Archive for the 'CPS' Category

CPS Decision to Prosecute TSG Police Officers

Published on August 12, 2010 in CPS, Prosecution of TSG Police and Uncategorized. Closed

written by allcoppedout from Allcoppedout's Blog

Gosh! CPS ‘decide’ to prosecute TSG officers and let a jury work out guilt. Where will it all end? The allegedly beaten up guy is reputedly an Islamic terrorist with brown skin. If anything happened it was over 7 years ago. Not guilty one would expect. Babar Akmad, isn’t he the President of Iran, the one who fiddled the last election and is building nuclear weapons, the jury may ask, until they realise the ‘dinner jacket’ is missing?

We have no idea what the truth is and little chance of finding out, seven years after whatever happened. Should the real trial here be into why the authorities can’t come to a speedy conclusion on whether to prosecute? Babar will be subject to all kinds of innuendo on terrorism, the police officers TSG complainants record suppressed and so on.

What is the aim of this trial? Surely it’s not about the assault, if there was one. That would have been better dealt with at the time. So what is the point? To prove CPS decisions not to prosecute in other cases right? After all, killing innocent Brazilians as a result of idiot SMT fannying around inertia is OK and lies about ‘stop, armed police’ irrelevant when not heard by an civilian witnesses etc. The shooters at Stockwell should have been protected by the truth not the pack of lying cover-up that did ensue.

What mistakes did these officers make? I suppose they could have killed Babar and then brought in a bent pathologist to screw the evidence forever?

Keystone Cops make mistakes – everyone more or less goes Keystone when adrenaline kicks in. Why do we not recognise this in law? I’ve seen it, done it and know I’m less prone to it than most. Our cops do a lot right and plenty wrong. The ‘wrong’ on one poor lad in Manchester was not wearing a stab vest, though I guess IG and others can tell us these are not the best kit anyway. I was never worth any such consideration.

My guess as to what is really wrong is that cops cannot admit mistakes. People generally have massive trouble with this, so why should we expect better? Officers working in such contexts as terrorism can expect human bombs, hatred towards them and all kinds of threat. They may be asked to work on good or idiot intelligence – most in the latter category in my experience – but you can hardly go in expecting chummy to have fled, never lived where others claimed he was under 24/7 observation and so on. Officers recently got far too close to Moat in my opinion. They should have been able to give him the options of putting his gun down or being shot from 50 yards, the distance a sawn off is probably useless at.

We should come down very hard on unnecessary police violence, but clearly can’t do this in a manner that prevents decent decision-making and the use of force, or encourages entirely the wrong kind of cop not to take action in order to keep noses clean. There are plenty of these.

Police are probably the best bit our our sad justice system. Once again, officers face the fall, not prosecutors who made the wrong decision and not whatever jelly has organised the law as it is. Not least in this, we should be asking why Babar has managed to get all the legal support he has when Ian Tomlinson has not, and why victims in our system can’t get it either.

It could be that Babar is an innocent victim of police violence. It could be that four officers are the real victims. Seven years on the CJS has made sure we will never know. If we were on the jury, how could we seriously put what we ‘know’ of Babar to one side? How could we do the same on what we ‘know’ of the TSG? How can this trial take place given the publicity when others have been set aside for this ‘reason’? One assumes these officers have served for a further seven years without ‘smacking anyone else about’ – what of ‘rehabilitation’ if any was necessary? The news now is referring to Babar as ‘terrorism suspect Babar Akmad’ not as a bloke arrested against whom nothing could be proved.

One country I worked in (by no means the worst) locked up 10% of its male population overnight and tortured a few. This is a long way from a few slaps. Many of us would welcome the return of the ear-cuffing Bobby and tough action against the ‘evil poor’. We still send unarmed officers to weapon situations (and some get shot). There is a lot more Jihadi rot around than we admit to. Threats of violence are so common according to IG and our local cops that they are ignored.

The situation is a dire mess. We are in danger of leaving the argument between factional idiots of failed liberalism and groupthink denial. I regard most of my local town centre as off limits, and the ‘answer’ is to put up alcohol costs. The war against drugs is lost and now part of the very problem warred against. It can’t take seven years to bring a section 47 charge, except where the offender absconds, yet it just has. This is no justice whatever happened. All we can be sure of is lawyers making money. If this case can be brought, so can one against Paras for Bloody Sunday.

All we know is we can’t trust our complaints and court systems – but this is in all directions from failures with so-called antisocial behaviour to banker-smurfing, weeding out useless and lying cops whilst protecting the decent majority better and so on. On terrorism my guess is that any real, organised threat would already have us living in dread – look at how effective the IRA was. If society was a scientific research programme, we would have abandoned it long ago for something based on different assumptions. Academically, the legal-economic Lakatosian paradigm (enough said surely?) is thought to be in a state of decadence.

This trial will surely collapse as intended. The CPS claimed the bent first pathology on Ian Tomlinson would have prevented a conviction. What then of its own earlier decision not to prosecute – does this not give reasonable doubt in the same way? What’s the ‘new evidence’ – that judges and juries are not as dumb as they suppose in their deliberations?

The officers are, of course, ‘already guilty’ in the Guardian Court – http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/12/babar-ahmad-police-abuse-verdict

If Babar is actually innocent this is an example of just how dire the system is. If he really is a terrorist the same is true, only in spades. I have no clue as I have seen nothing like evidence. I do know much of Babar’s defence would not be available to me – I’m atheist and do not qualify for legal aid. Somehow, being called a godless bastard doesn’t get into political correctness and speech crime.

This is a show trial to cover-up massive incompetence. At worst, both parties are guilty and this cannot be proved, and the incompetence will never get into the open so we can do something about it. In the meantime, nothing will be done about immigration, other than some more propaganda about how good it is for us, good lads will die ‘protecting’ us far away amongst jabber about hearts and minds, aid will flush down other toilets in reduced amounts and the rich will get richer, the idiot cuts mentality will produce economic decline (as it did in Japan) and they will find a traditional solution to depression (world war) on some pretext or another. How can we expect any reasonable solutions when we allow such unreason as fundamentalist religions, or a reasonable jury of our peers when a large minority base their reason on creationist myths and a powerful Big Brother in the sky? One can have religion reasonably, but evidence is another matter. CCTV should be an aid in preventing false allegations. Soccer can’t even do this. Even on something as simple as this, we can’t get things right. Time for some home truths about our general inability to take part in democracy.

The Mail produced this on ‘the British’ – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1302482/UK-slams-Irans-lack-respect-vice-president-claims-Britons-thick.html

There is, sadly,some truth in it. Iran is not exactly a fine place either, but argument needs to get at basics, not just have people ‘rowing’ as in recidivist domestics. Our level of argument is sadly as pathetic as the Mail article. We need the passion in, but there has to be some ability to know one is wrong in the face of real evidence. Very few have this ability, whether British, Iranian or whatever. This is partly why we have courts rather than mob rule, but it is time to do things differently. The evidence is of system failure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5025510/Babar-Ahmad-abuse-officers-accused-of-77-other-assaults.html

The Telegraph reports the usual story of a large number of assault complaints against the officers (70) with only one not ‘in-substantiated’. Most were from black or Asian men. The call is for a judicial review, but it’s time for a Public Enquiry. Either we have a dire public complaining over sod all, and particular ethnic groups inclined to do so, or we have bad cops being encouraged to be bad and we need PSD and IPCC sackings. My personal experience indicates the latter, as does PALG, INQUEST and any victim I’ve talked with (not scumbags). Worse, I suspect PSDs and IPCC of only investigating the most idiot complaints and wasting our money on them – those involving clown officers and clown complainants – and evading the ones raising the real issues. Whatever the case is, and I believe the problems extend across the public sector dealing with crime, there is no capacity to investigate fairly, a matter than extends from the many victims who die or have their lives ruined, to innocent people jailed or mistreated because investigations are not impartial and thorough, but skewed towards prosecution.

One other possibility is that all complaints against police are false and our society is full of false complainants. This means nearly all of us who have dealings with cops (CIVITAS) and feel let down. The IPCCs local resolution nonsense makes everyone, including cops feel badly done to. Hardwick, the clown leader of IPCC, says this shows they are dealing evenly with everyone! The madness is in deep.

If these cops did what Babar says I have no problem with them getting the bullet (literally) – but how can we ever know? If it’s clear enough for conviction, it was clear enough for other cops to stop, arrest them and deal with it. It would also have been clear enough for the IPCC investigators. If these allegations (which have worked in the civil case) are true, it follows the complaints system is likely rotten to the core. One answer would be to abandon it and let the public go straight to legal aid supported civil action. Note a suspected terrorist can do this, but not some poor sod suffering years of anti-social crime like Mr. Askew and hundreds, probably thousands more left to live in fear.

The original post can be found http://allcoppedout.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/cps-decision-to-prosecute-tsg-police-officers/

Thomlinson and other miscarriages of justice

Published on July 22, 2010 in CPS, IPCC, Ian Thomlinson, Uncategorized and miscarriages of justice. Closed

written by allcoppedout from Allcoppedout's Blog

The Ian Thomlinson case and many others tell us police in England and Wales are not subject to the same justice as other citizens. In some other countries this is codified in law, but in the UK the law appears to be made over and again on the hoof by parties interested in preventing embarrassment to themselves, but causing the same by their ridiculous bias and incompetence. That we are expected to swallow this is of particular concern for our democracy. Graham Smith (the articles Google – start at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a791442442 ) long ago produced a convincing argument that there is a vicious cycle of failing to bring about any real justice in police complaints.

General police responses to these matters show considerable stereotyping and adherence to the chronic paranoid-schizoid position which casts criticism to the position of enemy without any hesitation or reflection. There has been substantial academic and legal debate on these matters, but this has regularly been dismissed by a system that cannot engage in self-criticism in any real depth.

We are in trouble,particularly if we want our police and legal system to be able to take the quicker and firmer actions to rid us of the antisocial crime that blights many ordinary lives. We need both a streamlined system to do this and to protect civil rights at the same time. The excuses given by the head of CPS today align him with the old, old arguments that it is really impossible to complain about police effectively, and that delay and confusion will be built into any investigation in a manner that we do not see as a matter of course in ‘civilian’ enquiries.

I used to hope that our legal system did try to fix itself as it found out about miscarriages of justice, but this does not really seem to be the case. The same kind of miscarriage keeps repeating and no one ever seems to be brought to book. The Tomlinson case has s smell similar to that of Nico Bento about it, in that police used a discredited forensic expert, and that clear CCTV evidence is not accepted as evidence. Officers and prosecutors (judge and defence in the Bento case) all seem to be able to act in incompetent and illegal ways, prepared to put innocent lives at risk without any comeback.

There are many issues that need urgent attention, including why victims are not brought together as a group to establish what they are really experiencing. Police officers watched-on whilst Mr. Thomlinson was being assaulted and did nothing. The list is long and sorry. We are probably moving into something we might label ‘Capitalism 4′ at the moment and I suspect this will require the kind of brutal disregard for civil rights of the 19th century. The very idea that ;police could bring in their own, discredited man, to do an autopsy and then rely on the difference between this and the two later ones to make a prosecution unlikely to be successful because of irreconcilable differences (ie; between a police stooge and independent experts?) is so ludicrous one has to assume sense in our legal system has collapsed, or more likely that the establishment believes it can fob us off with any old tat.

The original post can be found http://allcoppedout.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/thomlinson-and-other-miscarriages-of-justice/

Commander Dizaei

Published on February 8, 2010 in CPS, Dizaei, commander, court, handcuffs. knife, judge, racism and uniform. Closed

written by Area Trace No Search from Area Trace No Search

A crook in uniform is as much a crook as one that breaks into your house late at night to nick your tv, if not more so.

Commander Dizaei has at last been found guilty, for Assault, Perverting the Course of Justice, and Wrongful arrest.
He's a shameful example of how appallingly a small minority of officers behave - and a reminder that rank doesn't always equate to a good person, let alone a good copper.

The Black Police Association were hugely verbal throughout, stating that Dizaei was innocent, and accusing the Police of racism for charging soon to be ex-Commander Dizaei.
This despite the victim also being from an ethnic minority.

Disgraceful behaviour on his part. When you "accidently" delete the texts that apparently were sent to you, and are believed by doctors to have self harmed in order to set someone up... I'm just glad that he no longer wears the uniform that I do.

As a final aside, listen to his 999 call, HERE

Again, embarassing. Firstly, his shout for 'Urgent Assistance.' This is a Golden phrase, and when used EVERY copper on duty will run - firstly from your area and neighbouring areas, then central units, then potentially met wide. If a Police Officer is in dire straits and is about to get seriously hurt, we will do anything including putting ourselves at risk to get to you.

He used this assistance call for his own lies - and listening to the tape, even if the arrest had been justified and truthful, there is no way that he is in an urgent assistance situation. He is calmly talking to the detained male (who was by the way in handcuffs) and frankly I'd be hard pushed to understand a brand new probationer calling for urgent assistance in those circs, let alone a supposedly experienced officer.

He also used bullying tactics and ordered the operator to let him speak to "Chief Inspector IR" - Chief Inspector Information Room. Whether he thought this implicit threat would help, or that he was entitled to special service because of his rank, who knows... I'm sure that if I called 999 and demanded to speak to Chief Inspector IR I'd be given deservedly short shrift.

And lets not even get into the hows and whys of him being in uniform, off duty, in a cafe, conducting private business deals, with handcuffs to hand.
Actually, why hasn't this been dealt with?

The original post can be found http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/2010/02/commander-dizaei.html

THE FARCE OF UK CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Published on October 3, 2009 in CPS, Criminal Justice System, Inspector Gadget, Nice 1 Ltd, Police, Politicians and detections. Closed

written by Crime Analyst from The Thin Blue Line

When a 17 year old teenager threw stones at the window of a disabled pensioner, Renate Bowling, 71, confronted the 17-year-old youth in the street. She bravely went out to remonstrate with him. During the conversation the frail widow, who fled to Britain from Communist East Germany and walks with a steel frame, prodded the youth in the chest with her finger.

She told him what she thought of him. He called her "some ****ing German woman".

Police officers were called to the quiet residential street and the teenager told them he had been assaulted.

'Then the police arrested me - I thought "What a joke. What is going on?"

'That lad had held my wrists and bruised them and he had the gall to call it self-defence.

'The police put me in the back of their van like a sack of spuds and took me to the station where they questioned me. Then a few days later I was told I was being prosecuted. I could not believe it, neither could my family.

'I had to borrow £20 from a friend to pay the court costs as I only had £30 on me. It has all been a nightmare

To read the full Daily mail story click here

COMMENT

This story exemplifies what a complete farce the Criminal Justice System has become.

That a system has become so perverse that common sense could not prevail is beyond belief. The sad fact is that the majority of common sense coppers in the UK agree with how ridiculously commonplace such incidents are.

Inspector Gadget, Copperfield, Ellie Bloggs, 200 and other police bloggers and authors have been trying to raise public awareness about the mid boggling utter stupidity of the crime reporting system for a few years now.

Hunting detections to improve crime figures is slowly but surely eroding the confidence of natural police supporters. Ordinary people who make up the bulk of the British population are being criminalised in ways like that of Renate Bowling, all in the crazy pursuit of ticked boxes and meeting targets. The common sense police response would be to exercise descretion, rap the youth on the knuckles for his behaviour and advise Mrs Bowling. The mad system that has evolved however does not allow for discretion. Once the matter is reported, (the assualt in this case) it is logged on computer as a crime. The case cannot be resolved and "detected" until the accused accepts responsibility. The officers are not permitted to show discretion and walk away, they are forced by the system to follow it through. Teams of audit officers scrutinise and follow up on such cases until the detection box is ticked.

In this case, as with many thousands of others concealed within Home Office figures, the price paid for the detection was way out of proportion with common sense policing. The result is one criminalised disabled grandmother who has lost all confidence and support for the police. Consider further the many hours consumed by officers taking statements and processing the matter for the CPS. Whilst police officers are tied up with enquiries like this that only serve to diminish confidence in the service, they are not available to respond to other more serious and needy cases. Little wonder police morale is at its lowest ebb, when the very system they are forced to implement prevents them doing the really important jobs as effectively as they would want.

The example is one of thousands where the CPS then exacurbate the situation by pursuing the case, safe in the knowledge they have another detection secured. Why oh why, could common sense not have prevailed and the decision made to take no further action? If the responsibility and decsion to charge was returned back to the custody sergeant, common sense might well have prevailed, and Mrs Bowling may have been saved the indignity of a court appearance and a black mark against her otherwise good name.

Police Officers and CPS are being strangled by Government directions and performance targets to detect at any cost. All so that the Government can feed the public more statistical spin about how crime has reduced since they came to power.

A consequence of the true public perception is that less than 50% of crimes are reported. The public have lost confidence that the police will be able to do anything, or worse, as in this case, as the real victim, you are more likely to face prosecution than the yob. We no longer have an accurate grip on what is real and manufactured concerning crime in the UK. On that basis, how can any Government accurately forecast the financial and human resourcing for a given area?

The system doesn't legislate or care, it got its detection and that's all that matters.

Politicians take note . . . . This needs addressing SOON.

The Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Ltd

The original post can be found http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheThinBlueLine/~3/wnuJ_gO9OuU/farce-of-uk-criminal-justice.html

Rememberance Day

Published on November 4, 2008 in CPS, Death, army, court, grave, judge, night duty and war. Closed

written by Area Trace No Search from Area Trace No Search

I was going to post this the day before Rememberance Sunday, however events have forced my hand a little.

Just over a year ago I was on patrol in a relatively low crime area in my divison - low crime in comparison to the rest of the borough anyway. Those living in the Ivory Towers would still be shocked by the sheer brazenness of the criminality that goes on in the area.

Whilst driving around late at night, I turned the lights out as I went down a side street which bordered a local park. The park was part of a church; although there had been no reported crimes there (so hence completely unworthy of our attention), I had talked to the Priest and discovered he was getting more and more trouble from drinkers and drug takers hanging around there.

He had also been suffering minor criminal damage to the church, and had drinks thrown at him when he had asked them to leave. Of course, none of this had been reported. When I asked why, he shrugged and held out his hands: "My daughter is in the Police and my son in the Army - I know how short you are, I wouldn't like the idea that I would be taking Police Officers away from tackling REAL crimes and more deserving victims."

This is the kind of attitude often displayed by those who both need and deserve our help most, and it is tragic that whilst the Priest (and many elderly people especially) suffer in silence so as not to bother us, the local oiks get yet another Police car, yet another CID officer, yet another pointless arrest, yet another intervention from outside agencies... for a threats by text from an ex. Again.

Anyway. Deep breath. Back to the story.

On this occasion, as I went lights out on the car, I saw the sillouhettes of two figures, crawling over the side gate that led into the churchyard park.

I was still some distance away, so coasted down towards them, slowing down and coming to a stop using my handbrake in order to keep the brake lights off.
As I stepped out of the car, they were well inside the park, so my operator trotted around to the main gate to prevent their escape.

Which left me with the mission of climnbing over the gate, wearing twelve pounds of body armour and a utility belt - whilst also trying to remain silent.
It's as surprising to me as to you that I managed it relatively well.

I spotted the two figures straight away, hunched over a wall. They were so busy talking that they didn't even notice me until I had a hand gripped into their hoods on their tops, and had started to twist hard to keep hold.

What I had seen had convinced me that they would not be leaving the park without a new pair of shiny bracelets.

In the darkeness, lit by distant street lights, the moon and a Nokia mobile phone, it was immediately clear what they had been doing. Crouched in front of a war memorial, a can of spray paint at their feet - and a giant swastika still dripping wet over the headstone.

I've arrested a huge amount of nasty people, but rarely has the temptation been so great to show them the error of their ways myself. I managed to resist though, and instead opted for icy calm.
One of them tried to pull away, and his look of sullen insolence changed to something like panic as I held on - I think he realised he was going nowhere.

I was joined by my partner, who quickly realised the situation and assisted by taking one of the two fifteen year olds.

I then made a quick decision - the paint was still wet, and if wiped at now might well be removeable. However, that would remove all evidence of the offence, and there was no way these two were not being arrested.

After a quick conflab with my oppo, the two suspects were cuffed hand to hand, round a tree so they couldn't leave. A quick dash to the car, and luckily there was a camera in the boot. After a very quick bout of photography, I explained to the lads what happened next: "Right, just so we're clear here. You ARE getting arrested. Right now I am going to attempt to clean this paint off. I've got absolutely no power to make you clean it, but if you do it will go in my notes and be read WHEN you go to court. If not, I will describe exactly how you refused to help and instead watched as we cleaned it."

Funnly enough, both offered to help.
One asked about cleaning cloths; by this point my oppo had found a bucket of water from somewhere in the church yard. I looked at the youths in their Kappa hoodies. "It's a warm night, isn't it boys...?"

Later, in custody, a senior officer questioned my decision to arrest two juveniles for minor criminal damage that they had attempted to clean up. I was about to blow a fuse, when my oppo tactfully asked the Supernintendo if he knew the circumstances; once explained, to be fair the Super was on our side.
"These two are getting charged. Understand? They ARE getting charged."

Coppers don't look lightly on situations like this.
You'll be pleased to know, neither did the Judiciary.

The church has now paid a huge amount (destined for the upkeep there) to help secure the graveyard. The Priest still doesn't report incidents when he kicks people out, but most importantly the families of the men named in the memorial never found out about the damage caused.

This post was posted earlier than expected, due to THIS news story.
I wasn't aware of it, until someone emailed me to tell me about it - no idea if he wants to have his name plastered about, so I'll just say thanks to TF for it.

I can only hope that when the buggers are caught for it, the same attitude displayed by the Police, CPS and Judicary in my case is shown in theirs as well.

To the copper/s that hopefully arrest these lowlifes, a genuine offer from me - a bottle of bubbly if I ever find out who you are.

The original post can be found http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/2008/11/rememberance-day.html

He’s NOT Judge Judy

Published on September 13, 2008 in Blogging, CPS, court, judge, post and west country. Closed

written by Area Trace No Search from Area Trace No Search

A quick post, on the Judciary. This has been inspired by a post on a blog I have recently discovered, and more specifically the comments within.

I have no fear of arguing with Magistrates or any part of the legal system whilst blogging - but I do think that most magistrates still do care.

The problem is the system is not designed for caring.
The CPS often are the reason that Magistrates end up making bad decisions (just as members of public for coppers). In both cases we depend on them and a score of other people to feed us the correct information. Often that doesn't happen.

All too often CPS do not offer the case to court at all. All too often when they do, it is either as a lower charge than it should be, or just badly prosecuted. CPS prosecutors are often inexperienced and in fact some are not qualified as lawyers - in a way they represent the worst of both worlds, and I do have some sympathy with them (sometimes).
Their job is to represent victims and the police despite having no real world experience of either on a meaningful basis, no street experience. They are also supposed to be a link to the legal process and judiciary, despite often being unqualified and regularly inexperienced in that field.

Not exactly a win-win situation is it?

On top of that, they get judged on PERCENTAGE of cases won, rather than amount of cases won. So often, they simply won't fight them.

One of the many knock on effects of this (apart from offenders getting clean away, victims and witnesses feeling let down and Police Officers losing their rag) is that the Judiciary don't see the "characters" that have been arrested with the regularity that they should.

Often I hear complaints that they are out of touch - and yes, some are. Most have come from different backgrounds to the average suspect and victim that I deal with, and this can be an issue. But the way for them to even have a chance of staying "in touch" is by being presented with the suspects, the crimes, and the victims and witnesses on a regular basis, seeing the little buggers in front of them again and again, and being able to take direct action against the people they personally see as repeat offenders.

CPS do their best to make sure this does not happen - as do Penalty Notices for Disorder and Cautions.

This is before we even get to the minefield of sentencing guidelines...

Yes, some Judges are beyond out of touch. Yes, some create bizarre decisions that the vast majority of people struggle to comprehend. Our legal system is not perfect; most Police bloggers show that our part alone needs a lot of help.
But I think that sometimes, it's too easy to blame the person sitting on the top of the tree rather than the person who grew it in the first place.

The original post can be found http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/2008/09/hes-not-judge-judy.html

Old Boys’ Network

Published on May 24, 2008 in CPS, Police and Ridiculous. Closed

written by Pc Bobby Dazzler from Pc Bobby Dazzler - Police Response Officer

A long time ago when you were young and I was even younger a woman was sectioned because of Social Services. I do not know what was wrong with her or what she did. After due course the section was removed and the woman was allowed to live again as a "normal" person.

She never knew why she was sectioned and it was never explained to her by the health services or social services and quite rightly she wanted to know. She asked her doctors and social services but nobody would tell her. All she did know that it was Social Services that had instigated her sectioning in the first place.

When she received no answers to her questions she started to write to senior council managers but got know reply. She wrote repeatedly sending the letters recorded delivery to ensure that they go there. She would record all phone calls she had with the council staff. The years passed by and still she did not get the answers she was looking for. Her files of letters and taped phone transcripts were now running into volumes.

In the end she decided to write to the top bod at the council, the Chief Exec. She thought that this would be the only way she could find out why she had been sectioned all those years ago. The Chief Exec did not answer her letters so she persisted. None of the letters were threatening , insulting or distressing in any way they were just persistent. In the end after still getting no response after many months of writing letters and making phone calls to the Chief Exec the lady now very old and frail put together a dossier of all her correspondence and evidence and turned up on the front doorstep of the Council Leader’s house. She thought this would be the only way to get the answers she wanted and make the council take notice of her after all this time.

She knocked on the door and the door was answered by the Council Leader’s daughter. The old lady asked if the girls Father was at home and when the reply was yes she handed the dossier to the girl and asked her to pass it on to her father. The old lady then left. Again no threats were made, no abuse was shouted. Just the paperwork was handed over and the old lady left.

Obviously the Council Leader was quite freaked out by this as his address should not be public knowledge but it is not difficult to find out where somebody lives if you really want to know. There are plenty of public records out there to be looked through if you know where to look. Does everybody remember www.b4usearch.com?

The Council Leader decided to report this to the police now as harassment. It was passed on to a response officer to deal with as this type of thing usually is and the response officer issued a First Harassment Warning even though technically this was crimed as a 2+ Harassment and the offence was complete according to NCRS. The warning seem the common sense approach to take as per Sir Ronnie’s request as this was the first report that had been made to the police about the matter. The crime was then closed. Or so the response officer thought…

After the old lady was given the warning she continued to write to the Council Leader, not to his home address but through the correct channels at the Town Hall. What a mistaka to maka.

The Council Leader being a pillar of society and well respected in the fair county plays golf every 2nd Tuesday of the month with the Chief Constable. Whilst on the 7th fairway he asks the Chief if there is anything that can be done about this crazy old bat who refuses to stop writing to him. The simple answer the Chief could have given would have been to write back and answer her questions or at least acknowledge her to say the matter would be looked into. But no, the Chief says to leave it with him and he will see shat he can sort out.

Over the next few days the order filters down the ranks to the Station Inspector that this old lady has got to be arrested for harassment having continued to write after being given the harassment warning. The order lands firmly in the lap of the original response officer who gave the warning as it is his job. The officer’s sergeant is very supportive of his staff and agrees to help him with it so early one morning they attend the home address of the old lady to bring her in.

When she realises what is happening she refuses to open the door. Not wanting to look stupid as this is a very old lady the officers discreetly ask for backup and the front door is put in. The old lady is waiting for them with a knife inside the address. She obviously has no intention of using it and she is quickly disarmed by the officers and has to be literally dragged from the address. Her neighbours see this and cannot believe that the police are treating an elderly lady in this way.

The lady is then taken to the police station. The officers return to her house and conduct a Section 18 search and recover boxes full of paperwork relating to the lady’s quest for answers. Someone senior finally realises that there is too much for a lone response officer to deal with due to the mountain of evidence that has just been uncovered during the search so a DS and a couple of D’s are brought on board. After all the so called victim of this is a personal friend of the Chief.

A quick flick through some of the paperwork shows that none of it is of a threatening or abusive nature so early advice is sought from the CPS. The CPS advice is very clear. At the current time there are NO OFFENCES. Their clear instructions were to not interview the old lady at the current time and to bail her immediately. All of the documentation was then to be passed to the CPS so that it could be reviewed to see if any of it amounted to a personal harassment of the Council Leader.

As things stood at the minute, although being over persistent, all the old lady had done was to write legitimate complaint letters and request information that she was legally entitled to request. It is not possible to harass a company or organisation and a person is perfectly entitled to address their correspondence to a named person within that said organisation.

This was fed back up the ranks to the Station Inspector who called the area Super Nintendo on his radio and told him what the CPS had said. Not wanting to look stupid in front of the Chief the message came back that under no circumstances was this lady to be released that night. She would either have to be charged and remanded or sectioned again!! but she was not to be bailed.

Around about this point the custody sergeant suddenly felt ill and went home sick. He must have come down with a 24 hour bug or maybe he just didn’t want to illegally detain an elderly lady (who under normal circumstances would never have been accepted into custody in the first place) for fear of getting on the wrong side of the Chief. So a replacement custody sergeant was found.

Despite what the CPS ha said, the old lady was interviewed by the D’s but then had to be bailed later that night. I await to see if there were actually any offences.