Diane Lazarus - Psychic Challenge 'winner' - Dishonest

chillzero

Penultimate Amazing
chillzero
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OK, Many of you may remember my having a hissy fit a while back about Diane Lazarus, the 'winner' of "Britain's Psychic Challenge". She was involved in the family's search for a Northern Irish youth, and I took a closer look at her website. On one page : http://www.dianelloyd-hughes.co.uk/letters.php she includes correspondence.

One letter is from the garda about a case in 1999, when it claims that Diane's "assistance greatly enhanced our investigation".

Another letter is from the Midlands police. Their DC Daly mentions that although Diane was helfpul in searching in Birmingham, the young man they sought was actually found dead in Coventry. Nevertheless she is impressed by whatever Diane had to say.

I emailed both forces to ask about the truth of these letters.

I have still had no response from the garda, but Midlands police responded very much to Diane Lazarus's detriment. The person who emailed me also copied me a letter from the Head of Major Investigations, which I have included below. Should the Irish garda ever return to me, I will add their comments to this thread.

As for the emails:
my request:
Dear Sir or Madam,
I have been intrigued by a recent UK television series on Channel Five, entitled ‘Britain’s Psychic Challenge’ which has asserted that police forces routinely use such ‘psychics’ to assist in solving crimes. The winner, a lady called Diane Lazarus includes a letter on her website from the West Midlands' Detective Constable Marcella Daly (http://www.dianelloyd-hughes.co.uk/invest_1.php).

In this letter D.C.Daly thanks Ms Lazarus for her assistance, and then states: "Personally I have learnt a great deal from you, and will take those new skills forward when dealing with other cases. I am most grateful for your time and I will always consider other methods in trying to find that piece of missing evidence."

I am very interested in finding out more details about the use of psychics in the police force, and what the success rates have been. If you could pass this email to anyone who could give me more information about this particular case I would be very appreciative. I am intrigued to find out how much information about the murderer, who has apprently been brought to justice, matched what Ms Lazarus detailed. Apparently Mark's body was found in Coventry on the 7th June 2002. Can you let me know if this was due to any information provided by Ms Lazarus?

Additionally, would it be possible for you to provide details of where, when and at what public cost other such psychics have been used - if at all - within your force’s jurisdiction? If psychics have been used, might I ask whether their input was useful?

I look forward to your response,
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Response:
Your request for information, received 21 March 2006, concerning the uuse of psychics in West Midlands Police has now been considered.

I am afraid that Marcella Daly no longer works for West Midlands Police and so I cannot provide any further information regarding the page on Diane Lazarus' website. Indeed I am unable to verify the validity or provenance of that letter.

Unfortunately, the officer in charge of the case referred to on Diane Lazarus' website has subsequently retired. I was, however, able to speak to another officer who worked with the case quite closely. He states without any doubt that no psychic was used to locate the body (the method of discovery was much more mundane).

In respect of the use of psychics by West Midlands Police, please find attached to this email an extract from a recent letter by the Head of our Major Investigations Unit.
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My questions from my original email:
Would it be possible for you to provide details of where, when and at what
public cost other such psychics have been used - if at all - within your force’s
jurisdiction? If psychics have been used, might I ask whether their input was
useful?

Response:
Extract from a recent letter from David Mirfield, Head of West Midlands Police Major Investigations Unit (MIU):
As head of the West Midlands Police Major Investigation Unit (MIU) we are the
team commissioned to tackle the majority of murder investigations within our force area.
We use a variety of specialists to assist the Department during investigations; some are within the team itself while others are experts employed on a consultancy basis.
The use of psychics is not a common practice and we do not have what you may call a regular contributor.
I have consulted with all of my senior investigating officers (SIO's), and none can recall using such a person. I have personally received letters on an unsolicited basis from individuals claiming to have information; often these are of little if any value and will not be acted upon.
They can often be misleading and inconsistent with the facts. The investigation of murder is, like all major crimes, merely a systematic approach using standard procedures in a methodical way. They are often complex processes using multiple and concurrent lines of enquiry but again like all crimes the police rely heavily on information it receives, most often from eyewitnesses, other witnesses, and technical and scientific support. We also work very closely with the families of the deceased, this is a sensitive area and often information given by well meaning individuals can cause hurt and often disappointment to the family.
I would never say never as far as the investigation of murder is concerned and of course all information received is treated in the same way and processed through the 'system'. I am not personally aware of any occasion where the use of a psychic has resulted in the detection of a murder.
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Now, finding missing people is supposed to be Diane's specialty, and she claims that: "its said by DJ's that she's 98-100% accurate and one amazing lady !!!"
Another new claim on the site since her victory on tv is:"She has worked with both media and police, and has given guided information on several high profile investigations including the Jill Dando murder." I will also be looking into this claim, and will put any results here too. She has a new tv series coming up, and will be having her autobiography written by the same woman who wrote Doris Stoke's biography (not my error - that's what the site says - autobiography).
It's becoming very apparent to me that she is going to be able to use this last program as a major step up to a lucrative career. I would just prefer to see careers built on a foundation of honesty and integrity.
 
Bravo! Well done! And good on the Midlands Police for stating it clearly too!

Perhaps copies of this correspondence should find its way to (1) the author and publishers of the pending autobiography ;); (2) the media, and (3) the "psychic" in question. She still has time to back out...or find an excuse to become a hermit or something! :)
 
Zep said:
Bravo! Well done! And good on the Midlands Police for stating it clearly too!

Perhaps copies of this correspondence should find its way to (1) the author and publishers of the pending autobiography ;); (2) the media, and (3) the "psychic" in question.
Click to expand...

Or me.

Hint, hint, chillzero....
 
chillzero said:
Another new claim on the site since her victory on tv is:"She has worked with both media and police, and has given guided information on several high profile investigations including the Jill Dando murder."
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Saying that she has "given guided information" is so vague as to be essentially meaningless. It could be taken as simply meaning that she phoned the police and told them something. I'm sure that the police get a few crank calls whenever there's a high profile case.
 
Nice one, Chilly. I still haven't heard any response from the Garda press office to my queries about Lazarus.

Maybe it's time I sent them a reminder...
 
Got a reply from the Garda, see this page for details.

It's quite a "maybe we do, maybe we don't" kind of answer but the case remains unsolved nevertheless.

Think about that - if you were a psychic, would you post a letter from a unsolved case on your website? I would suggest that an honest psychic would not.
 
Oleron said:
Think about that - if you were a psychic, would you post a letter from a unsolved case on your website? I would suggest that an honest psychic would not.
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I certainly wouldn't have thought an intelligent psychic would be boasting about helping with unsolved cases!
 
Mojo said:
I certainly wouldn't have thought an intelligent psychic would be boasting about helping with unsolved cases!
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They don't have a lot of choice considering that not one of them has ever actually solved a case. :D
 
CFLarsen said:
Or me.

Hint, hint, chillzero....
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Mr Larsen, you are certainly free to use this information as you see fit.
:D

... as is anyone else here. I'll add any further information I manage to glean as it arrives. I have emailed the Metropolitan Police about her claim about Jill Dando's case. Disgusting publicity whoring, if it's the same kind of response as above.

Very disappointed not have received anything more concrete from the garda, but at least you finally got a response - I've sent reminders too, and so far nothing.
 
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