TV reporter who faked Iraq story 'is found hanged'

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The UK's Times reports that Sussex police have revealed ahead of today's post mortem that the Sky news journalist, who was reported to have been found dead yesterday, had in fact hanged himself:

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A FORMER Sky News correspondent who resigned after being accused of fabricating a report during the war in Iraq has been found dead at his home. James Forlong’s wife, Elaine, who discovered his body at the weekend, said that her husband had been “shattered” after losing his job. Mr Forlong, 44, had failed to find another job in broadcasting after leaving BSkyB and was recently turned down for the post of the Prince of Wales’s press secretary. In a statement issued yesterday, Mrs Forlong said that she and the couple’s son, Christopher, 15, who has Down’s syndrome, and 12-year-old daughter, Katie, were in a state of shock. “The family are devastated by his death, which we are still trying to come to terms with,” she said. “James was a devoted, loving father and husband and we shall all miss him desperately.”

Distressed colleagues at Sky News were told how Mrs Forlong found her husband hanged from a door early on Saturday, three months after he left his job in disgrace. Mrs Forlong tried to revive her husband until paramedics arrived at the couple’s home in Hove, East Sussex. A spokesman for Sussex Police said yesterday that the circumstances of Mr Forlong’s death were not thought to be suspicious. A post-mortem examination will be carried out today. Mr Forlong resigned from his post of joint defence and royal correspondent on July 18 after he was accused in a BBC documentary of faking a report about the firing of a cruise missile at Baghdad. He claimed to have a live exclusive on board the submarine HMS Splendid. It later transpired that some of the scenes were reconstructions from library footage. The misleading footage was part of a pool report made available to other news organisations and was also shown on ITV News. Mr Forlong was suspended after a BBC documentary series, Fighting The War, exposed his report. A BBC crew had been filming on the Splendid at the same time as Mr Forlong.

In a statement issued by BSkyB at the time of his resignation, Mr Forlong expressed deep regret over what he described as “a single lapse of judgment” during his ten-year career with the satellite broadcaster. “There was never any conscious intent to deceive the viewers, though I accept that was the outcome,” he said. “I accept the damage this has done to my integrity, something that has never before been called into question during a decade of working as a correspondent for Sky News.” Mrs Forlong said that her husband was a respected and experienced reporter and that he had taken the news of his dismissal very badly. “James had been shattered by the recent blow to his career as a journalist,” she said. Nick Pollard, head of Sky News, said yesterday: “This is a terrible personal tragedy and a shocking blow for James’s family. Everyone here sends their deepest sympathies to James’s wife and children.”

David Mannion, head of ITV News, praised Mr Forlong. “James was a true enthusiast — he tried harder than any journalist I have known. He made one mistake and he clearly could not cope with the fallout. But we should all remember James for what he was: an honest, decent man and a fine journalist who loved his work and took great pride in what he had achieved over many years. He was right to be proud.”

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more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-844799,00.html


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