It is rather ironic that, despite the alleged shortage of police on the beat, the complaints about unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy slowing down "real" policing, Nanny's finest recently managed to find the time and resources to arrest Keith Hirst a 54 year old plumber with a heart condition.His crime?
He was accused of dropping and apple core.
His punishment?
He was arrested by five police officers, taken to a police station, had his DNA and fingerprints taken and spent 18 hours in a police cell.
During his "sojourn" he twice needed to be seen by a doctor, after complaining about dizziness and chest pains.
Mr Hirst, from Swinton Manchester, was not best pleased with his experience.
"The way I was treated you would have thought I had robbed a bank.
My family are law-abiding people and I would help if I saw a gang of yobs attacking a police officer.
But this kind of incident does not help in improving relations between the community and police."
The story begins on 21 April, when Mr Hirst said that he was tapped on the shoulder by a police community support officer as he walked to the chemist at lunchtime.
The plastic policeman accused him of dropping an apple core (which Mr Hirst denied), and demanded his name and address.
Mr Hirst said:
"He was an overzealous young lad baying to give me a ticket.
I told him I was on my way to the shops, but would be walking back that way if he wanted to speak to me later. He followed through the precinct to the chemist.
When I came out there were five police officers surrounding me. I said I had done nothing wrong and so was not telling them who I was.
The most senior police officer said they would have to take me into custody."
Mr Hirst was arrested for refusing to pay a £50 on-the-spot fine and taken to Swinton police station before being eventually taken to the magistrates' court in handcuffs.
His wife, Glynis, who is disabled and cared for by her husband, did not know what had happened until 10.45pm on the day of his arrest.
She said:
"My daughter had been ringing hospitals as we thought something had happened to him."
The charge of obstruction has been dropped. However, but Mr Hirst still faces a trial for littering, which he denies, in July.
Supt Ian Palmer, of Greater Manchester Police, said:
"Littering is an offence and GMP work tirelessly to ensure the streets are not only safe but also clean."
It is indeed an offence.
However, there surely is such a thing as a "proportionate" and "common sense" response to whatever crime is being alleged?
Is this really an effective use of GMP's scarce resources?
Are there no other crimes in Manchester that are more deserving of the time and effort of 5 police officers?
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"Littering is an offence and GMP work tirelessly to ensure the streets are not only safe but also clean."
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should all be deployed as street sweepers, probably be more useful to the community
I would suggest Mr Hirst's real offense was to not treat the community wally as the god he obviously thinks he is.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the esculation of a situation brought about by two silly stubbon pillocks.
ReplyDeleteThe police do have a right to ask for a person's name and address and as I understand it, the public have a duty to give it if asked.
I assume that these laws extend to plastic policemen.
The gentleman concerned could have just given his name as required by law and fought the ticket.
As I say two stubbon pillocks, sadly in this situation, the state official pillock always has the upper hand over the civillian pillock.
I would say he is wasting his time fighting the ticket as the magistrates always take the state's officials word as being truthful.
I am not saying this is right, I am saying it is a fact of life.
This incident just illustrates what a crazy place our homeland has become.
from debbie
ReplyDeleteand wouldnt have an apple core
been swept up by a bird or
squirrel in due coarse anyway?
Forgive me an anecdote by way of comparison. In the last century I was once sitting in a police cruiser at traffic lights when a young man sitting in the passenger seat of the car in front threw one of those large wax paper cups with a plastic top and drinking straw out onto the pavement.
ReplyDeleteI stepped out, picked up the article and handed it to him, advising him that he was lucky I happened to be following and saw him drop it otherwise he might have driven off and lost it. The young man was one of two in the car, both very heavily tattooed.
I was very polite and courteous, and of course impeccably dressed. I was not wearing any kind of body armour or protective helmet - we only used such items during rioting. I had my cap on and my hair was cut short and neat - not shaved.
He was very grateful for my intervention and asked me if I knew where there was a rubbish bin so that he could dispose of the cup which he no longer needed. I told him there was one around the corner but he would need to park in a nearby layby and walk to it as there was no left turn.
As I happened to be going in that same direction I offered to follow him to make sure he found the right place. He was speechless with gratitude.
At no time did I raise my voice but spoke quietly and firmly. I was alone, (the police driver had remained in the vehicle) and felt no need to call for back-up. The situation was perfectly under control and routine.
I read this the day after seeing that a Bolton woman was fined more than £250 for putting her bins out a day early. What a contemptible little armpit of a country the UK has become. I'm glad I've left, I feel sympathy for those who haven't apart from the overzealous parasitic little jobsworths who suck the public tit dry at the same time as they make life a misery for the poor sods around them.
ReplyDeleteThe place formerly known as Great Britain has indeed, turned into a fascist Police State.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 3.00PM said...
ReplyDelete" I read this the day after seeing that a Bolton woman was fined more than £250 for putting her bins out a day early. What a contemptible little armpit of a country the UK has become."
But is this not part of the American model where gated communities set local rules and expect everyone to obey them to the letter?
Of course there is a big difference between large and spacious often fully serviced communities in the US and the cramped and spaceless areas of Britains inner cities. Still, if oen wants to 'make a difference' one has to 'do something'. I suppose.
The Daily Mail today hasa story that seems to be about removing a 150 year old pine tree from a village green because its needles are a bit sharp on the skin and might hurt 'the children'.
There was a quote that seemed to be correlating pine needles with syringes and teaching children not to stab themselves with either. I lost the will to read at that point, I may have understood incorrectly ...
Grant
Sadly, I feel all is lost with this country now - we are run by worthless jobsworths who could not get a job in the real world, governed by the EU (ditto its occupants)and increasingly our crime infested streets are 'policed' by people in dress up policeman uniforms.
ReplyDeleteTalk to the 'man in the pub' and yes there will be plenty of whinging follwed by wot can you do about it mate, seen the football, Amy Winehouse's latest brush with the law, etc etc.
Good Job! :)
ReplyDelete