"'Serving - Protecting - Making the Difference' .."

That's the mission statement of West Mercia police. Notice it doesn't say anything about equality  or treating people as equal under the law. Turns out there's a good reason for that..

The 'Mail' focuses on the unusual court ruling made on this case as the most newsworthy aspect, and indeed, it is a landmark decision, but there's something else that's much more noteworthy about it:

Mr Johnson bought the five-berth Swift Azzura caravan from Malvern Caravans in Powick, Worcestershire, for £1,500.

After driving it to his daughter’s house nearby, the family went shopping. They returned to find officers at the house, who told Mr Johnson they had received a tip-off that the caravan was stolen.

The chassis number revealed it had been illegally taken from Birmingham months previously.

Despite showing police the receipt, Mr Johnson was arrested on suspicion of theft and taken to Worcester police station where he was held for eight hours.

 If by now you're thinking there are rather familiar aspects to this case, well, you'd be right...

Kathleen McClelland and her partner Michael Curry spent their life savings on the top-of-the-range camper and were devastated when it vanished from the secure site where they kept it.

When police eventually found the 26ft-long Bailey Louisiana caravan 18 months later, its owners were told a traveller couple and their two young children were living in it only ten miles from their home in Surrey.

Their initial relief turned to outrage, however, when the police said they had ‘no lawful powers’ to get it back.

They were told their only option was to begin costly civil proceedings against the family, which they say they cannot afford.

Quite a contrast, eh? I know what you'll say - ah, but Julia, different force, y'see.

Maybe so. But it's all the same law, no? Or so we are always told. And aren't we all supposed to be equal under it?