It has been announced that former ACA Director Jane James and husband Bob James, Press Officer for the Association, have quit following allegations of misconduct.
The statement was short and sharp, with the ACA announcing that the Jameses and the trustees of the ACA had decided “that it is in the best interests of the sport of angling that they should part company and have agreed to do so by way of mutual agreement”.
The details of the allegations, the resulting dispute and the severance terms may never be known as they are subject to a binding confidentiality agreement.
According to yesterday’s The Independent newspaper the couple were the subject of an internal investigation after a range of accusations were levelled against them, including the alleged theft of a 90p stamp and benefiting from a £ 400 printing bill.
The Independent also said that it is understood that Mr James, who worked three days a week as the ACA’s press officer, attended a disciplinary hearing last month at the body’s headquarters at Leominster, Herefordshire, to answer questions about the £ 400 printing bill for leaflets advertising his fishing business.
The ACA would not comment on whether its disciplinary committee had formally found against the Jameses.
Mr James said, “Both my wife and I are very sad that it came to this. We absolutely deny that we did anything wrong. But there are lots of people out there who have become green-eyed monsters.
“They see what I did on TV and they become jealous. Among the more ridiculous rumours I’ve had to deal with is that my wife and I are so wealthy that we own Range Rovers with matching number plates. Actually I own a five-year-old Saab.”
Mr James said he would now be concentrating on writing and a new television project.
The ACA has dismissed the claim that it is being distracted from its true purpose of fighting pollution. Head of legal affairs Karen Capper, said: “Any suggestion we are in decline could not be further from the truth. We are continuing to defend the interests of anglers and go from strength to strength.”
