G20 police officer cleared of assault

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jul 2010 at 12:10

aaron333 said:
Seriously, what the heck. The enquiry is full on inconsistencies. Can't say I expected him to be charged, he is one of them after all.

One of whom? It's the CPS who made the decision, not the Police.

Delvis · 22 Jul 2010 at 12:13

He wasn't pushes to the ground, he was either haggard or drunk or actually has no sense of balance

aaron333 · 22 Jul 2010 at 12:13

Burnsy2023 said:
One of whom? It's the CPS who made the decision, not the Police.

I know, I know. I worded mine a bit wrong

Werewolf · 22 Jul 2010 at 12:14

aaron333 said:
Seriously, what the heck. The enquiry is full on inconsistencies. Can't say I expected him to be charged, he is one of them after all.

What, one of the people covered under UK law?

The main reason he couldn't be charged with "common assault" (the only charge the CPS* thought might stick, what with lack of conclusive evidence), was because it was/had run out of time - it has to be charged within six months of the offence from memory.

If anything I'm slightly surprised the CPS didn't charge even with the lack of evidence, they normally seem fairly happy to charge police officers on less evidence than they would ask for if it was a MOP (the "in the public interest" part of the decision to charge and let the courts sort it out)

*Similar to the way the CPS don't go ahead with many charges daily against people for whom the evidence is more concrete but still not enough.

martinbeaver · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:30

Robbie G said:
A shove to a dawdler is a perfectly valid tactic imo.

last time i checked it isn't a criminal offence to walk slowly on a public street.

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:37

martinbeaver said:
last time i checked it isn't a criminal offence to walk slowly on a public street.

Depending on the circumstances, it could be.

scorza · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:40

Correct decision imo, imagine if the police officer (who has been through a year of hell) had been charged with a serious crime like manslaughter, it would have meant that it would be impossible to police future demonstrations. When faced with a passive-aggressive member of the public it's entirely appropriate that reasonable force is used by the police, it's tragic that Mr Tomlinson died but it's not for the police to abandon their duty to the wider public in future cases because of unforeseen circumstances.

Deluxe1 · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:41

martinbeaver said:
last time i checked it isn't a criminal offence to walk slowly on a public street.

But you dont do it in the situation he was in,your just asking for trouble.

Brian8bit · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:42

The cop lost his rag and a man died because of it. They should have just kept dawdling up the street in a line, they weren't under pressure, someone got in Billy Big Balls way and he acted unprofessionally.

I mean, it's not like they were coming underfire from ****, paint, petrol and blast bombs or being openly fired upon by armed dissident gunmen.

wordy · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:45

So the correct way to deal with a dawdler is to clobber him with a nightstick and shove him to the ground?

Is it just me or would that not slow down the person even more?

mmj_uk · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:50

If it weren't for the second independent post mortem this would have never made it to court, did anyone really expect him to be found guilty of anything?

steve-h · 22 Jul 2010 at 13:54

BennyC said:
The police should be a figure of authority and people should think twice before ******* with them.

The police are here to protect us mate...

not to assault people and then hit a woman because she called him out on it...

emailiscrap said:
Respect might be quite nice once in a while and the way she seemed* to be in his face showed none. She deserved it in my opinion.

*no I wasn't there and am basing that on the video.

He just puched someone in the face ?? :confused:

Participant · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:05

martinbeaver said:
last time i checked it isn't a criminal offence to walk slowly on a public street.

Generally not, but does a criminal offence have to be committed before a policeman is justified in pushing you out of the way?

wordy said:
So the correct way to deal with a dawdler is to clobber him with a nightstick and shove him to the ground?

Is it just me or would that not slow down the person even more?

If he falls over like a sack of spuds, then yes. I presume the officer was just hoping to 'help him on his way'.

wordy · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:09

Robbie G said:
If he falls over like a sack of spuds, then yes. I presume the officer was just hoping to 'help him on his way'.

By hitting on the back of the knee with a nightstick then shoving him while he was off balance?

stulid · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:13

this is good news indeed.

P.S they showed his route he walked on the news this morning, and where he was heading too.

he hardly took the most direct route, it almost looks like he wanted to have a look at what was happening and just got in the way of our fine officers.

MattTheTall77 · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:19

right decision as far as I'm concerned

SkeeterUK · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:22

Meh another cop using unnecessary force. You never use force on a person just for shouting its only a voice it wont hurt you.

Participant · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:22

SkeeterUK said:
Meh another cop using unnecessary force. You never use force on a person just for shouting its only a voice it wont hurt you.

So it's reasonable to go to work and have someone shouting in your face? Force should be used whenever mouthy soap dodgers are present.

SkeeterUK · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:45

Dont like it you go away from the person giving lip. Or try to ignore it. Never hit someone cos of a bit of lip tho. Many ways to deal with it just use ur noggin.

territt · 22 Jul 2010 at 14:51

stulid said:
he hardly took the most direct route, it almost looks like he wanted to have a look at what was happening and just got in the way of our fine officers.

do you have any idea how many road where closes, or parts of them closed, with no notice from the police, i had to walk from bank to St Pauls just to get to the road next door.