British prosecutors, on February 1, 2013, declined to file charges against those who were involved in the prank call carried out by an Australian radio show. The call had targeted Kate Middleton, who was in hospital at the time and was followed by one of the nurses committing suicide.
The prosecutors decided not to file a case just days after it was announced that the radio show ‘Hot 30 Countdown’ has been taken off air. After the incident, the network expressed deep regret for the nurse’s suicide. Jacintha Saldanha had routed a call from the DJs of the show to the Royal ward, following which, the anchors spoke about some sensitive topics in relation to Kate Middleton’s health condition.
Malcom McHaffie, the deputy head of Special Crime at the Crown Prosecution Service said in an emailed statement, “Having carefully reviewed the evidence currently available, we have concluded that there is no evidence to support a charge of manslaughter”. The head also said that there is some evidence enough for further investigations, but it does not lie in the field of public interest.
McHaffie also said that the telephone call was a harmless prank, but the consequences in this case were very sad. In the month of December 2012, the two DJs had impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles and called up the King Edward VII Hospital to gain information about the condition of the Duchess of Cambridge.
