Beat up beat up

Lawyer claims his convicted terrorist client has been bashed in jail:

"JIHAD Jack" Thomas, convicted of taking cash from al-Qaida, has been bashed in jail.

Joseph Thomas was treated for cuts and bruises after he was attacked in Barwon Prison a week ago.

And he has had a mental breakdown, his lawyer, Rob Stary, says.

Oh. No he doesn't - it's a 'prison source':

A prison source said an inmate "jumped and belted" Thomas, even though the former taxi driver was held in protective custody.

"He might have a broken rib," the source said after Thomas was taken from the Lara jail for treatment.

Or he might not. The lawyer actually says he wasn't bashed at all:

But Mr Stary said Thomas was removed for psychiatric treatment. He said prison life had caused Thomas severe mental trauma - linked to a jail stint in Pakistan.

Very subtlely executed beat-up, with neat stitching of fabrication to facts and attribution of whole to the lawyer, brought to you by the Sunday Herald Sun and News Ltd.

-- Nick