Awaydays To The Seaside, 2022 Style...

Ahhh, trips to Southend when I was a child, with the family. I remember it fondly. But not like this:

Joan Tiney, from the Borough Hotel on the seafront, added: “I got down to the seafront at about 3.45pm and I could feel it and said I didn’t like the look of the situation.

“It was ridiculous and I am sure they were coming from London, Dagenham and Barking.

“It was mayhem and there was a horrible toxic atmosphere.

“There was no control whatsoever and I think police should have been prepared for this.

“Police should have been ready for it and I would also like to see knife arches at stations to stop them coming.”

Good point, so...why weren't any set up? 

Paul Thompson, owner of Pebbles One Café, was among a number of business owners forced to close early amid fears for the safety of staff.

He said: “We need to see police working ahead and planning for these of sort of incidents and there should have been planning as the weather was forecasted well in advance.

“We can’t keep having this happen, it was shocking and the stench of drugs along the seafront was unbelievable.”

Mr Thompson described the situation as a “shambles” claiming people openly using drugs on the seafront.

He added: “It was teenagers from London and big gangs, I’ve never seen anything like it. “They were doing all sorts of drugs including cannabis, crack pipes and laughing gas.

“My staff were petrified and the police were just not doing anything and there wasn’t enough of them.

“We were told the force couldn’t bring in more resources and there was all sorts going on.

“The chippy had to be turned into an A&E to help someone who was stabbed.”

Sounds like the police were totally wrong-footed here. Boy, they must feel really sheepish, right? 

A police chief in Southend has rubbished claims his officers lost control of the streets on Friday and inists the force did everything it could to tackle the fighting. Chief Insp Ian Hughes, District Commander for Southend, is also adamant his officers were prepared for trouble as large crowds gathered on the seafront as temperatres soared. Speaking to the Echo, Mr Hughes said: “I do not think we could have done any more"

Really? The ratepayers seem to think differently... 

He added: “I am not aware of any calls from businesses about having extra officers on the ground and if we had wanted extra officers we would have taken them from outside south Essex.

“It was not predictable and we do not lose control, my officers worked hard in a challenging situation and worked hard to work with businesses.

“The 15 stop and searched were negative and found nothing.

"We are continuing the work with operation unit to plan and work ahead.”

You've no plan other than 'deny, obfuscate and lie' as far as I can see... 

All You Should Care About Is That It Is Within The Law, Mark...

Sussex Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood shared his concerns at a council licensing.

He told the panel of councillors the venue only just complied with its cafe licence.

That's all it needs to do, after all... 

This required substantial food to be available at all times. It had been, he said, “pushing the limits” of what was substantial after the previous owner refitted the venue as a bar.

So..? Did you get upset when venues were 'pushing these limits' when ridiculous covid restrictions were imposed, Mark?  

Mr Theed had since refitted the premises again and police were concerned it now appeared to be branded as a wine and cocktail bar. Given its current cafe-style licence, alcohol should be secondary to providing food, he said.

But the seven-page menu initially had five pages devoted to alcohol, with no hot drinks and just seven food items. Two of those were nuts and olives.

Which are definitely food, though I can't stand olives myself. 

The food offering had since been expanded but, the panel heard, there was still no kitchen.

The regulations you're paid to enforce don't state there has to be a kitchen, do they? So move on. There must be real cases to progress. This isn't one. 

Incompetence, Or Design..?

PC Roberto-Cristian Varvara, 27, was charged alongside then-girlfriend, Special Constable Alexandra Chiriac, 22, over a three-day break they were said to have taken to Romania in mid-October last year. Colleagues of the officers accused them of returning to work at Colindale Police Station instead of going into self-isolation and quarantining.

However a prosecution mounted against the officers collapsed in dismal circumstances for Scotland Yard and the Crown Prosecution Service, after it emerged PC Varvara and SPC Chiriac had been charged under the wrong Covid-19 regulation.

Hmmm...suspicious? 

Heaping on the embarrassment, Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram excluded key evidence from a PC who had failed to caution PC Varvara during an angry interrogation, while he also concluded there was not proof that the trip to Romania had actually taken place.

Or serial incompetence? It's really hard to decide one way or the other. But I'm leaning towards incompetence, since it seems there's a lot of it to go around: 

In June, they had been convicted of breaking the quarantine rules when originally prosecuted through the Single Justice Procedure, and were handed £2,000 fines each at a behind-closed-door hearing.

The magistrate had not spotted the defendants were charged under the wrong regulation...

*sighs* 

Neither of them paid fixed penalties that they were issued and did not engage with the Single Justice Procedure prosecution.

But they successfully applied to overturn the convictions and push the case to trial on Tuesday this week.

Judge Ikram found that the police, backed by the CPS, had tried to use a Covid-19 regulations that was in force in July 2020, rather than October 2020, to pursue the case.

Remember when they called it the Great British justice system..? 

Something Odd About This Case...

Loui Phillips was murdered in broad daylight in Monk Bretton on Sunday, August 8, by a 17-year-old boy he had never met.

The young Barnsley football fan was stabbed in the chest as he rode his bike with a friend along Fish Bank Lane at around 2pm and his killer then walked away.

A no-motive stabbing murder of a 15 year old stranger, and this isn't headline news? 

DCI Mark Oughton said: “This is an incredibly tragic case where an innocent young boy was stabbed to death because his attacker was jealous.

Jealous? Of what? We aren't told.  

“The killer planned his attack, locating Loui and his friend having purposely set out to go and stab him.

This doesn't add up - it may just be clumsy phrasing, but it sounds as if the attacker did know the victim and targeted him personally.

He has shown no remorse for his actions and always maintained his innocence until Monday.

“Loui was still conscious after he was stabbed and managed to give a full account of the attack to a police officer on the way to the hospital. All he wanted to know was where his mum was.

“My thoughts are with Loui’s mum, and his family and friends today; they have suffered unimaginable loss this year and no court result can ever make up for that.”

The teenager will return to Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, December 17.

Maybe we'll get some answers about what provoked the attack then. But isn't it odd that the national press seems to have taken no interest in this at all? 

H/T: kwilliam111 via Twitter

But It's Not 'Beyond Shocking' At All, Is It?

On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of his murder and a second boy, also 14, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. Both are now in custody at an east London police station.

Detective Inspector John Marriott, of the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said: 'We believe that James confronted a group of youths causing a disturbance and was stabbed as a result.

'The brutality of this response is beyond shocking and our thoughts are with James' family who have been left devastated by their loss.'

But it's not at all 'beyond shocking'. Is it? It's inevitable, when thugs are allowed to do as they please without any fear of the police: 

Today, Mr Markham's wife, Candice, told the Mirror: 'The boys were walking around with metal poles. They were swinging them and shouting at my daughter.

'It's just disgusting. It's not the first time - you see them walking around and smashing bottles in the street.'

Indeed, they are apparently well known in the area. It didn't take the police long to sweep them up, did it?

Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker, responsible for local policing in Waltham Forest, said: 'The Met remains committed to tackling violence across London and I would like to reassure the community that we will do everything we can to track down those responsible for this attack.

'I understand the concern this incident will cause and I would like to reassure residents that you will continue to see additional officers in the area over the coming days.'

Perhaps if you'd come along to bolt the stable door before the horse galloped over that hill, there wouldn't be a grieving widow right now, and a family destroyed. The knife wielders of course bear the majority of the responsibility for that, but I cannot say, hand on heart, that the local police farce that has proven so utterly ineffective doesn't also bear some.  

Can you, Reader?

No, It's A Stain On Your Organisation's Reputation...

Former Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Trotter (Ed: Surely not..?!) last week described the Wembley scenes as 'a stain on our country's reputation'.

Why? Like millions of other people, I was sitting at home watching it, not taking part. And millions of others were having a meal out, watching TV, painting the bedroom, reading a book...

Why should it be 'a stain on our reputation'? 

The Metropolitan police farce, however, has questions to answer:

The male Metropolitan Police officer, who has not been named, had been speaking about the chaotic scenes at the London stadium during England's match against Italy on July 11.

The officer told The Times that he and his colleagues had not been 'allowed' to use robust deterrents as senior members of the force were reluctant to give the go-ahead.

He told the publication: 'The best we did was manhandle them down the ramps away from the stadium...

'It's all about the brand image. It is just annoying we are held back from doing our job. We are in public order gear for a reason.'

Do I detect the cold, clammy hand of the Dame of Disaster herself here? 

The officer also made a series of claims to suggest that authorities were not adequately prepared.

He said that many officers attending were hesitant due to being newly trained in public order policing.

Funny, when I'm newly trained in something, I can't wait to put it into practice. What sort of people are they hiring here? 

"I'm Only Interested In One Thing..."

Detective Sergeant Caroline Brannan was found to have breached Kent Police's standards of professional behaviour, which amounted to gross misconduct, at an online hearing.

And what did this one do? 

Earlier this month a panel heard how the officer, who has served at both Northfleet and Medway stations, tasked junior officers with "improper" personal errands.

On one occasion in February 2018 she instructed DC Max Bresnahan to drive 20 miles to take her mobile to the Apple store in Bromley and to bring it back once repaired.

According to the statement given by the former officer he was told by DS Brannan that she had a job for him and was given the keys to a police vehicle.He was told that, if quizzed by store staff, he should say he was the officer’s husband.

Ah. That's the sort of integrity we've come to expect from the crop of diversity hires that have plagued the farces for the last 30 years, isn't it?

Did she have a defence? 

In her response the officer said that she had no clear recollection of these events and she believed DC Bresnahan either volunteered to take the phone or she had asked him to reasonably as he was making inquiries in the area.

That'll be a resounding 'No!' then... 

Then on a separate occasion the following year DS Brannan tasked another officer – PC Patterson – with accompanying her to the Wickes store in Maidstone to collect some flooring she had purchased.

The junior colleague was required to accompany the officer in collecting the order and then drop this off at the officer’s home address, taking him away from his duties for a significant period.

Nor was this the only thing they had on her! 

During the misconduct hearing DS Brannan also faced allegations that she had claimed for hours not worked and at an accelerated rate. Between May 2019 and November 2019 it was claimed the sergeant had made 12 overtime claims that were not legitimate.

This was on the basis that the hours claimed were not or could not have been worked and an overtime rate was falsely claimed.

But clearly it's not just the CPS that prove hard to convince...

But in its conclusion the panel decided, on the balance of probabilities, this allegation was not proven.

Ah, well. They have still other charges! 

However, in another serious allegation, the panel heard how on four separate occasions the team supervisor was found to have disclosed confidential and sensitive information to colleagues concerning investigations into serving police officers.

That's got to be it for her, right? Wrong! 

They said she also demonstrated "genuine remorse for what had occurred" and had undergone additional training.

As a result DS Brannan was not dismissed but handed a final written warning, to remain on her file for 18 months.

*sighs* 

Maybe This Is The Real Plan..?

Chief Constable Adderley...

Oh, him again..? 

...made the comments whilst voicing his 'strong feelings' against the College of Policing's plans to require all recruits to gain a degree before joining the force - rather than the traditional training programme.

The police chief said he believes the 'very, very young workforce coming through' who believe they are 'invincible' will cause a 'perfect storm' when combined with the growing anti-police violence forces are now facing.

Yes, it's almost uncanny, isn't it? If the powers that be wanted to cultivate a growing disrespect for the police, it's hard to see what they'd do differently, isn't it? 

He told Police Oracle how some new recruits in Northamptonshire had been so 'taken aback by the role' and the violence the force deals with that they had walked out of self-defence training. 

Some told the force they hadn't realised that working weekends and nights was part of the role, the Police Oracle reports.

Chief Constable Adderley said that the recruits have 'no life experience' and he clearly tells them that the training 'is not an extension of sixth form college. This is a really serious business'.

Add this to the damage that diversity hires are doing, and that long march has conquered another institution. 

I Try Not To CriticiseThe Police Constantly...

...but they do make it hard sometimes:

A pensioner was given a police warning after she had a socially distanced cup of tea with her neighbours in their communal garden.

Officers turned up at the 82-year-old’s sheltered housing complex home at 9.45pm to question her about the incident – after she’d settled into bed to watch television.

The woman's daughter is understandably furious.

She added her mother did not deserve the warning from police and had been unreasonably disturbed late in the evening.

‘I made a complaint to the police station. As soon as my mum opened the door the worst things began racing through her mind.’

Mrs Magovern said. ‘I really do not understand why the police thought a few elderly folk drinking tea, socially distanced in a communal garden, is a priority.

‘My son works for the London Met and even he could not believe what I was telling him.

‘We all have been left thinking, what a waste of police resources.’

I expect the farce's social media squad is on high alert for criticism of their actions. They aren't backing down, that's for sure - rules is rules, innit?  

A Gloucestershire Police spokesman said: ‘An officer has spoken to the complainant and an explanation was provided in response to concerns raised. She was content with this and the matter has been resolved.

‘Police received a report of a potential Covid breach on Tuesday 9 March at 1.30pm suspecting that there was a gathering involving people from multiple households in a residential garden in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham.

‘Covid response officers attended later that day at around 9.45pm where some residents were spoken to and given words of advice around current restrictions.

‘Officers are deployed to incidents based on an assessment of the threat, risk and harm of the incident and in this case officers who are part of the Covid response team and are deployed across the county attended later that evening.’

If you'd attended a few weeks later and at 9am it'd still have been a waste of police time and resources. 

"Nee-Naw, Nee-Naw, It's The Snowflake Police!"

Dead moles should not be left hanging from a barbed wire fence in the Cotswolds, police have said.

The grisly sight has been causing distress in the area near Cowley Manor and police want it to stop.

'Police'..? Really? 

PCSO Andrew Biddell is even going to put up a sign asking people not to string the dead mammals on the fence.

He said the moles have been found in the lane that goes round the back of Cowley Manor and past the Girlguiding Gloucestershire HQ, heading towards The Green Dragon.

Issuing a Community Alert, he said: “I will be putting a sign up asking for the moles to not be hung from the fence.

“This issue is causing a lot of distress to people and I would like to get it stopped.”

So a bunch of townies feel 'upset' at the sight of a country practice going back decades before you were born, and you think it should cease immediately? 

But, realising you've no power to stop it, you're going to litter the countryside with hectoring signage?