PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS
On 17th December, the Daily Mail reported on a plot to force Laser 558 off the air. On a tape recording sent to the paper, Paul Rusling and the head of a Local Radio station, discuss ways of silencing Laser. Other papers including the Southend Evening Echo picked up the story and the next day, the 18th, Thames TV carried the story in their "Reporting London" programme. Reporter Michael Wilson spoke to both Rusling and Blackwell and mentioned the arson attack on Paul's pub, which he blames on Laser.
Paul Rusling said "I was approached by someone who said ‘you've been aggrieved by Laser’, this was about two weeks after the fire, I said it certainly looks that way. I can't think of anyone else that it could be that's responsible. They asked for certain information, I didn't want to give the information I was privileged to and if they were going to make use of it for their own ends, then I wanted to be reasonably rewarded for that and I suggested that I take part in the operation ".
Paul Rusling then claimed he was contacted by Eddie Blackwell, this was denied by Blackwell who claimed it was Rusling who contacted him. Whichever is true a meeting was held in the boardroom of Essex Radio on 28th September, between the two men.
Eddie Blackwell claimed that Rusling wanted to cause trouble for the company that "owed him money ". Blackwell had passed the information on the tape to Brian West of the AIRC, but had not involved the police. Roy Lindau took steps to safeguard the ship and sent a transcript of the tape to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Paul Rusling admitted a revenge motive to the "Daily Mail", but later said he had discussed the idea on behalf of others and had now abandoned it. The IBA refused to comment.
 

Paul Rusling  on board