World’s media to jet into Scotland for the case of the ‘Peeing Granny’ versus Donald Trump
THE world’s media is expected to descend on Scotland this week for a David and Goliath battle between the rambler dubbed “the peeing granny” and US President Donald Trump.
US-based CNN, whose anchor Anderson Cooper is pictured below, Australian television, other foreign media outlets, as well as domestic press and broadcasters are among those covering the three-day civil hearing in Edinburgh, which opens tomorrow, as grandmother Rohan Beyts moves to sue President Trump after his staff allegedly filmed her urinating on the prestigious golf course at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire last year.
The retired social worker is pursuing a damages claim against Trump’s golf course over allegations that staff breached data protection laws by filming her. She has now launched an online crowdfunding campaign to raise £4,000 to go to the law firm of solicitor-advocate Mike Dailly, who is working on the case for free.
Beyts, 62, was initially reported to the procurator fiscal but was told no action would be taken. Trump International disputes Beyts’ account of events. The rambler said on her fundraising page, which had reached £2,495 by yesterday, that she has had offers of legal support from all over the world but she was staying with Dailly.
She said: “I am pursuing a small claims action against Trump International Golf Links at Menie for breach of privacy. I was secretly followed and filmed by male employees at the golf development as a friend and I walked on the beach and in the dunes.
“This included me taking a ‘comfort break’, later this was described as a ‘presidential leak’ by the journalist Rob Edwards in an article he wrote about the incident for the Sunday Herald,” she said.
“I have had many offers of fi- nancial support for my legal action from across Scotland and around the world, but as my solicitor, Mike Dailly, solicitor advocate and principal solicitor at Govan Law Centre is giving his time for free my costs are minor.
“I felt that I would like to support the work of the Govan Law Centre which is a charity that offers free legal advice on a wide range of issues including homelessness, repossessions, tribunal work and money advice work with families. The bulk of the money raised will go to the GLC.”
She added that she also wanted to make a small donation to Toilet Twinning, “a charity that helps build toilets in areas that have none”.
One supporter, Sharon Eveland-Smith, posted online: “With you Rohan, I’m one of many Americans who hate Donald Trump. I pray you win this battle with the Orange Enemy. Please make sure Scotland stands up against Trump in court now, or he will own and rule Scotland if he invests enough money in it.”
Dailly said of the fundraiser: “On behalf of GLC, we are always grateful for donations and support as a charitable community law centre. From time to time, where resources permit, we take on strategic litigation in the public interest on a pro bono basis, and we think the issue of data protection and rights of privacy are important principles in Scotland which are infrequently pursued, compared to England and Wales and other legal jurisdictions.” Trump International has repeatedly disputed the claims and a spokesman said: “The claims made by activist, Ms Beyts, are factually inaccurate, grossly misleading and have no legal basis.”