Thursday, 14 April 2011

Once Again, It’s ‘One Law For Them’…

…and another for everyone else:
A family of travellers have been accused of depriving children of a play area after setting up camp on a community field.
The Loveridge family moved five caravans on to the playing field next to St John’s Close, Colchester at around 7.30pm on Monday evening.
Convenient timing, indeed…
Angry residents believe with the Easter Holidays just beginning it is the worst time the family could have chosen to pitch up.
Still, surely the police can….

Ah:
A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We had a number of calls about their presence but there appears to be no offences for us to deal with.”
Have you actually looked?

I mean, it’s just possible that this is one of the tiny percentage of ‘traveller groups’ that has fully roadworthy and taxed cars, healthy well-treated and legally-owned animals and no criminal records, but then until you check, how will you know?

After all, you’re quick enough on the mark when it isn’t a member of a protected species, according to a commenter:
brainyjean, Colchester says...
Is there a law for them and a law for us
A member of my family and his friend erected a small igloo tent in the field (we live nearby) and 2 police officers come to my home and to them and said they must take it down as they were breaking the law they told us there is a bylaw that NOBODY sleeps in this field overnight so why is it that caravans, tents,lorries,van,dogs and god knows how many people are allowed to set up camp and all of a sudden its NOT breaking the law
Funny, isn’t it? Mind you, given that it's Essex police, is anyone surprised at apparent gross incompetence and even worse, disdain for any consequences?

Not me, that's for sure.
at

8 comments:

  1. English Viking14 April 2011 at 13:59

    She should have sued Tesco's for defamation, much bigger pay out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ranter14 April 2011 at 14:45

    Complete bollocks, Essex Police along with the other 43 E&W forces have to abide by an agreed protocol along with local authorities about 'traveller incursions'.
    For example here's Tendring District Councils Pikey trespasser page:
    http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/TendringDC/Environment/Gypsy_and_Traveller_Sites.htm

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ranter14 April 2011 at 14:48

    http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E39A174A-4633-4F88-8202-15748F5E3948/0/asAJointProtocolforManagingUnauthorisedEncampmentsetc.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  4. Captain Haddock14 April 2011 at 18:32

    Hardly surprising when the MSM publishes reckless articles like this ..

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1376308/Royal-wedding-Fears-travellers-use-distraction-set-illegal-camps.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. blueknight14 April 2011 at 20:48

    Trespass is a civil not criminal offence. There is the criminal offence of Aggravated Trespass, - trespass with the intention of disrupting a lawful activity being carried out on or adjacent to that land, - but how do the Police prove the intention or trespass on land which is by definition public.
    When I was in the job, the Police hated travellers, well not all travellers, just the ones that -

    camp on public land causing nuisance and a mess

    camp on private land causing nuisance and a mess

    distract granny by telling her they need to check the water pressure and steal all her money.

    charge granny £10,000 for a bit of cementing round her chimney

    quote granny £50 to repair holes in her drive way then threaten her into paying 10 times that

    steal from every garden within 500 yards of the camp site.

    etc etc

    ReplyDelete
  6. JuliaM15 April 2011 at 05:34

    "She should have sued Tesco's for defamation, much bigger pay out."

    I would!

    "Essex Police along with the other 43 E&W forces have to abide by an agreed protocol along with local authorities about 'traveller incursions'."

    Oh, no doubt.

    "... but how do the Police prove the intention or trespass on land which is by definition public."

    I believe that's one area the coalition is looking at?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Zaphod15 April 2011 at 07:20

    The Police control most people with bluff. They "ask" you to move, and you assume it's an order. Travellers have seen through this bluff, and the cops know it so they don't bother to try.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous15 April 2011 at 17:08

    What Ranter said.

    My home patch (Bromley) will serve notice on any travellers on public land - especially parks - and 24 hours later the park rangers turn up with security dogs and police ready to tow away any caravan that's stupid enough to still be there.

    ReplyDelete