Not "just a former publisher of some newspapers"

If anybody saw BBC Newsnight last night you will have witnessed a fawning interview of the kind the establishment only ever reserves for one of it's own. A convincted neobliberal war mongering fraudster and black propagandist discussed his 'terrible personal injustice' with a broadcasting corporation sychophant in London (who appeared to assume his innocence despite overwhelming proof of his dishonesty).

However Conrad Black’s fate will horrify his friends and admirers in London. Convinced by his aggressive PR campaign belittling the case against him as “a joke” and “pure fiction”, they believed the Judge would somehow also succumb to what amounted to a smokescreen of bluster.

Let's not forget this little moment: In a court room in Chicago on a Friday in the summer of this year Lord Black’s eyes closed, his head fell and his mouth opened in a silent gasp. The first guilty verdict had just been read out to the crowded courtroom by the judge. Lord Black of Crossharbour looked distraught as the verdicts continued. Convicted of obstruction of justice and three counts of fraud, he realised that his biggest battle was finally lost.

Henceforth the former owner of The Daily Telegraph would be damned as a felon alongside Robert Maxwell, the late proprietor of the Daily Mirror. Black knew that his arrogance and deceit would, if the prosecutors’ sentencing demands were met, be punished by years of imprisonment.

Black’s mistake was two tape recordings whose existence he had long forgotten. They record him addressing the annual Hollinger shareholders’ meetings in 2002 and 2003. He can be heard repeatedly lying to shareholders, denying use of a corporate jet for private trips and, more importantly, insisting a succession of “noncompete” payments were negotiated and approved by his company’s independent directors. Three of those payments, the jury had decided, were bogus and defrauded the shareholders.

After the verdict walking like a zombie, Black left court - now the 62-year-old tycoon faces 6 and half years imprisonment with murderers and rapists.

It'll be tough - but hey maybe the BBC will send him food parcels full of his favourite extravagances.