BBC PRESENTER STARTS LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

BBC Presenter Donal McIntyre has started legal proceedings against the Chief Constable of Kent.
The proceedings are as a result of alleged defamatory comments made by officers and officials of Kent police about an edition of ‘McIntyre Undercover’.
The programme, broadcast on BBC One on Tuesday November 16 1999 investigated abuse and a culture of neglect in the privately run Brompton care home in Kent.
Mark Thompson, Director of Television, said: “The BBC fully supports this action by Donal McIntyre. We share Donal’s regret that it has been necessary to issue proceedings against the police. The remarks made by Kent police called into question a programme which revealed abuse, humiliation and neglect of vulnerable residents, who did not have the ability to speak for themselves.”
The programme prompted an independent investigation into standards at the home by Medway Council, which led to the closure of the establishment.