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Shot producer 'doubted by bosses' | Shot producer 'doubted by bosses' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A BBC producer from Suffolk killed in Somalia felt she had to go to prove her commitment, her sister told an inquest. | |
Kate Peyton, 39, of Beyton, was shot dead in Mogadishu in February 2005. | |
Coroner Peter Dean said the inquest would examine risk assessments carried out by the BBC before Ms Peyton was deployed to the war-torn state. | |
Ms Peyton's sister, Rebecca, told the inquest at Ipswich Crown Court that her sister felt BBC bosses doubted her commitment. | |
Journalist Peter Greste, who suggested the trip and accompanied her, said journalists who went to Somalia were aware of the risks but he believed they were "manageable". | |
She was utterly clear in her mind that she had to do it - that she had no choice Rebecca Peyton | She was utterly clear in her mind that she had to do it - that she had no choice Rebecca Peyton |
Rebecca Peyton, 36, told the hearing that her sister wanted a fourth year added to her contract. | |
"She had been told there were doubts about her commitment to her job," she told the inquest. | "She had been told there were doubts about her commitment to her job," she told the inquest. |
"When it comes to news journalism, you can earn a lot of points by going to dangerous places. It is simply how it functions." | "When it comes to news journalism, you can earn a lot of points by going to dangerous places. It is simply how it functions." |
She added: "She was utterly clear in her mind that she had to do it - that she had no choice." | She added: "She was utterly clear in her mind that she had to do it - that she had no choice." |
'Extreme risk' | 'Extreme risk' |
Suffolk Police investigated Ms Peyton's death and provided a report to the coroner. | |
Det Ch Insp David Skevington told the inquest that Ms Peyton studied civil engineering at Manchester University and began her journalistic career as a radio reporter on Merseyside in 1993. | Det Ch Insp David Skevington told the inquest that Ms Peyton studied civil engineering at Manchester University and began her journalistic career as a radio reporter on Merseyside in 1993. |
She moved to Johannesburg in 2001 and went on to cover a number of important stories affecting Africa. | She moved to Johannesburg in 2001 and went on to cover a number of important stories affecting Africa. |
Mr Skevington said Somalia had been without effective government since 1991 and had witnessed years of fighting between rival warlords. | Mr Skevington said Somalia had been without effective government since 1991 and had witnessed years of fighting between rival warlords. |
Security experts and visitors were under "extreme risk", he told the hearing. | Security experts and visitors were under "extreme risk", he told the hearing. |
He said Ms Peyton travelled to Mogadishu with a BBC reporter, arriving at about midday on 9 February 2005. | He said Ms Peyton travelled to Mogadishu with a BBC reporter, arriving at about midday on 9 February 2005. |
She was shot a little over two hours later while leaving a hotel used as a base by members of Somalia's transitional federal government. | She was shot a little over two hours later while leaving a hotel used as a base by members of Somalia's transitional federal government. |
The producer underwent surgery in hospital, but died on the evening of the shooting. | The producer underwent surgery in hospital, but died on the evening of the shooting. |
Mr Greste said Ms Peyton had contacted him before her departure, was happy to join him and expressed no concerns about the risks. | |
Security measures | |
He accepted that there was no question that Somalia was an "extremely dangerous place". | |
"But the experience of the foreign journalists was that it was manageable." | |
He left security in the hands of people more experienced and the security measures adopted were "standard". | |
Mr Dean said: "[I] don't get any sense from any of the evidence that Kate was unaware of the extreme risk in the area into which she was going." | |
Arthur Blake, for the Peyton family, suggested that the BBC had not gathered expert information relating to attacks by terrorist groups. | |
The hearing, which is expected to last five days, continues. | The hearing, which is expected to last five days, continues. |