A man can’t believe a thief was caught inside his truck...and was then released without charge.
Really? Sadly, I can believe it all too well…
A neighbour witnessed what happened and called police, who soon caught the man red-handed inside the vehicle.
Yet the Crown Prosecution Service later dropped the case – through a lack of evidence.
*sigh*
Mr Byrd works as a scrap metal dealer and lost work while police fingerprinted his open-backed truck. Scenes of crime officers also searched his BMW car.
They what?!?
Why?
Mr Byrd said police had even recovered some of his property from the man, including a Nintendo DS and a satellite navigation system, which were inside the truck.
The neighbour, who saw it happen in the early hours of last Wednesday, was also prepared to give a full witness statement.
And – no doubt to the officers’ frustration as well – all to no avail:
A spokesperson for the CPS insisted there was “insufficient evidence” to bring about a conviction.
He said: “Having given careful consideration to all of the available evidence in this matter, a decision was made in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors, that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
“The police have therefore been advised no further action should be taken in respect of this case.”
Strange.
37 comments:
Trust me, I KNOW how hopeless the CPS are, they wouldn't prosecute Hitler without a signed confession. But in this case I'm guessing that we aren't getting the whole story.
Why did they search his BMW...? That indicates to me that there is more to this.
Sounds like a 'dispute'.
This one smells 'wrong' somehow.
I belong to the generation of vociferous students who pressed for police reformation and what eventually became known as CPS.
I still believe it was a good idea in principle. Lawyers owe students a great debt....and apologies to a Nation, for what they made of it.
I'm guessing it was probably another (coughs) ahem 'Scrap Metal Dealer' who has decamped to his caravan site.
and the CPS know that there's no chance in hell of the plods going there to arrest for a simple theft as he definitely won't turn up in court if summoned. That's if he's even in the same county.
To whom it will not concern at CPS:
A Barrow man has died in the course of an arrest, after being shot at least once by a police taser gun. It is not clear if he was shot post handcuffing. Neither has it been revealed how many times the deceased was subjected to tasering.
The bare facts are that the shooting took place at 18:30hrs and the man was pronounced dead at 21:00hrs.
The subsequent report findings can be assumed since the matter has been referred to IPCC.
Any questions, CPS?
Caravan Utilising Nomadic Travellers spring to mind ..
I expect the bobbies let this one go as all parties involved were as dodgy as each other. No doubt too in their own time they will sort out their differences.
Providing they tidy up after themselves and don't scare the horses, we should have no problem.
Remind me what 'being caught red handed' means in a situation like this?
They searched his car in the hope of finding something to incriminate him, of course. What a silly question!
A Stanley knife would have done, or perhaps a counterfeit computer game, or - if they were really lucky - some kiddie pr0n.
They do have targets to meet, you know, and clearly they weren't going to bother catching the thief!
MTG, before you lick your lips at the criticism that will be heaped on the police-have you seen a picture of the dead man? It's on the BBC website. How would you suggest the police deal with him if he kicks off?
I know nothing more about this arrest than you as I don't work for that force.Unlike you I wont Monday morning quarterback it either.
Let's wait for the autopsy to see what was in his bloodstream shall we?
PS not heard of any riots in Barrow yet? Do they only loot Currys when it's a drug dealing gangster "brother"?
"How would you suggest the police deal with him if he kicks off? "
With no more than the bare necessary amount of violence needed to subdue him and effect his arrest? Might be favourite.
What worries me isn't fact that someone died from a tasering but that,yet again, the police can't give a concise honest account of their actions and hold their hands up IF they got it wrong....straight away.
"We fucked up, it happens. Officer Dibble has been sacked and charged with manslaughter"
Answers like that would go a long way to restoring the popular faith in the police.
Jaded,
Oh, I see. Plod are are all big men when they're dragging cripples from wheelchairs or assaulting old women in the 'custody suite', but when you meet a proper wrong 'un, you come over all shy and retiring.
The fact is this: yet another man has died in custody after being physically abused during the course of his arrest.
Only someone who has never faced violence from someone like this could write such nonsense.I'm sure a body-building steroid-abusing man mountain could be talked round by clever phrases and latin verbs.
I think an officer should only be sacked AFTER conviction for manslaughter,not before.
Dear Jaded,
I am indebted to Shinar's insightful response, which mirrors my own thoughts on your OT post.
My afternoon has been otherwise commandeered by a very bright five year old who plays a fascinating mental game of 'rotating figures'.
I must make a point of asking him why my comment was relevant to Julia's thread and why your post was off topic. Lest I forget, do remind me to explain his conclusions in rudimentary language.
I extend my very best wishes to you...along with a hope that your recent overtime claim will be met without challenge or compromise.
The IPCC are no friends of the Police. Wait to see what they say. The event is obviously under investigation and the Police cannot comment in such circumstances
"Only someone who has never faced violence from someone like this could write such nonsense."
You're so right, I'm a delicate little flower who is devoid of any experience of nasty violence...
Fortunately the judges also always saw me in that light too :)
EV-please tell me your insight into this incident as you were clearly an eye-witness.FACT.
I'm sure this man came out of his house and said "do come in officers and I will pop the kettle on" before getting tazered for absolutely no reason.
You are looking at this from the wrong angle.What amazes me is how FEW people die in police custody.People being arrested are often drunk/drugged/violent/trying to escape etc etc and are not at their best.A large percentage are mentally ill.Lots are proper criminals and don't like being arrested so will fight.
"Awaits incoming comments from people who have never arrested anyone and are experts in policing"
"Awaits incoming comments from people who have never arrested anyone and are experts in policing"
Yawn.
Go to bed anonymous,you are clearly tired.
You have a busy day ahead tomorrow changing the toner in your photo-copier.It might even need some more A4 paper to really make your day.
"clever phrases and latin verbs."
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Sehr interessant, mein Shinar. Ich denke Jaded es genehmigen würde.
Jaded,
You are displaying a typical Cop attitude and total inability to communicate.
I never said he wasn't violent, I never said he died as a result of being tazered.
You just think I said them, because that means it fits what you have already decided about me.
I said he died in Police custody, which he plainly did as he was arrested approximately 2.5 hrs before he died. He was electrocuted during the course of his arrest.
*Awaits incoming from smug, arrogant thugs who think themselves legal experts because they wear a stupid hat and get to beat drunks to death with impunity. Or shoot them. Or electrocute them. Or gas them. Or just smack them on the head with a big stick*
UBI FUMUS IBI IGNIS
"UBI FUMUS IBI IGNIS"
"Where there is smoke there is a grizzling bansturbator"? The verb 'ignis' being from 'ignorant' I take it?
"... in this case I'm guessing that we aren't getting the whole story."
It is rather odd, isn't it?
"A Barrow man has died in the course of an arrest, after being shot at least once by a police taser gun. "
Three times, we're told, plus pepper spray! A taxi driver/bodybuilder/doorman. I smell steroid abuse.
Either that, or some mad scientist has merged the DNA of Derrick Bird and Raoul Moat!
"What worries me isn't fact that someone died from a tasering but that,yet again, the police can't give a concise honest account of their actions and hold their hands up IF they got it wrong..."
Until the autopsy has been conducted, they can't - legally - say anything. Surely?
"The fact is this: yet another man has died in custody after being physically abused during the course of his arrest."
Or yet another man has forced the issue by his own drug/drink problem.
I'm not inclined to suggest the police should always resort to sweet reason and kind words. Some people don't want to be arrested. Should we let them off?
Thanks Julia,feeling outnumbered here.
EV;To answer your points,I assume you mean the cripple in the wheelchair being Jody McIntyre.He was proved to be a liar and if you read his blog he is an odious left wing scumbag. If you mean the woman in the custody suite in Wiltshire-the drink driver-that Sergeant was cleared on appeal by a court.
I am genuinely interested to know why you hate the police.Please elaborate.
@ Jaded,
"I am genuinely interested to know why you hate the police.Please elaborate."
English Viking may not stoop to answer that obnoxious taunt. He is probably already aware you asked others that very same question on previous occasions. I am sure he is also aware of contemptuous variations to the same question, always stapled to a false implication of 'hatred of police' on the part of the person to whom it is addressed. Your repetitious format is becoming a bore, dear.
On the other hand, English Viking's well made points seem very reasonable and on no occasion has he made reference to any 'hate' of which you speak.
Obnoxious and contemptuous are strong words MTG in reply to an innocent questions with no strings attached.
Reasonable? Thugs,beat drunks to death,dragging cripples out of wheelchairs etc are not well made and reasonable points in my opinion.
Haven't seen you on the Daily Mail comments section for a while.They are going to be pro-police for a few more days until reverting back to type.
"if you read his blog he is an odious left wing scumbag"
Actually the term is "a member of the public whom you are sworn to protect, at the cost of your own life" his idiotic political ideals are of as little importance as your own.
Remember that bit in your attestation about 'integrity' and 'according equal respect'?
"He was proved to be a liar "
As have the police time and time and time again.
@ SBC
Jaded's idea of strong words are those necessitating the tiresome opening of a dictionary.
On this basis we may be tempted to assume 'scumbag' and 'twat' (her favourite descriptions for non-police) are made-up nouns for which she has better regard.
Jaded,
I'm sure there must be some decent coppers, I just haven't met any yet.
With regard to Jodie McIntyre, we can agree that he is a complete nob. What is also clear is that at the time he was dragged from his wheelchair, the Police did not know he was a liar. They thought he was a cripple, and assaulted him anyway.
The lady assaulted in the custody suite was Ms Sommerville, viciously assaulted by Sgt Mark Andrews. She was exonerated, from all charges, not him. He was fired, when any 'normal' person would have been imprisoned. Was she posing a physical threat to the big, hard Sarge?
BTW She was not drink-driving. You see how you jump to conclusions, all the time. It runs like this; she's not a copper, she's in custody, she's guilty. I don't know what of, but she must have done something.
She refused to give a sample of breath when found asleep in her car, on her driveway.
It was not even the 59 year old woman who complained, initially. A colleague was so appalled at the disgraceful behaviour that they reported the thug themselves.
Any decent person watching the vid will see, as plain as day, what happened was assault, any had the roles been reversed, a few years in pokey would have been the result.
Common Purpose and funny handshakes managed to get him off on appeal, that despite his CC previously saying how sorry the 'Service' was that his revolting behaviour had resulted in injury to an old lady, and commencing dismissal proceeding.
You ask why I hate (your word, not mine) the Police.
It is because, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence, including the testimony of fellow officers and video footage, scum like him get off and idiots like you refuse to condemn him.
Julia,
I'm a big-boy now, I've seen (and done) all sorts of things, some of them nothing to be proud of.
I do not doubt that some (mostly) men need a firm hand when being arrested. Some will need more than that. Some, albeit a very, very few, will die. My point is that if the Police are given carte blanche to eletrocute people they don't like the look of, or gas them, or both, it will not, indeed is not, a very, very few.
We cannot give the office of Public Executioner to the meat-heads that litter the lower-ranks of the Police, nor to the Common Purpose, sons of Boaz that litter the higher ranks.
EV, let's meet up and then you will have met a decent one-me.
McIntyre was not dragged from his wheel-chair.He deliberately sat in the way to provoke the police into moving him so he could play the victim.Read his blog to find out what he is really like.
As for the Sergeant in Wiltshire,a court decided he was not guilty.No matter how many times you quote the video that is a fact.If you can prove he only got off through masonic influence then please prove it,I would happily take your side if he did that.
MTG-I never use the word T++T,please tell me when I have.If I have then I apologise as I detest swearing.
SBC-you use the phrase "the police have lied over and over again".The police are about 130,000 individuals.Some good some bad.If you can quote some misconduct by me then fair enough but to label every PC is wrong.
Shall we all agree to disagree as I am outnumbered on this blog?
@ Jaded
A farmer told me of a cow which was so dumb it couldn't learn to avoid electrified fences - no matter how many times it got zapped.
Jaded,
Shall we all agree that your ludicrous opinions are outnumbered in the UK, let alone this blog?
BTW I saw that thug assault an old woman. With my own eyes. One Judge found him guilty. His CC agreed. Another judge later acquitted him, so you think him innocent.
Every time you open your mouth, you are making it worse.
I should not wish to meet you. You would think me inferior, suspect me of having committed some kind of crime, and that would irritate me, and then I would get tazered for looking at you funny. Then my mate Dave would get 5 years for showing you where to stick your tazer and you would get a medal for 'bravery'.
Really Jaded, the days of Joe Public liking the Police, or even being neutral, are largely gone.
Most actively dislike them, others detest.
I have deliberately taught my children that the Police cannot be trusted under ANY circumstances and if they ever find themselves in trouble, NEVER go to the Police.
"My point is that if the Police are given carte blanche to eletrocute people they don't like the look of, or gas them, or both, it will not, indeed is not, a very, very few."
What would you have them do instead, if talking down (the first option) doesn't work, not pepper spray (the second option), not even taser (the third option)?
If in the grip of excited delirium (possibly exacerbated by drink and/or drugs) he couldn't even have been immobilised and left to exhaust himself, as he would still be at risk of cardiac arrest.
@ Jaded
"MTG-I never use the word T++T,please tell me when I have.If I have then I apologise as I detest swearing."
Honest folk do not need to rely upon a good memory and the half willing apology is a further insult.
Julia,
Except in cases where a suspect is armed, the Police should use their training in unarmed combat and superior numbers to subdue a suspect.
Electrocution and gassing appear to be plan A, all to often nowadays.
Another change I have noted over the years is that the Police will now arrest almost anyone for almost anything, crime or not, evidence or not.
Time was you needed to be a criminal to be arrested. It was a very serious thing, and almost no-one I knew had been. Now it is commonplace and usually results in pathetic charges that are later dropped, cautions that are stupidly accepted out of fear, bailed until 6 months in the future or release without charge. They use arrest and the threat of arrest to intimidate the law-abiding and wonder why they don't like them.
I shall argue no further with you in your own house.
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