A spokesman for Essex Police said: “The officers also used the red dot function of their Taser due to the initial perceived threat the item the man was carrying may have presented.
“Once he had been detained it was established the item he was carrying was a pair of shears and he had been trimming some hedges.”
Hundreds of CCTV clips showing her praying were sent to police, who decided to charge her with harassment.
But when Mrs Jacklin, 53, appeared before Hastings magistrates, the court took less than 15 minutes to throw the case out, to the relief of the mother-of-two and her children.
Sussex Police said: 'The prosecution had been authorised by the CPS. We are not in a position to comment further.'
Remember when our police were admired the world over? I do.
Nothing should be assumed with regard to Mr Plod's visual acuity.
ReplyDeleteAFAIAA the CPS never authorises a prosecution unless there is at least a 50% probability that the prosecution would be successful. I'd love to see the "evidence" presented to the CPS by the police.
ReplyDeleteIf I were of a suspicious frame of mind and reflecting on the history of disagreements between the Jacklins and their neighbours, I'd suspect that the neighbours are close to someone on, or working for, the local council and/or a friendly local policeman. Small beer perhaps but this kind of harrassment of the Jacklins is symptomatic of low-level abuse of authority.
As usual, innocent or not, the punishment's in the process. Whoever brought this prosecution knew there was no chance of a conviction but, manifestly, the Jacklins had their knuckles well and truly rapped for offending who exactly!
The first comment in the DM says an awful lot about what has been going on.
ReplyDelete"I'd love to see the "evidence" presented to the CPS by the police."
ReplyDeleteMe too! And I'm suspicious of the circumstances of this one as well.
"The first comment in the DM says an awful lot about what has been going on."
Wow, can opened, worms everywhere!