UK Picketers on TV - BBC Panorama May 2007

The purpose of this page is to provide contact details for journalists looking for people in the UK who have 'a story to tell' about the Church of Scientology (CoS). They may be critics, ex-members, relatives of members, academics, organisations; all they have in common is a dislike of the CoS. If you know of anyone who might be willing to participate, please let us know or ask them to contact us.

To participants: We only list here those who have contacted us and told us what personal information they are willing to provide. If you want to help, please briefly describe in what way you might be of interest to the media and say how you can be contacted. This does not have to be a direct address or telephone number; Email addresses, message boards or other means are acceptable. Real names are not required, provided we know who you are or someone we trust vouches for you.

To journalists: The CoS has a long history of harrassment against its perceived enemies. Journalists should not therefore be surprised if critics of the CoS are cautious and request verification of their status, it has been known for private detectives hired by the CoS to pretend to be journalists, police officers or other officials in order to obtain information.

Contact details for the Church of Scientology in the UK can be found on its website:
http://www.scientology.org.uk/

Hartley Patterson
has been a Critic since 1998 picketing CoS branches. He is the author of this page and of the FAQ for the alt.religion.scientology newsgroup.

Jonny Jacobsen
trained as a journalist in the late 1980s with the Birmingham Post and Mail. He spent several years of freelancing in Scotland before moving to Paris in 1994 to attend the Journalists in Europe programme. His first investigative piece on Scientology was in 1996 as a reporter/producer with Radio France International. Jonny Jacobsen is writing a book on Scientology.

Dr Martin Poulter
has been a critic since 1995, not an ex-member but interested in the topic from a civil liberties/ consumer protection point of view.

Jens Tingleff
has been a critic since 1995 picketing CoS branches, not an ex-member but interested from a freedom of speech point of view

"Carter Johns"
is an ex-member who spent about a year in the CoS, completing the first steps on the 'Bridge' before leaving. Since leaving, he has spent a great deal of time researching the CoS, its crimes and practices, and regularly pickets his local branch. He is happy to give an account of his own experiences on the inside and why he left.

"Scudmuffin"
is a Project Chanology protestor and has been voicing his views on the Church of Scientology since 2008. Although initially involved on free speech issues, a general interest in 20th Century history has added fascination on comparative grounds with Totalitarianism and related regimes.

Sharone Stainforth
sailed on the "Apollo" 1967-69 with her father. She was a Commodore's Messenger for L Ron Hubbard and witnessed abuses, being herself locked in the hold as a punishment. Her father was posted elsewhere and she was kept away from him until she left at the age of 12, abandoned by the cult.