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Royal hoax DJ Mel Greig 'was sent bullets in the post' | Royal hoax DJ Mel Greig 'was sent bullets in the post' |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A radio DJ who took part in a hoax call after which a nurse killed herself has told of her own fears after receiving death threats and bullets in the post. | A radio DJ who took part in a hoax call after which a nurse killed herself has told of her own fears after receiving death threats and bullets in the post. |
Mel Greig said: "I was in lockdown for months. There were bullets with our name on it sent to police stations." | Mel Greig said: "I was in lockdown for months. There were bullets with our name on it sent to police stations." |
She told Newsnight that at one point someone had rung her mother and said "eye for an eye, you deserve to die". | She told Newsnight that at one point someone had rung her mother and said "eye for an eye, you deserve to die". |
Jacintha Saldanha died in 2012, after the hoax call to a London hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge. | Jacintha Saldanha died in 2012, after the hoax call to a London hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge. |
Ms Greig and colleague Michael Christian made their prank call to King Edward VII's Hospital in December 2012. | Ms Greig and colleague Michael Christian made their prank call to King Edward VII's Hospital in December 2012. |
The Sydney-based Australians pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles asking about the duchess's treatment for severe morning sickness. | The Sydney-based Australians pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles asking about the duchess's treatment for severe morning sickness. |
'Stalked and harassed' | 'Stalked and harassed' |
Mrs Saldanha, 46, answered the call and transferred it to a colleague, who gave details of the duchess's condition. | Mrs Saldanha, 46, answered the call and transferred it to a colleague, who gave details of the duchess's condition. |
Mrs Saldanha was found hanged three days later. | Mrs Saldanha was found hanged three days later. |
In her first UK broadcast interview, Ms Greig told Newsnight on Monday that she will always feel at fault "to an extent" about her death. | |
"I was mentioned in Jacintha's suicide note - not the Australian DJ, my name," she said. | |
"She thought of me before she took her own life. How can you not feel guilt and blame? And I always will, but I have learnt to deal with it now." | |
Ms Greig revealed how she had been the victim of death threats since the incident. | |
"I don't want to sit here and go 'poor me, it was terrible'," she said. | |
"[The Saldanha family] have lost a wife and a mother, but the trolling and the death threats were disgusting." | "[The Saldanha family] have lost a wife and a mother, but the trolling and the death threats were disgusting." |
She said as well as the bullets being sent in the post, she had been stalked and harassed for 18 months. | She said as well as the bullets being sent in the post, she had been stalked and harassed for 18 months. |
"That won't stop until I take my own life, which is not going to happen," Ms Greig added. | "That won't stop until I take my own life, which is not going to happen," Ms Greig added. |
'Blood on hands' | |
"To me it's quite hypocritical. They are calling me a bully, 'look what you've done, you're a horrible person'. | "To me it's quite hypocritical. They are calling me a bully, 'look what you've done, you're a horrible person'. |
"What do you think you are doing to me by writing those tweets and telling me to end my life or blood on my hands, 'you don't deserve to live'? | "What do you think you are doing to me by writing those tweets and telling me to end my life or blood on my hands, 'you don't deserve to live'? |
"Trolling needs to stop. Luckily I can handle it now, but there was a time when I could not handle it and I believed it." | |
She said the worst point was when someone rang her mother and threatened her with revenge. | She said the worst point was when someone rang her mother and threatened her with revenge. |
"When you bring my mother into it and - I didn't want to cry - but it's just… that's unnecessary." | "When you bring my mother into it and - I didn't want to cry - but it's just… that's unnecessary." |
Ms Greig and Mr Christian were working for Sydney's 2Day FM when they made the hospital call. | Ms Greig and Mr Christian were working for Sydney's 2Day FM when they made the hospital call. |
Ms Greig quit at the end of last year. | Ms Greig quit at the end of last year. |
Prank call caution | Prank call caution |
She said she would urge anyone in the radio industry thinking about making a prank call to seriously consider the potential consequences. | She said she would urge anyone in the radio industry thinking about making a prank call to seriously consider the potential consequences. |
"Think about how it is going to affect the other person," she said. | "Think about how it is going to affect the other person," she said. |
"If you don't know them, if you don't know how they can handle it, don't do it. | "If you don't know them, if you don't know how they can handle it, don't do it. |
"You just have to look out for each other. | "You just have to look out for each other. |
"You cannot take the risk that someone's mental health is going to be able to handle that." | "You cannot take the risk that someone's mental health is going to be able to handle that." |
She said of her own experience: "I actually have a real name. It's Mel. | |
"It's not the 'royal hoax DJ', but that is now who I am. | |
"I worked in radio for 15 years. It was my dream job that I worked so hard to get but now I am the 'royal hoax DJ' and that is horrible." | |
No charges | |
In February 2013, the Crown Prosecution Service said there was no evidence to support a charge of manslaughter against the two DJs. | In February 2013, the Crown Prosecution Service said there was no evidence to support a charge of manslaughter against the two DJs. |
At last month's inquest, Coroner Fiona Wilcox concluded Mrs Saldanha had taken her own life. | At last month's inquest, Coroner Fiona Wilcox concluded Mrs Saldanha had taken her own life. |
The coroner said the hoax call had been "clearly pressing on her mind" but that she had had "appropriate" support from the hospital. | The coroner said the hoax call had been "clearly pressing on her mind" but that she had had "appropriate" support from the hospital. |
Summing up, the coroner said four further calls made by the radio station were almost certainly received by Mrs Saldanha. | Summing up, the coroner said four further calls made by the radio station were almost certainly received by Mrs Saldanha. |
You can see the interview on full on Newsnight on Monday on BBC Two at 22:30 BST. | You can see the interview on full on Newsnight on Monday on BBC Two at 22:30 BST. |