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Homeless ex-newsreader released without charge after late-night hotel row

4:16pm Monday 17th December 2007

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An ex-newsreader who lost everything through credit card debt and alcohol abuse was arrested at a £130-a-night hotel for allegedly hitting a woman.

Ed Mitchell, who once interviewed the likes of Margaret Thatcher as a newsreader for ITN and the BBC, took to sleeping rough on Hove seafront four weeks ago after he was bankrupted by debts of up to £250,000.

The 54-year-old was arrested early on Sunday in a suite at the Thistle Hotel on Brighton seafront.

He was detained in a cell for 13 hours before being released without charge.

Mr Mitchell, who was put up in the four-star hotel after doing an interview with a Sunday newspaper, denied knowing the woman.

He said: "I'm truly and totally the innocent party in all this."

Mr Mitchell claims no blows were exchanged during the heated conversation that lasted a couple of minutes.

He was released at about 3pm on Sunday and police said they planned to take no further action.

Mr Mitchell had agreed to present The Argus' morning internet news bulletins but the arrangement has been cancelled by mutual consent.

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Your Say YourThe Argus

Spanish Gentleman, Outside the Co Op St James Street says...
4:44pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Blimey he's having a right old time of it at the moment isn't he!

If I didn't know better I'd say there was a book in this and a journo was going to help him write it........

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Dave, Hove says...
4:52pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Least he got 13 hours out of the cold! Getting a bit boring now this story.

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John, Cyberhotel says...
4:54pm Mon 17 Dec 07

"Mr Mitchell had agreed to present The Argus' morning internet news bulletins but the arrangement has been cancelled by mutual consent."

Why present them when you ca star in them?

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fact, says...
7:01pm Mon 17 Dec 07

make em then break em, great entertainment, bravo to the argus.

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mrs thatcher, retirement home says...
7:09pm Mon 17 Dec 07

i once met mr ed,funny looking horse if you ask me.

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Sam, Brighton says...
7:17pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Ed walked casually past me as I made my way up Norfolk Sq. this afternoon. Seemed polite enough!

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Told you so, brighton says...
7:57pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Well! havnt heard too much from you "do gooders" about the poor man now. It seems hes nothing but trouble. No body likes an "I told you so" but I TOLD YOU SO.

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Stroller, Hove says...
10:23pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Thoroughly bored by hearing about this bloke who is always going on about the past.

Who cares about that? It's been and gone.

Why doesn't he get on with the rest of his life instead of thinking we are interested in yesterday's news?

Time and television stops for no man.

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x=y, says...
10:39pm Mon 17 Dec 07

Told you so wrote:
Well! havnt heard too much from you \"do gooders\" about the poor man now. It seems hes nothing but trouble. No body likes an \"I told you so\" but I TOLD YOU SO.
Well now, police do not normally release people "without charge" if they have good reason to suspect a person has committed a crime.
It's a simple but important point (but perhaps too difficult for some to comprehend) ... "police said they planned to take no further action". What does that tell you?
It certainly does not say 'he's nothing but trouble', quite the opposite.

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Miriam Binder, Whitehawk says...
10:59pm Mon 17 Dec 07

"police said they planned to take no further action". What does that tell you?
What it tells me is that the police do not plan to take any further action!

Oh, I agree with you that it doesn't necessarily mean that the man is nothing but trouble, but it certainly does not imply that he is a victim of circumstances either.

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shaun, shoreham says...
11:17pm Mon 17 Dec 07

just because he was arrested does not meen he was guilty

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brightin rock, brodmoor says...
4:38am Tue 18 Dec 07

i bet you will be eating mince piees i wont i dont belive in them give me a glass of water any day just have a fanta orange a turkey for life not just for christmas and when you have ham egg and chips remember it beter to have loved some people like prickboxer or slagfoot suzi i no when most of you eat you don say your grase well have acram cracker next time tou go down the battle crozer thats even gone up garry gliter i remember when it was 5p a pint going down to rovers--bread and driping that is wot the judge told my mum she cried for years after that bless her any way i wish you all a said easter but dont forget let the music play i just wont to dance the night away.

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In the know, Everywhere says...
12:40pm Tue 18 Dec 07

I understand the lady in question was Mr Mitchell's girlfriend so I think he is being a little economical with the truth. Maybe the sunday newspaper shouldnt have provided him with a mini bar.

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Kathleen McMullen, Hove says...
3:31pm Tue 18 Dec 07

When he applies to the council for accommodation which he is entitled to as a homeless person I hope they establish whether his homelessness was intentional.

It seems there are two classes of homeless persons in this city: those who don't have the connections to prevent utter destitution, and those who are making it a lifestyle choice, or doing a kind of Down & Out hardly George ORwell- in order to exploit the tragedy for profit.

Perhaps it should be made a criminal offence to choose homelessness as a lifestyle, and especially if it then entitles the vagrant to council housing services which are insufficient for those in genuine and desperate housing need, this Christmas.

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