A grieving mother who watched her ten-year-old son die of an asthma attack was left devastated after being arrested for his manslaughter.Dogs and riot vans…? Good grief, what were they expecting?!
Claire Humberstone said she was treated like a criminal after police arrived at her home with dogs and riot vans just 12 days after her son Dante Kamara died. The shocked mother of four was held in custody for eight hours, questioned and had her DNA and fingerprints taken.
Of course, she was released without charges. The coroner had even issued the death certificate before raising undescribed ‘concerns’ with the police, who then put ‘Operation Danger:Housewife’ into action:
Detective Chief Inspector Clive Wain, of South Yorkshire Police, said: 'Claire is fully aware of the reasons for her arrest. She was arrested as a potential suspect, but we tried to be as sensitive and tactful as we could.'Leaving aside the bizarre idea that turning up with police dogs and riot vans to arrest a grieving 29 year old woman who looks like she weighs about 100lbs soaking wet is being ‘sensitive and tactful’, the rather sinister ‘fully aware of the reasons for her arrest’ makes me wonder just what the real story is here…
That's the bit that got me: dogs? Riot vans? Why not a firearms unit, just to be sure?
ReplyDeletePeople can make all the excuses they want about the assistance on arresting people at the drop of a hat, but two women police officers could have done that. This was just pure intimidation.
"This was just pure intimidation."
ReplyDeleteSure looks that way, doesn't it?
What with this, the harassment of people taking pictures of police wrongdoing, and the recent successful closure of Pete Doherty's music gig on spurious grounds, I'm beginning to wonder if the police are getting too much of a taste for public control...
juliam
ReplyDeleteAs I commented here, the police don't do "investigation" any more (so boring!!): they arrest first and ask questions afterwards. Why? Because they can.
BTW, why does DCI Wain refer to the non-offender as "Claire" and not "Ms Humberstone"? Warm and cuddly policing or just complete lack of respect?
"arrest first and ask questions afterwards"
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. Not surprised at the arrest, just at the team picked to do it. It can't be easy getting that number together, particularly as police dogs are in short supply, as often noted at Whichendbites.
"Warm and cuddly policing or just complete lack of respect?"
Yes. It think, in a happy synchronicity for Wain, it's both...
" . . in a happy synchronicity for Wain, it's both..."
ReplyDeleteIf you pointed this out to Wain or his superiors, they wouldn't know what you're talking about. These people patronise for Britain and would get a gold medal (+ a QPM) if "patronising" was an Olympic sport.
"These people patronise for Britain and would get a gold medal (+ a QPM) if "patronising" was an Olympic sport."
ReplyDeleteBy the time 2012 rolls round, it probably will be...;)
The Police don't investigate anymore because they expect you to tell them...
ReplyDeleteYou do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
This seems illogical to me but then I'm not a lawyer.
"Why not a firearms unit, just to be sure?"
ReplyDeletePlus a helicopter overhead, and a battallion of the Household Cavalry two miles away in reserve just in case she has an aggressive cat or something.
Compare this "sensitive policing" (hah!) with the other "sensitive policing" reserved for, ah, more 'sensitive' parts of the population, i.e. tip-offs to "communidee leaders" about anti-terrorism searches, booties on police dogs, etc etc. 'Claire' must be wondering what you have to do to get sensitivity around here? Blow up a couple of tube trains? Saw the heads off Jews live on the internet?
WHAT THE F*CK has happened to the police? This is way beyond even the diversity and multiculturalist crap of five years ago. They are now simply a state organisation abusing their powers and pissing on ordinary people, because they can. Like a classic bully, they thump the weak and fawn to the strong.
"They are now simply a state organisation abusing their powers and pissing on ordinary people, because they can. Like a classic bully, they thump the weak and fawn to the strong."
ReplyDeleteIt certainly seems that way, with this case. But even more than the overwhelmingly unnecessary force used, the comment of DCI Wain intrigues me. It's so far from the normally carefully phrased comment on these sorts of cases.
I'm going to keep an eye out for any further news regarding her.