Odd Case…

A Derbyshire man who had his conviction for murder overturned after spending 27 years in jail, has been found guilty of wearing police clothing in public.

This is Stephen Downing, who was famously released from prison in 2001, after his conviction in the ‘Bakewell Tart’ case was quashed on appeal thanks to the efforts of Don Hale, a local reporter.

But it seems that the police aren’t going to let the case rest, just as they seem reluctant to let go of Barry George.

Downing was arrested in Buxton, while dressed as an officer, in February.

He was charged after being detained in a shop dressed in an ex-police issue jacket, dark trousers and black boots, the court was told.

The jacket had the words Photographics, the name of Downing's freelance photographic company, on the back.

Oh, well, I always see police advertising a local company on the back of their jackets. You can see why people would be fooled:

Downing, of Jefferson House, Milford, Bakewell, Derbyshire, had been mistaken as a police officer while wearing the jacket before, the court heard.

At the time of his arrest, he called the police himself to come to the store to deal with the matter.

So, he’d actually called police and yet they arrested him? And this so-called ‘police uniform’ had the name of his company on the back?

Something stinks…