despite my mental and emotional health causing her to lose out on so much work as well as me.  She stuck with me and put up with a less than perfect boss.  My friends Jamie Louise and Natalie,  who got me my 2nd job which has carried me this year and kept me positive.

Last credit where it’s due; John Wellington, the editor responsible for ruining every aspect of my life: home, family, business, financial and personal. Yourself and the reporter should to be disgusted with yourselves.  For all the desperate attempts and straw clutching you pulled at to try and make me look a villain; you failed.  I said all along you messed with the wrong small time, little fish, single mum… I never doubted for one second I would get justice.  I told you I will fight for what’s right all the way until I win justice.  I told you I would never ever give up.  This was never ever going to be swept under the carpet.  I doubt very much you even care about the damage you have caused, either of you, which is just so sad for you. Ironic as it is, you published fake news about how I am bad at my job, but in doing so, you sort of proved that actually you didn’t do a particularly good job at your own job in this instance.
On a final note, although I have named certain people above I do not want these people to suffer any abuse or harassment as a result. I would hate for anyone to receive half of what I have had over the last year because of all this, even if their actions were the cause of much of what has happened.  Unlike myself though, their actions fully deserved to be public. Nobody has been named that hasn’t publicly unjustly shamed me.

Well hello…

And

Goodbye 😘

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton