Monday 11 February 2013

*Looks Up 'Dynamic' In Dictionary*

Back on the 4th Feb:
Police said a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found suffering from gunshot wounds just before 11pm on Sunday. Officers were today hunting two men who were in the house at the time who are thought to have fled the area.
A 27 year-old man, who also cannot be named, has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
The pair were seen fleeing the semi-detached house in Hinckley, Leics., in a dark coloured car.
Curious. Those same 'legal reasons' also prevented the street itself from being named.

Oh, and no speculation as to why this should happen, either!
Potential reasons for the shooting also cannot be reported.
Curious...
The occupier of the house is thought to have separated from his pregnant girlfriend in the days before the shooting.
She arrived at the scene with a friend and spoke briefly to reporters today.
The 20-year-old, who declined to give her name, or her boyfriend's, said: "We had a little argument and I moved out.
"We're separated at the moment. The first thing I heard about something happening was when my friend called me. I don't know who the person who shot was, and I haven't heard from my boyfriend. No one will tell me what is happening."
Well, today, all is (sort of) revealed:
A family has paid tribute to a "devoted" mother-of-two who was shot dead in a house last weekend. Hayley Pointon's body was found in a house in Sunnydale Road, Hinckley, on Sunday night.
Hmmmm. Could the news blackout just have been because they were waiting to inform the next of kin? It's possible, but I've never seen this level of secrecy before.

Oh. Wait! What about those arrests?
Police said the murder investigation was continuing.
Two men, aged 29 and 36, who were arrested in connection with the incident earlier this week have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
A 27-year-old man who was arrested at the scene of the shooting has been released without charge.
Oh. So the 'turn up and arrest everyone in sight' tactic didn't work? Again?
Detective Superintendent Tom Davies, from East Midlands Major Crime Unit, said: "This continues to be a dynamic investigation and we're still seeking the assistance of the public with any information about this incident."
Well, I think you've used rather the wrong word there, and I'm not sure how the public are supposed to help if you can't tell them what, where or who....

5 comments:

microdave said...

It's rather like Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) famous announcement "Today nothing, officially, happened" in Good Morning Vietnam.

Ranter said...

At the other end of the scale whilst out for a walk I met a female PCSO and a young man in a suit who introduced themselves as 'the police', I guess the presence of the PCSO meant he din't feel the need to show me his warrant card - which would have been polite - but I wasn't going to insist until I knew more. They established that I lived locally and asked me if I had seen anyone or anything suspicious recently.
-How do you mean, has anything in particular happened?
-there has been a burglary nearby?
Where?
I can't tell you that because of data protection. (ZZzzzz)
-Are you looking for any particulary described people or vehicles?
I can't tell you that because of data protection.
Can you tell me if a particular M.O was used so I and my neighbours can ensure that the same thing doesn't happen to us?
No......
-data protection?
Yes..
Well I'm at a loss as to how I can help you or try to if you can't give me a basic description of the suspects, any vehicles involved and M.O. etc etc
-Bemused look - OK well can you take a leaflet and if anything occurs to you ring the number on the leaflet.


Incredible!

John Pickworth said...

Where?
I can't tell you that because of data protection.


Just like not photographing police officers in a public place, this is wrong.

The Data Protection Act concerns itself with the collection, storage, handling and protection of personal data. Withholding the approximate location of a crime (or even its exact one), the type of vehicle, suspects description or any multitude of other factors has nothing to do with the DPA.

I rather suspect the local plod had no leads and were simply stopping people at random hoping to happen upon a perpetrator who then throws his hands in the air and cries "It wos me wot dun it"

JuliaM said...

"It's rather like Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) famous announcement "Today nothing, officially, happened" in Good Morning Vietnam."

Heh! Indeed.

This was one of the oddest stories. The police just invite speculation that they've cocked up big-time when they start throwing a blackout.

"Incredible!"

Sadly not so.

"I rather suspect the local plod had no leads and were simply stopping people at random hoping to happen upon a perpetrator who then throws his hands in the air and cries "It wos me wot dun it""

Or more likely, just wanted to be seen to be doing something, no matter how useless.

Fahrenheit211 said...

Julia, everytime the police throw a blackout on details of an offence or an arrest, as they have done in the Leicester Islamononce case recently, they INCREASE speculation and tension not reduce it.

When the police blackout details of a case the suspicion always seems to pop up that the police are protecting the indefensible for nefarious 'community cohesion' reasons.

Is it any wonder that people no longer trust the police.