Constitution Club

Jeremy Clarkson found himself unexpectedly donating to charity

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has lost money after publishing his bank details in his newspaper column.The Top Gear host revealed his account numbers after rubbishing the furore over the loss of 25 million people’s personal details on two computer discs.

He wanted to prove the story was a fuss about nothing.

Yeah really. What’s the worst that can happen?

But Clarkson admitted he was “wrong” after he discovered a reader had used the details to create a £500 direct debit to the charity Diabetes UK.

Oh well that I guess. Hey at least it went to charity

I was wrong and I have been punished Jeremy Clarkson

Clarkson published details of his Barclays account in the Sun newspaper, including his account number and sort code. He even told people how to find out his address.

OK it was stupid to publsh his bank details but I see the idiotic point he was trying to make but why in God’s name would you let people know where you live? Hey you know what I do with the money that’s not in that account? I buy expensive  jewelery and electronics. I keep them at my estate in Devonshire. Here’s how to get there…. Geez what no alarm codes?

“All you’ll be able to do with them is put money into my account. Not take it out. Honestly, I’ve never known such a palaver about nothing,” he told readers.

Bank accounts only work the one way ya see.

But he was proved wrong, as the 47-year-old wrote in his Sunday Times column.

The hell you say….

“I opened my bank statement this morning to find out that someone has set up a direct debit which automatically takes £500 from my account,” he said.

“The bank cannot find out who did this because of the Data Protection Act and they cannot stop it from happening again.

Did you get that? Apparently there’s some kind of law in the UK which protects the idnetity of identity thieves. Leave them alone. They’re just trying to earn a living.

“I was wrong and I have been punished for my mistake.”

Police were called in to search for the two discs, which contained the entire database of child benefit claimants and apparently got lost in the post in October 2007.

Lost in the post meaning lost in the mail

They were posted from HM Revenue and Customs offices in Tyne and Wear, but never turned up at their destination - the National Audit Office.

D’oh

The loss, which led to an apology from Prime Minister Gordon Brown, created fears of identity fraud.

No worries Gordo. Didn’t you hear ole Clarkson? That information is useless.

Clarkson now says of the case: “Contrary to what I said at the time, we must go after the idiots who lost the discs and stick cocktail sticks in their eyes until they beg for mercy.”

What a fantastically British method of torture. How about sending them to a Spice Girl’s concert?

I am now even prouder to be an American.