Lizzie Dearden Explained

Lizzie Dearden
Nationality:British
Occupation:Journalist
Employer:The Independent

Lizzie Dearden is an independent British journalist who worked at The Independent as Home Affairs and Security Correspondent between 2017 and 2021, and Home Affairs Editor until August 2023, writing on extremism, terrorism, crime, policing, and legal affairs.[1]

Career

In 2013, Dearden, who was writing for the Ilford Recorder, won the Ted Bottemley Award for her media law and practice paper which had been described by the examiner as “a joy to mark”.[2]

At the British Journalism Awards in 2020, Dearden was "highly commended" for her crime and legal affairs journalism.[3] Judges said she "produced a range of high-quality exclusive stories on huge matters of public interest."[4]

In March 2021, right-wing activist James Goddard called Dearden "scum of the earth" and "vile" at Westminster Magistrates' Court where she was reporting on his trial concerning his harassment of pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry. He was later handed an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting her.[5] [6]

On 17 January 2021 at around 9.50pm, far-right English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson appeared at Dearden's home after hiring a private investigator to find her address, and threatened to falsely accuse her partner of being a paedophile after she reported in The Independent that Robinson had been accused of misusing supporters’ money. He was given a temporary stalking prevention order in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, which he did not attend,[7] [8] and in October 2021 was given a five-year stalking prevention order, banning him from contacting her about anything other than her news stories about him.[9] Dearden later stated that she "considered changing [her] role because of that but [she] didn’t, [she] kept on going."[10]

In 2023, Dearden published under C. Hurst & Co Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed; a book about a series of botched terrorist attacks in the UK between 2017 and 2022, their motivations and the reasons for their failure.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lizzie Dearden . 2024-04-01 . . en . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185947/https://www.independent.co.uk/author/lizzie-dearden . live .
  2. Web site: 2013-12-18 . Highest pass rate of the year for NQJ senior reporter exams . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185954/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/highest-pass-rate-year-nqj-senior-reporter-exams/ . live .
  3. Web site: 2020-12-09 . British Journalism Awards winners 2020: FT's Dan McCrum crowned journalist of the year for Wirecard investigation . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 24 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124181103/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/british-journalism-awards-winners-2020-fts-dan-mccrum-journalist-of-the-year/ . live .
  4. Web site: Ng . Kate . 2020-12-09 . Independent writers win acclaim at British Journalism Awards . 2023-11-22 . . en . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122190017/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/independent-british-journalism-awards-winner-b1768908.html . live .
  5. Web site: Tobitt . Charlotte . 2020-11-30 . Right-wing activist James Goddard handed restraining order over threats to Independent journalist . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185949/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/right-wing-activist-james-goddard-handed-restraining-order-over-threats-to-independent-journalist/ . live .
  6. Web site: Giordano . Chiara . 2020-11-27 . James Goddard given restraining order after calling Independent journalist 'vile scum of the earth' in court confrontation . 2023-11-22 . . en . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185953/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/james-goddard-court-independent-journalist-b1762683.html . live .
  7. Web site: 2021-03-19 . Tommy Robinson handed stalking prevention order over threats to Independent's Lizzie Dearden . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185953/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/tommy-robinson-given-stalking-ban-after-threats-against-independent-journalists-partner/ . live .
  8. Web site: 2021-08-31 . Tommy Robinson hired private investigator to get Independent journalist's personal details . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185955/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/tommy-robinson-hired-private-investigator-to-get-independent-journalists-personal-details/ . live .
  9. Web site: 2021-10-14 . Tommy Robinson given five-year stalking order for harassing Independent journalist . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185953/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/tommy-robinson-stalking-order-independent-journalist-lizzie-dearden/ . live .
  10. Web site: Tobitt . Charlotte . 2021-07-02 . How journalists can hit back at online abuse as C4's Cathy Newman reveals 'totally dehumanising' attacks . 2023-11-22 . . en-US . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122190010/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/how-journalists-can-hit-back-at-online-abuse-as-c4s-cathy-newman-reveals-totally-dehumanising-attacks/ . live .
  11. News: Barekat . Houman . 2023-03-23 . Plotters by Lizzie Dearden review – the terrorists who failed . en-GB . . 2023-11-22 . 0261-3077 . 22 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122185953/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/23/plotters-by-lizzie-dearden-review-the-terrorists-who-failed . live .

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