Monday 5 March 2012

Like Father, Like Son…

Tommie Harwood has just turned 15 but has spent the last three years terrorising the residents of New Addington with a catalogue of vile and intimidating behaviour.

The teen's defence team tried to stop the Asbo from being put on him but after a three-hour hearing the court placed a two-year order on Harwood, which bans him from visiting Central Parade, as well as a host of other prohibitions, including not contacting any of the witnesses in the case.
And by ‘contacting’, we all know exactly what they mean…

His parents must be so proud!

Oh. Wait. It seems they are:
His family sat at the back of the court for the duration of the hearing and shook their heads and laughed when Sergeant Paul Potter gave evidence against the youth, claiming the officer was telling "lies", despite the boy owning up to most of the charges levelled at him.
Lovely family, I’m sure you’ll agree. New Addington really is a.... Well, I expect you can guess.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

...and that offer of free parking nearly made me change my mond about shopping in Da Noo Addinton hood bruv!

Once again magistrates / district judges let their position and the CJ system become ridiculed once again. No warning about behaviour or being in contempt? No ordering them to the cells for the duration of the court's day once they continued?

Of course not. Pathetic Authority of the police and courts undermined once again.

I suppose we'll be reading about this piece of filth very soon and poor old PS Potter will have to repeat all those forms all over again for a Couldn't Prosecute Satan numpty.

Woman on a Raft said...

The police seem to be making a fair go at this, having managed to get the court to budge on the usual anonymity which renders ASBOS useless.

I'm not crazy about the convoluted civil orders which are then criminally enforceable but since the police are working with one hand tied behind their backs, that's just how they'll have to play it.

See previous story:

Three youths – Charlie Marney and Liam Allen, both 17, and Tommie Harwood, 15, have been given Asbos in recent weeks.

Sgt Potter explained:

"We try to get them in education, help them with CVs to get jobs, and in return, we expect them to behave well, all with their parents' support. We try to help them first.

"Unfortunately, these have not been very successful in some cases and it is these cases that we take further.


http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/New-Addington-police-want-make-people-feel-safe/story-15350994-detail/story.html

The police seem to have gone out of their way to try to get these youths back on track, not only for the sake of the public but for their own sake.

I wish Sgt Potter the best of luck in the thankless task he has chosen and I hope he succeeds in at least some cases.

David Gillies said...

The problem is that the penalties this sort of behaviour attracts fail all three principles of jurisprudence: deterrence, retribution and prophylaxis/incapacitation. The yobs know the chances of being prosecuted are slim, that the sentence will be risible, and there will be virtually no attempt at preventing re-offending. Something has to give. I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing real extra-judicial punishment of these vermin being carried out. All it would take is for three or four like-minded people to crack, beat this little scrote with pick-axe handles and throw him off a multi-storey car park. Once we get to that stage all bets are off.

Anonymous said...

You really don't the the Addo do you? Get together with soul mate ex Det Con Haslam of the EDL.

Anonymous said...

...and if there's anyone out there who speaks fluent Rehill, please contact the nursing station now.

Asbo 'Arry said...

Oh noes! Just when they introduce free parking to Central Parade likkle-ickle Tommie will miss the fun.

Surely this is a cruel and unusual punishment.

JuliaM said...

" No warning about behaviour or being in contempt? No ordering them to the cells for the duration of the court's day once they continued?"

Well, indeed! Usually, this is the one thing judges won't tolerate.

"... but since the police are working with one hand tied behind their backs, that's just how they'll have to play it. "

ASBOs are a flawed concept, a bandage on the gaping wound of the criminal justice system. But sometimes, they're all the long-suffering residents can hope for.


"Something has to give. I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing real extra-judicial punishment of these vermin being carried out. "

I fear we aren't far off this.

"You really don't the the Addo do you?"

It's just an area. Who loathes an area? It's the inhabitants I loathe.

"...and if there's anyone out there who speaks fluent Rehill, please contact the nursing station now."

Gawd knows, I don't!

Anonymous said...

I think that tommie harwoord is the don and should keep on doing it

Anonymous said...

No its not