Damien Or Damian?

In February 2014, Damien Daley – the man whose ludicrous “evidence” was used to convict Michael Stone – was himself involved in a murder. I was informed of this by Stone himself. The victim, Gus Allman, was stabbed to death in Folkestone, apparently by both Daley - who was not charged with murder until August - and Timothy Avril. who was charged earlier. This was a complex case involving multiple defendants.

On-line reports were at times intermittent, and I noticed that Daley’s Christian name had been spelt both Damien but mostly Damian, including at times on official documents already on this site.

On November 14, 2014, I went through every text file on the entire site altering the spelling of Damien to Damian; the name is spelt both ways – for instance the Court Of Appeal spells it Damien.

I was curious about this because I had once looked up Daley’s birth details at Myddleton Street, which has been closed since 2008! As a matter of routine I double check everything before I enter text on any of my websites, but I have been known to make mistakes here and there after double or even treble checking. However, on a recent visit to the British Library I checked the official microfiche, and sure enough, the man’s birth name was Damien. His birth was registered at Ashford in the September quarter of 1975; his mother’s maiden name was Nicholl.

In the small hours of November 20, 2014, I sent an e-mail to Canterbury Crown Court pointing out this anomaly, and, surprise, surprise, the name appeared as Damien Daley in the next listings (see below). However, it continues to be spelt Damian, including on the website of Kent Police, and doubtless in official files. Remembering how Clark Pearce changed his name to Clarke Pearce (and knowing someone who has changed the spelling of his own Christian name), rather than go over every single file on this site, this time altering Damian to Damien, I have decided to allow it to ride.

The trial listings from Canterbury Crown Court.

Return To Site Index