'Your support has meant more than gold' says Pete Townshend

[Ken in MD <seahawkman2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

'Your support has meant more than gold' says Pete
Townshend
from the online Richmond and Twickenham Times (URL
dynamic)

By Hannah Thorpe
SUPPORT in the local community as reported in the
Times has meant 'more than gold' to Who guitarist Pete
Townshend, recently arrested for accessing child
pornography via the internet.

The Richmond Hill resident was vigorously championed
by his many friends and acquaintances around Richmond
following his arrest last month.

As the world's media camped outside The Who
guitarist's #5 million home, his neighbours on the
hill, shopkeepers, restaurant owners and pub managers
sent messages of good wishes and told this newspaper
of their faith in the father-of-three's integrity.

This week Mr Townshend's personal assistant Nicola
Joss wrote to the Times on his behalf to express his
gratitude to those in the local community who have
stood behind him. She said: "Pete thanks you most
profusely for your kind feature about him, quoting the
support of neighbours. 

"He has asked me to let you know that it meant more to
him than gold and balanced all of the mainstream press
stuff at a stroke. However, until the investigation
into his case is complete (which we've been told is
not likely to be until at least May), Pete isn't able
to speak to any media."

Trevor Sutton, former treasurer of the Twickenham
Museum, voiced his support and Peter Payan, chairman
of the museum said they were glad to have him as a
patron.

Billy Harward proprietor of Caf on the Hill said: "I
know him. He is a very nice man and I don't believe
for one minute these allegations against him and I am
sure my customers agree."

Richmond Hill gallery owner Richard Meacock said: "I
can't believe Pete Townshend is anything but a
gentleman.

"He has been a regular visitor and customer to the
gallery over many years, with and without his own
children."

12:03 Friday 14th February 2003

Thanks to Rod Porter for pointing this story out. The
original link is dead but if you look on the main page
of the Richmond and Twickenham Times site it is still
there today.

Ken in MD
"Our music was specifically designed 
to lubricate the passage from adolescence to
adulthood." Pete Townshend 
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