I copied secret BBC files, says studio manager
by Dennis Ellam

Studio manager Keith Crowe took BBC documents from the secret files at his work, photo copied them overnight then returned them the next morning. Among them were libellous memos, it was alleged yesterday.

They were written by his boss, Mr John Gordon, Belfast High Court was told.

Mr Crowe, 43, is seeking damages from Mr Gordon and the BBC for seven alleged libels circulated to senior executives in confidential memos and reports.

Mr Crowe took them from a filing cabinet in administration offices at BBC’s Belfast headquarters where he worked on music programmes. “I took the papers, made a photostat of them, then returned them to the BBC the next morning” said Mr Crowe. “It did not involve any secrecy as I was known at the BBC offices. I simply went up in the lift and went into the office were the files were kept.”

Mr Crowe denied he had also examined the secret files kept on his colleagues at the studio.

Mr Donald Hartridge now a studio manager for the BBC in Manchester, said “Mr Gordon and Mr Crowe had a ‘heated exchange’ over a girl studio assistant, Miss Christine Gilbert.”

Mr Gordon had excused her from work on early morning programmes but while he was on holiday Mr Crowe was in charge of the rota and he placed on one 6.30a.m shift.