Close Encounter - SNL

Someone Just Queried....

....my stance on confidentiality. I'll make it clear.  You report ANYTHING to me then your name, exact location and any identifying material is never ever given out to anyone without your express permission.

There are things in my files that could net me more than a little money - maps, names of very important people I worked with or who were witnesses and much more- and I need the money. But it will never happen.  If I reach the point and feel it better to destroy correspondence than let it fall into public domain then I will burn everything.

Whether the AOP Bureau work (despite betrayals by the authorities there) or exotic fauna I say "it's confidential" that is how it stays.  It goes with me to the grave.

Clear enough?

"Swansea University Says You Are Lying---"

I have to say that I am very angry and have been put in a position I should not have been. Last Friday I was contacted by two reporters -one from Radio Wales and the other from a newspaper.  Both had been told by Swansea University that there had never been any "Exotic Cat Study" based at the university.

That immediately meant that I was a liar.  Apparently, Swansea had never heard of me.  So,I explained to both parties that there had been such a study and I had numerous documents to prove this -including university headed note paper, compliments slips and my name on documents along with those involved. The immediate response was "So you think this is a cover-up by the university -is DEFRA involved?  Followed by "What is your response to the university cover up and calling you a liar?"  If you have dealt with journalists you'll know how it works.

Did I have to copy all the documents and submit them as proof I was not a liar?

You see, I have always treated my work as private and correspondence as confidential and I have never ever breached that rule in over 40 years. I had bad experiences with two universities before Swansea but I was promised that those involved followed strict protocols and data is fully credited and acknowledge and they would not give me cause for complaint: this was a serious project.

So I agreed.

I even (and I could smash my head into a wall repeatedly over this) handed over field maps, documents and rare books -none were ever returned.  Replacing the books cost me around £400 when I eventually managed to find copies.  The other material -lost. 

My phone calls and messages to the project supervisor at home and the university -never responded to.  Letters -never responded to.  This happened suddenly and without explanation and considering that I had publicly defended the professor in charge when her credibility was challenged online -and had been there to listen and offer advice on attacks on this persons own livestock you can imagine that it was not just a betrayal but a really hard kick to the stomach. I contemplated just stopping the work.  As it was, the original Red Paper: Felids had to be scrapped because it included photographs,maps and data from the people at Swansea that I could not use without permission.

Even after a few years that still hurts.

I could have given the sort of publicity no university wants.  But, no, you see,  I abide by clear-cut and professional behaviour.   All I did was give the reporters the details below from the University of Swansea website.

 I have had two other universities contact me since that time and I have refused outright to have any dealings with them.  Three times "academics" have used me, my data and then back-stabbed me. If you see anything in the press now -you know the facts.  I am tight-lipped.

• Folk demons or exotic cats: patterns and perceptions of predation in rural Wales (awarded 2009)

  Student name: Alaric Smith

  PhD

  Supervisor: Professor Alayne Street-Perrott

  Other supervisor: Dr Pyrs Gruffudd