Wednesday 21 March 2012

I Look At This Photo….



…and I want to grab every racehustler and grievance-monger and excuser of criminal behaviour by the scruff of the neck and force their faces into the blood of police dog Aman:
Jobless Asher Picort, 21, stabbed his father Robert, 47, several times at his family home in Ipswich, Suffolk, before fleeing the scene on October 25.

Police attempted to arrest him shortly afterwards but Picort refused to stand down despite being Tasered and sprayed with PAVA capacitance spray.

A police dog called Aman then tried to disarm Picort but Ipswich Crown Court heard how he repeatedly stabbed the animal in the shoulder.

Suffolk police dog handler PC Steve Jay, 52, stepped in to try and protect Aman but was then also stabbed in the shoulder and arm by Picort.
Any other force in the world, rather than risk a valuable police dog, would have simply shot him out of hand at the point the pepper spray and taser failed (some wouldn’t even have bothered with them in the first place, simply dropping him where he stood the minute he refused to drop the knife).

But not here, not in the country where fear of the usual reaction from the usual suspects paralyses the police into avoidance of simply doing what needs to be done.

27 comments:

P T Barnum said...

FIVE years? For one attempted murder, one stabbing of police officer, one case of animal cruelty, and resisting arrest? FIVE?

Anonymous said...

.....and probably out in less!

Oldrightie said...

He'll be an MP before you know it. Exceptionally well qualified from the blood on his hands.

A salt and battered said...

Should ongoing assessments of Mr Picort's mental condition indicate his release would represent a significant risk to the public/himself, a transfer to Broadmoor Hospital and an indefinite period of treatment, would be one safe option.

Legal precedents do subjugate reasonableness and when the whims of psychotic individuals are allowed to compromise the safety of the public, disastrous consequences are readily predictable.

James Higham said...

Finding it hard to disagree with that analysis.

Woman on a Raft said...

Picort pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding of his father Robert Picort,

grievous bodily harm with intent of PC Steve Jay,

and criminal damage to police dog Aman.

What an interesting bundle of charges. I wish the CPS would explain more about which ones it has chosen and why, or the reports were more detailed. (The BBC manages to report the charges wrongly.)

It looks like a deal was done on March 13. Asher had originally pleaded not guilty to GBH on his father and was due to stand trial on April 10. He left the court for an hour - presumably to consult with his lawyer - and on returning pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

This allowed the case to be wrapped up on the basis of Asher pleading guilty on all three charges (he had already admitted the other two) and to take advantage of any reduction in sentencing for not wasting the court's time.

Although the GBH with intent of the police officer carries a potential life penalty, the police seem to have made emollient statements on the basis that the officer's protective clothing took the worst of the attack. Still, it's only luck that knife found the jacket and not the officer's throat.

It may be there's something missing in the story about the mental condition of the defendant. The attack seems to have happened when the father tried to prevent the son, armed with a kitchen knife, from leaving the house. Maybe the father attempted to take the knife and the argument would be that the stabbing was more in the nature of an accident during a scuffle. The nature of the relationship between the father and son is the mystery element here. The papers seem to have tippy-toed around naming Asher Picort even when they named his father, suggesting there was something different in this case.

A salt and battered may be on the right track here - it would explain a lot.

Interesting also that dog is treated as property - it isn't a cruelty charge as such.

Anonymous said...

I am totally against animal cruelty but standing orders are that ball bearings go under plod horses hooves and one takes out the dog then handler.

Anonymous said...

I am totally against animal cruelty but standing orders are that ball bearings go under plod horses hooves and one takes out the dog then handler.

Anonymous said...

I am totally against animal cruelty but standing orders are that ball bearings go under plod horses hooves and one takes out the dog then handler.

Lynne said...

Five fucking years? Are our courts taking the piss? He should have got a fifteen stretch at the very least.

Hexe Froschbein said...

Yet another example why our cops should be armed properly.

Tasers don't work very well on nutters and those who are high on prescription drugs.

And the idea that 'it could have been worse' is BS -- only the act and intention should count, not the result.

Anonymous said...

What probably happened was that the defence brief would get together with the rep from the Criminal Protection Society and explain that his/her client would plead not guilty to more serious charges. This would entail a much longer, and expensive trial. The CPS, being under pressure to cut the costs of trials yet increase the number of convictions, would agree to guilty please on either lesser, or one or two specimen, charges. The result is as you see. The offender is happy because he did what he did and more or less got away with most of 'em; the CPS is happy because they could tick the box for a conviction and the box for remaining within budget; the defence brief is happy because the client was not charged with everything he should have been; the Judge is happy because justice has been served on the evidence put before the bench. It is therefore a win - win situation for everyone, or almost everyone. A man dies, a dog is seriously injured, a Police officer is stabbed so I can imagine one man and a dog who are not very happy. However, as they are victims, what they think doesn't really matter does it?
Englisj Justice - an example to the world!
Plodnomore

jaded said...

Ciaran-we heard you being a cock the first time,the next two were just for emphasis.

Anonymous said...

^^^ Does anyone else find the above plod Troll a daily annoyance?

Anonymous said...

I have mixed thoughts on the CPS but on at least one occasion knew them to prosecute solely on political offences grounds.

Anonymous said...

To anon at 19.07. Perhaps I'm paranoid but, if you are referring to my entry, concerned you may find me a troll. Did 17 years front line service, injured on duty being assaulted while carrying out an arrest, which resulted in severe damage to my spine. The three offenders were arrested for GBH, resisting arrest and aiding and abetting resisting arrest/absconding from lawful custody. The actions as mentioned above happened in my case to see the offenders eventually charged with ABH/assault on Police. 200 hours community service - which they didn't do - and to pay me £200 each compensation - which they didn't pay. Injuries resulted in my retirement on ill health pension and continual pain and discomfort in my back. I can no longer walk very far never mind taking part again in the London and New York marathons - hence I can 'plod' no more. As I am no longer a Police officer (a plod) I am a 'Plod no more'. Not a troll, a cynical victim of English justice. Hope this helps.
Plodnomore

A salt and battered said...

Demands for an independent prosecution directorate were at their height in my student days.

CPS is indeed political, Ciaran. It is a huge disappointment for everyone, especially those who took pains to see it established.

jaded said...

Anon at 19.07-no. Everyone is entitled to their opinion,even an idiot like you.

Anonymous said...

@ Plodnomore

The plod Troll is jaded. Your own comments are invariably interesting and informative.

jaded said...

Divide and conquer Melvin? Your comments are neither interesting or informative.
Your comments are difficult to understand and pretentious.Apart from your anti-police stand,what else do you stand for?

Anonymous said...

PlodNoMore It is I they are pointing at. I won't pretend to sympathize with you (in my life I only ever found sympathy in the dictionary between shit and syphilis) but I am curious. They did not do Community Service? Nor pay compo? Then it is jail n'est pas? Finally how does the compo work? Do you get it years after? If you leave the filth?

Anonymous said...

Ciaran. It is not your sympathy I am after - only those who can empathise, can sympathise. There is a myriad of rules regarding community service - not to cause embarrassment or humiliation; must be in a locale where (free) refreshment/toilet facilities are available; must not be beyond the physical capabilities of the subject (customer/client!); must not cause or result in any ailment or illness to the client (risk assessments to be carried out); appropriate clothing/equipment/footwear to be made available - said equipment to be of a size to fit the client (see the first condition); not to be beyond the intellectual capabilities of the client. I could go on. The comp is ordered by the court, but once this is done, it becomes a civil debt. The court has done its bit so if the comp isn't paid, it is up the (nominated) recipient to take action through the civil court to obtain the sum ordered. Even if the court finds in the victim's favour, all the offender has to say is that they can't afford it and the court will then instruct the payment to be made within the offender's financial capabilities - £1 a week/month is the usual offer - as humiliating to the victim as that not allowed to be caused to the offender. Hence my comment about being cynical. If you need more info, I can meet you under your bridge and discuss the matter (once I've had a shower and so am not filth(y).
Plodnomore

JuliaM said...

"...one case of animal cruelty..."

As WoaR points out, the dog is 'property' and so no animal cruelty charge applies... :/

"...a transfer to Broadmoor Hospital and an indefinite period of treatment, would be one safe option. "

Possibly. I rather doubt that'll happen, though.

"Although the GBH with intent of the police officer carries a potential life penalty, the police seem to have made emollient statements on the basis that the officer's protective clothing took the worst of the attack. "

Which as you point out, is quite besides the point!

"...but standing orders are that ball bearings go under plod horses hooves and one takes out the dog then handler."

'Standing orders' from whom?

"Are our courts taking the piss?"

I'd have to say 'yes'...

JuliaM said...

"Tasers don't work very well on nutters and those who are high on prescription drugs."

And yet we are told they are the answer and every cop should have them!

"However, as they are victims, what they think doesn't really matter does it?"

Sadly true.

Sgt Albert Hall said...

Despite denials to the contrary uttered by criminal justice professionals, plea bargaining has been a feature of our court system ever since the CPS came into existence. It is not as overt as the bargaing we see illustrated in American TV shows, but it exists.
The function of plea bargaining is nothing whatever to do with justice; as pointed out by other contributors, the purpose is a financial expedient. Mealy mouthed words of the CPS protesting that it saves witnesses from the ordeal of giving evidence is utter rubbish.

Anonymous said...

Julia, Standing Orders as delegated by the Resistance. It is growing but at present is a many headed beast. Now to PlodNoMore, good point but some clarification needed. Community "Payback" used to turn out round where I formerly lived in London. A couple of hours fixing the park Sunday morning? I nearly joined them! Civil debt? Now one of ours was had up on a political offence that included £75 compo for the "victim" (a police person). He was told that he had to pay or face jail (£1000 a week as opposed to a small fine). Repay? That is a minimum of £5 a week even for DSS.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12.20.
A few years ago near where I live, some cretin doing 'payback' clearing rubbish from the roadside decided to 'step back to admire his handiwork' (moving a pile of rubbish from one place to another) and stepped into the path of a, fortunately, fairly slow moving car. The car missed him but the supervisor was threatened with the sack, prosecution and legal action for not supervisign properly. As a result of this, Health and Safety produced new 'guidelines'. If you are clever, not necessarily intelligent, but clever, you can always find a way to avoid community service. Also, if you're unemployed or decided to backpack around Thailand (while on the sick but not telling anyone) or, allegedly, been thrown out of your home, it is very difficult to find someone to serve a civil summons on. Again, if you're clever you can always avoid payment. I stopped holding my breath a long time ago and decided to simply carry on with my life. My ex colleagues are, however, aware of the situation and while they will not beak any laws, nor would I want them to, we all know that the three will come round again.
Plodnomore