Police 'paid' to seek FBO's

[Arthur]

Out of interest, who influenced the over the top sentencing for the UK riots a year or so ago? People were clearly being made an example of...so who made this decision?

Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells who'd been whipped up by the media. Don't get me wrong if you've burned someone's house or business down then you deserve whatever porridge you get. But nicking a pair of trainers from footlocker or luzzing a couple of stones at the old bill when it's what everyone else is doing....don't think so. You have to have sympathy with some of the "rioters" who got sent down because there was no yard stick to compare their sentences to. You can't say that about football though, the game has changed but so have the rules. When you hear stories of a lad of previous good character getting 28 days bird for having a smoke bomb you've got to think to yourself is it worth bothering any more.

 

[ozseagull]

You might want to tell our mate John Catt that !

I was referring to the post about the millwall supporters and their t shirts. A completely fabricated story. I happen to know a millwall supporter very well who was there and he said that the t shirts were a bit more controversial than just a CCTV camera picture.

 

[ozseagull]

Out of interest, who influenced the over the top sentencing for the UK riots a year or so ago? People were clearly being made an example of...so who made this decision?

You really are being blinded by your obvious dislike/ distrust of the police.
If you think back it was the government and Home Secretary who said that anyone caught rioting would receive the maximum possible sentences. This was in an attempt to stop the disorder and calm the tensions. People continued so the Home Secretary carried out their threat.
No police interference. Sorry to disappoint you.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

You really are being blinded by your obvious dislike/ distrust of the police.
If you think back it was the government and Home Secretary who said that anyone caught rioting would receive the maximum possible sentences. This was in an attempt to stop the disorder and calm the tensions. People continued so the Home Secretary carried out their threat.
No police interference. Sorry to disappoint you.

He didn't even imply there was. He asked a very reasonable question of someone who has experience of the justice system.

 

[ozseagull]

He didn't even imply there was. He asked a very reasonable question of someone who has experience of the justice system.

It was his inference in his question and previous posts which he challenged/ doubted when it was stated that police have no control over sentencing.

I took his question as a sarcastic one but if it was a genuine question then I do apologise. And I do mean that.
I really do believe that once the police charge someone to court that they no longer have control of the outcome/ verdict/ sentence.
I have worked within the legal system for over 12 years and have never experienced it. I am not being argumentative for the sake if it, just something I feel passionate about.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You really are being blinded by your obvious dislike/ distrust of the police.
If you think back it was the government and Home Secretary who said that anyone caught rioting would receive the maximum possible sentences. This was in an attempt to stop the disorder and calm the tensions. People continued so the Home Secretary carried out their threat.
No police interference. Sorry to disappoint you.

We have established the police have no jurisdiction over sentencing. It was in the post above mine and the one I quoted. Hence I asked the question about the riots. I'm not blinded, just inquisitive.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

He didn't even imply there was. He asked a very reasonable question of someone who has experience of the justice system.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It was his inference in his question and previous posts which he challenged/ doubted when it was stated that police have no control over sentencing.

I took his question as a sarcastic one but if it was a genuine question then I do apologise. And I do mean that.
I really do believe that once the police charge someone to court that they no longer have control of the outcome/ verdict/ sentence.
I have worked within the legal system for over 12 years and have never experienced it. I am not being argumentative for the sake if it, just something I feel passionate about.

Apology accepted.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You really are being blinded by your obvious dislike/ distrust of the police.
If you think back it was the government and Home Secretary who said that anyone caught rioting would receive the maximum possible sentences. This was in an attempt to stop the disorder and calm the tensions. People continued so the Home Secretary carried out their threat.
No police interference. Sorry to disappoint you.

So. If the home office have power over sentencing should I worry about the ever increasing politicisation of the force? How independent of the home office is the Met Commisioner for example? How a out the other recently elected commissioners? The police and judiciary independence seems to be dicipating.

 

[ozseagull]

So. If the home office have power over sentencing should I worry about the ever increasing politicisation of the force? How independent of the home office is the Met Commisioner for example? How a out the other recently elected commissioners? The police and judiciary independence seems to be dicipating.

Good points and questions.
I do feel that the home office/ in power political party should have an input to sentence lengths. This can be very useful to target emerging trends. The riot being a good one. Riot and we will hit you with big sentences. Also I know it's a long time ago but after 9/11 they pushed stronger sentences for disruptive passengers on planes etc. also football fan trouble was increasing again in the lower leagues, hence the tougher sentencing to try and nip it in the bud so to speak. So that is how tougher sentences for certain offences are used and can be effective.
As for crime commissioners this is a tricky one. Their main remit is to establish what the crime priorities are for individual forces and ensure policing is delivered on budget whilst hitting their identified targets/ priorities. The move towards them was as they are politicians they are more in tune with what the public want and to bridge the gap between what the police view as priorities and what the public see as priorities.
They shouldn't have any involvement of actual policing or the legal processes of suspects.
It's early days so time will tell.

 

[father_and_son]

I don't mind being videoed by the police at a match or a demo or walking down the street, but it has to work both ways - the Police must accept that they must be recorded in return, and evidence in favour of the defence or, indeed, to bring a complaint against an officer must be allowed without interference.

In my few encounters with the police, I have to say that if it looks like a lot of paperwork or a complaint, then they are very quick to cover up numbers (not always subtly) - have brought a complaint against an officer for doing exactly this while I was trying to report an assault.

 

[happypig]

Out of interest, who influenced the over the top sentencing for the UK riots a year or so ago? People were clearly being made an example of...so who made this decision?

I honestly don't know but I imagine guidance came from the Lord Chancellor. It was quite interesting to see that almost all cases involved in the riots were held in front of a District Judge rather than a bench of three magistrates.
There will always be situations that are exceptional where interested parties outside the judiciary make representations when they have no place getting involved.
Bringing it back to football matters, if our own PC Balkham asks me (legitimately) to move on at a football match, then I will comply with his request. If he comes to my court and asks me to deal more harshly with an offender then he will, politely, be shown the door (and thanked for coming, that's what I'm like).

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

I find being filmed by an officer of the law very invasive. It's different to other forms of filming. It is surveillance, the type of society we are becoming under the guise that it is 'for our own good' and that if 'we are doing nothing wrong we have nothing to fear'.

I think that is what the Chinese are told isn't it ?

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Hmmm .....

Sussex Police purposely remove any identifying tags from their uniforms at the fracking demo
Met Police do the same for many London based demos
Met Police beat to death an innocent bystander at a demo
Sussex Police shoot dead a naked, unarmed person
A Met police officer admits that football matches are popular with officers because they can "put the boot in without comeback"
Police officers are implicated in selling information to the press

But a few examples that should mean anyone reading the story wouldn't be surprised !

Sounds like a cracking job to me.

 

[blue2]

Take it up with the new police commissioner they get shed loads of pay not really what they do for it

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

sorry, but if plebs like yourself didn't watch such programmes, they wouldn't be on.....simple as.....

hark at this plank
regards
DR

 

[BN9 BHA]

hark at this plank
regards
DR

Strange that a 15 year old girl listens to blues rock don't you think DR?

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Strange that a 15 year old girl listens to blues rock don't you think DR?

dodgy to say the least mate, BUT THEN AGAIN THERE'S A FEW MORE DODGY ONES ON HERE
regards
DR

 

[BN9 BHA]

Hmmm .....

Sussex Police purposely remove any identifying tags from their uniforms at the fracking demo
Met Police do the same for many London based demos
Met Police beat to death an innocent bystander at a demo
Sussex Police shoot dead a naked, unarmed person
A Met police officer admits that football matches are popular with officers because they can "put the boot in without comeback"
Police officers are implicated in selling information to the press

But a few examples that should mean anyone reading the story wouldn't be surprised !

Think I will give QPR a miss