Tweet Of The Month

He's got a point, no?

And so has he!

Post Title Of The Month

LegIron gets alliterative:

Quote Of The Month

Raedwald nails the modern culture wars by reference to history:

"It was never about Sun gods, of course, just as the current culture war isn't really about black lives or pronouns or the rights of girls with todgers. It was an attempted take-over of Egyptian society by a metropolitan elite. That's not to say it didn't have a lasting effect - perhaps a greater prominence for the new ideas, a broadening of tolerance as established thinking shifted in its seat to accommodate the newcomer."

Post Of The Month

Fahrenheit211 on the contrasts we face these days...

Walkies!

Oh, wait!

A fraudster who claimed he could barely leave the house and was unable to cut his own food was caught running a dog walking business while claiming benefits.

Colin Sage was overpaid £24,673.92 in Personal Independence Payment by the Department of Work and Pensions during his three-and-a-half-year con.

The payment was initially correct, due to him suffering strokes and having to give up his job with Royal Mail. But when he recovered, he failed to signal that the money tap should be turned off.

Investigators then looked at his social media and found pictures of him walking dogs in the snow and up and down steep hills. Surveillance on his home proved he was well enough to be out with the pooches and would go cycling.

Imagine what it cost to prove all that...

Frank O’Toole, mitigating at Chelmsford Crown Court, said Sage, of Oxley Parker Drive, Colchester, was still not in the best of health but realised he had done wrong.

“He was aware of his obligation the mention any change in circumstances,” he said. “He is thoroughly ashamed of himself.

“It is right to say he did recover to some extent and following the improvements in his health he should have said so – all he can do is apologise.”

Well, no. That's not all he can do, is it?

Judge David Turner QC handed him seven months in jail suspended for two years. He must do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £300 costs.

Sage has paid back £800 but is likely to have to pay back the full amount.

Judge Turner criticised him for failing to sell one of the two properties to pay back his debt.

He said: “Your deception was mean-spirited and shameful.

“This con went on for three-and-a-half years and was motivated not out of need, but out of greed.

“You say you are remorseful but I would believe you more if you had made serious moves to pay some of this money back.”

Nice to hear not all judges fall for the sob story...

'Not Much Support' Apart From The Free Housing, Free Money...?

Cllr MacCleary, who represents Newhaven, has written to Brighton and Hove City Council demanding a solution to long-running problems at the block.

“People here are isolated,” the Lewes District Council leader said. “It’s in the poorer part of Newhaven where there hasn’t been a lot of investment, it’s far away from the town centre. There are a lot of people crammed together, some of whom have been through very difficult times.

“But they don’t receive much support.”

Pardon?!?

“It’s no surprise some are engaged in antisocial behaviour when they’re left with nothing to do. People have died in there. There are ambulances outside very often.

“It’s a real embarrassment because we’re living in one of the wealthiest parts of the country and people are in this situation.”

What have those two things got to do with one another?

A city council spokesman said Kendal Court was emergency accommodation for homeless people “rather than supported accommodation”.

Shouldn't they consider themselves lucky? Maybe be grateful?

Not So Wiley...

Grime star Wiley today apologised for 'generalising' during anti-Semitic social media rants which prompted Twitter to permanently suspend his account...

Oh, well, I guess that'll draw a line under it, then.

The musician, 41, appeared to blame 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists during an interview with Sky News.

*blinks*

'My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic.'

That's...well, not even a real apology, is it? 

Clearly, he doesn't have a PR expert advising him. He's also pretty obviously as thick as a whale sandwich. We're talking Diane Abbott levels of self-unawareness here:

'The music industry people that I’m talking about, they are the ones who get to benefit from it, that’s what this is all about,' he explained. 'It's systemic racism from their side. The system and that man, and a community of Jewish lawyers have made me feel that way.

'Not anti-Semitic, they’ve made me feel angry and upset because they are showing me the systemic racism that they’re allowed to use on us.'

'Without generalising, there is no point saying all [Jews], it is the people I work with in the music and entertainment industry, the Jewish community that I have experienced.

'The things that need to change is the way that the system was set up, why all of these families are rich, or all of these people have heritage, not just England, like, worldwide. They still see us as slaves.

'Slavery hasn't stopped, it's just dressed-up in a million-pound record deal.'

They should give that Sky interviewer an Oscar for keeping a straight face... 

Speaking on what he would tell his fans and whether they would be influenced to carry out violent acts against Jewish people, the rapper said he has never been seen committing such acts against Jewish people or the Jewish community. He went on to describe fans as 'fickle', saying he is not 'current' and comparing himself to popular rapper Dave, before adding he is 'at the end' of his career rather than at the beginning.

At last, he says something that's undoubtedly true!

It's Always Someone Else's Fault...

The parents of a student with severe social anxiety who took her own life on the day she was scheduled to face “the ordeal” of an important oral test have launched legal proceedings against her university, claiming she was the victim of negligence and disability discrimination.

If she wasn't able to cope without extensive 'help', maybe university wasn't the best place for her?

They argue the university did not do enough to support Abrahart when staff had known for six months that she suffered from panic attacks and was struggling.

Why was it up to the university to help her in an environment she clearly couldn't cope with?

Don't her parents bear any responsibility at all for sitting their daughter down and having a frank and honest talk about her options?

Abrahart’s parents believe the university is in denial over their daughter’s death and taking legal action is the only way they can get to the truth of what happened. She is one of 11 Bristol university students who have taken their own lives in the last four years.

Which indicates one of two possible options: either Bristol University has adopted the tutoring techniques of the SAS or the nation's crop of students are, well, snowflakes.

The university argues that staff repeatedly tried to help Abrahart and measures were in place to help her to continue on her course.

It points out that at the conclusion of the student’s inquest last year the coroner did not criticise the university but flagged up concerns over the role of the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS trust (AWP), whose care she was under, for not putting in place a management plan that would have given her hope and managed her risk.

If you're a risk that needs to be managed, why the hell are you at university in the first place?

It's All In What They Don't Say...

...but the clues are all there:

Police were called to a child's birthday party after three entertainer's (sic) dressed as characters from Paw Patrol were beaten and racially abused by the children.

'No one was controlling them and they were just being allowed to attack us.'

All three women tried to leave the party and reach their car but the gates to the caravan park were closed. and the birthday boy's parents demanded their £80 deposit back.

Eventually the police were called and eight officers arrived to help the women.

Ebonie says the sight of three riot vans and three police cars turning up to a four-year-old's birthday party was surreal.

Aren't they?

H/T: InspGadget and DizzyThinks via Twitter

Bring It On, Labour! I Haven't Had So Much Fun In Ages!

Labour’s decision to pay a six-figure libel settlement to ex-staffers who claimed the party was failing to deal with antisemitism has plunged the party back into civil war, with Jeremy Corbyn publicly condemning his successor’s decision to settle the case. Corbyn’s statement caused astonishment among the litigants in the libel action, with the Panorama journalist John Ware confirming to the Guardian that he was “consulting his lawyers” and raising the prospect of another costly court battle over Labour and antisemitism.

Wait, wait!

Ahhhh! OK, carry on...

The former leader, who is believed to have considered a court challenge to the settlement along with senior allies, said the party had received legal advice that it would win the libel case brought by the seven ex-staffers and the journalist who made the BBC Panorama programme on which they appeared.

Well, yes, I expect it did. The new leader, however, is a lawyer himself. He clearly doubted his legal advice was sound.

The decision to settle and apologise incensed key figures on the left of the party who have claimed that a separate leaked report on “hyperfactionalism” among those dealing with antisemitism complaints – which named some of the Panorama whistleblowers – vindicates the comments made in the wake of the programme.

Wait, isn't that the report that...?

Reader, it is.

The leaking of that report and its contents, including emails, messages and private WhatsApps, is now the subject of an independent inquiry by the QC Martin Forde, and legal action is also being taken against the party by people named within it.

Delicious! Can I have some Momentum tears to wash down all this popcorn?

When VirtueSignalling Goes Very Wrong...

Our brave 'non-award-winning freelance journalist' walks into a gift shop...

And, as these people do, feels free to badger the bemused sales assistant about items they themselves don't want to buy and so - of course! - no-one else should be able to buy. Because they are offended.

But then...

Oh noes! You mean other people can be offended too! Well, I hope you've learned a valuable less...

Oh. Clearly not. 

How dare he take pictures, Adam. HOW VERY DARE HE! 

Only you can do that. Can't you? 

Well, I hope this at least has taught you a valuable less...

Oh.

Yes. Having failed and been routed like the little whipped cur he is, he now wants to whip up a mob to ruin a small business because they dared to stand up to him. How very typical, as we see so often at David Thompson's blog.

Hey, Adam - maybe you wouldn't need to get your mental health looked at at taxpayer expense if you were a nicer person? Have you tried that? It's free!

"Take Two Wheels And Call Me In The Morning..."

The Bungler just keeps getting more and more incoherent.

They will be able to get free hire or borrow bikes from surgeries.

Assuming they can get into those surgeries in the first place, eh, Boris? And...'free' hire? Err, no. The taxpayer's paying. Again.

The PM has pinched the idea from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose £7.2billion cycling and walking plan unveiled at last year’s General Election included bikes on the NHS.

The fact that the most widely reviled Labour leader for a century thought it was a good idea is a sign it's not, you moron!

It is part of Mr Johnson’s new obesity strategy, which demands calorie counts on restaurant ­menus and alcohol sold in shops.

What happened to your opposition to 'sin taxes', Boris? Why should your brush with death mean we all have to suffer?

The Better Health campaign, aimed at 35million overweight Brits, will ban junk food ads ­before 9pm and target online ads.

Like a reformed smoker, he's determined to change everything...

Maybe Twitter And Instagram Should Ask You Why It's Taking So Long To Stop The Dover Invasion, Priti..?

Priti Patel blasted grime star Wiley today over 'abhorrent' anti-Semitic social media posts - and demanded to know why Twitter and Instagram took so long to remove them.

'Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms.'

When it comes to removing vile and unwanted material, you've got nothing to crow about, have you, sweetie?

To Err Is Human, To Sin...Well...

H/T: Longrider via email

Must Have Been A Double Decker...

*sighs*

Sunday Funnies...

And Gerald Ratner isn't one of them!

It's Not All Bad News...

...certainly not if it drags GPs kicking and screaming into the 21st century at last:

Before lockdown, I thought it was a great innovation that I could send a text message to my patients. They couldn’t reply, but it meant I could let them know quickly if their blood results were fine, send reminders or useful links to online information. Just 48 hours after the announcement of strict restrictions on our lives, the options at my disposal expanded vastly, and we were given the green light to have video consultations with patients.

One wonders why it took a global pandemic to do this, when every other business has adapted quickly to the options available through modern technology.

But then you quickly remember that with other businesses, you're the customer. Not so with the NHS...

Using this technology I have seen new babies with their mums and keyworkers who were unable to get to an appointment, and checked up on shielding patients and care home residents too. My patients can now reply to texts, and I can send them documents such as fit notes (once known as sick notes) or referral letters securely to their phone. If you need a prescription, it’s sent straight to your pharmacy – meaning you no longer need to pick up a green slip from reception. Most surgeries now ask patients who wish to book an appointment to fill out an online form, giving plenty of information. If it’s just a letter that they need, admin staff can handle that. Complex problems can be forwarded on to your doctor – you might need a face-to-face appointment, or you might not.

And the app presumably doesn't spend 10 minutes chatting to the other apps on your phone while you wait at the counter!

But wait, you cry! What about the scare stories about people not getting their cancer and other appointments?

There have been understandable concerns that many cancer diagnoses are being missed. Last month, Cancer Research UK said an estimated two million people were waiting for breast, bowel or cervical screening.

But during lockdown, patients who have come to me with symptoms have been diagnosed quicker than ever – with most seen within 48 hours instead of the usual two, three or four week wait for that first GP appointment.

Hmmm...

Let's Play 'Who's Wokest'..!

OK, well, who could object to this? 

Maybe 'Don't try and run, you'll just die tired'..? 

Of course you have, dear. Did you ever think of maybe replying 'If you can't speak up for yourself in public, and the colour scheme on a police car upsets you so, maybe policing isn't for you, sweetie'?

Civil (Servant) War!

The Mail on Sunday understands the issue has been raised all the way up to Treasury Permanent Secretary Tom Scholar, but has been met with derision by Ministers.

And no, it seems they don't all think that way. Because just down the road in Whitehall...

Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the Office for National Statistics, said he was learning about ‘my white privilege and how that looks to others’ and expressed regret that a Census question on ethnicity had caused offence.

Elsewhere in his email, he described the vital role of the ONS in ‘shining a light on today’s society’, but added that ‘too often the collection of... statistics is done with only White People in the virtual room’. He signed off his note: ‘Black Lives Matter!’

Is he cheered on by the quislings under him? Reader, not all of them:

...some staff claim his email is at odds with the principle of Civil Service impartiality...

One staff member claimed: ‘The ONS is completely divided and the saga won’t go away. People are in absolute shock that he can stand by the actions of BLM.’

Well, well, well. There may be hope after all.

"... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

Federal police officer has enough of the #Antifa/#BlackLivesMatter rioters in #Portland pic.twitter.com/OoifDEL89r

— BasedPoland (@BasedPoland) July 23, 2020

Warms the cockles, doesn't it?

See, Met Police? This is how it's done!

Or of course, you could just sit back, open a cold beer and let the idiots kill each other!

Rioters outside the Portland federal courthouse accidentally set their comrade on fire with a flammable device. #antifa #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/PLQbumM7fT

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 23, 2020

Where's the popcorn?

Belief In 'Rehabilitation' Is Like Belief In Astrology...

A burglar has been spared a prison sentence after a night of chaos.

And what did this burglar do?

Well, just stole the keys to parent's Volkswagen Transporter van, gave them to friends who then took it on a high-speed chase that caused more than £11,000 damage to pursuing police cars, went back to a bed and breakfast where the friends had been staying and broke in, attacking the owner and stealing an iPhone and cash while high on a cocktail of heroin, cocaine and alcohol.

And how come there's no prison sentence for all that?

Simple! Possession of a vagina.

Sophie Evans, defending, said Chadburn was remorseful and has no previous convictions. She was high on drugs, but has since voluntarily gone to rehab to get clean.

Why are drugs not considered an aggravating factor, rather than a mitigating one?

The judge imposed a 15-month suspended sentence, with 25 rehabilitation sessions.

The bloke she robbed and assaulted would probably have got two years if he'd injured her while defending himself.

Abandon All Logic, Ye Who Enter Here!

Another day, another mask u-turn?

The Health Secretary said last week: 'You do need to wear a face mask in Pret because Pret is a shop. If there's table service, it is not necessary to have a mask.

But in any shop, you do need a mask. So, if you're going up to the counter in Pret to buy takeaway that is a shop.'

The longer you spend in the shop, the less you need to wear a mask? Is it me, or....has he got that the wrong way round?

I mean, seriously, if anyone knows what the possible medical or scientific reasoning behind this is, then please, do enlighten me!

But the Prime Minister's official spokesman later said: 'We will be publishing the full guidance shortly but my understanding is that it wouldn't be mandatory if you went in, for example, to a sandwich shop in order to get a takeaway to wear a face covering.

'It is mandatory ... we are talking about supermarkets and other shops rather than food shops.'

They really are just making it all up as they go along, aren't they?

Quick, Order More Popcorn!

You always need shedloads when the VirtueSignallers go to war against each other!

The US country group Lady A – known until recently as Lady Antebellum, before changing their name to shed its slavery-era connotations – is suing the blues and gospel artist Lady A over use of the name.

Oh boy! Buckle up, Reader! It's going to be a wild ride...

When the trio first announced the name change in June out of respect for black Americans, it appeared that they were unaware that Anita White had been performing as Lady A for 20 years. “This is my life,” White said at the time.

Such 'respect for black Americans' they failed to see if an actual black American might already be using the name. Wow! I guess they are the villains of this piece?

Shortly after the announcement, two parties shared an image of a Zoom call and said they were “moving forward with positive solutions and common ground”. Those talks have broken down. In a statement, the members of the country group said that representatives for White “demanded a $10m [£7.79m] payment”.

Oh, Maybe not!

In an interview with Vulture published yesterday, White said she is seeking $10m (£7.8m) in order to use half to rebrand and market herself, with the other half to be donated to charities including those that support independent black artists.

Oooh, nice one! How can they possibly object? She's played a blinder!

She said she felt the band’s actions had branded her as an “angry black woman”.

Not sure 'angry' is the word I'd have chosen...

“$5m is nothing, and I’m actually worth more than that, regardless of what they think. But here we go again with another white person trying to take something from a black person, even though they say they’re trying to help. If you want to be an advocate or an ally, you help those who you’re oppressing. And that might require you to give up something because I am not going to be erased.”

Ah, how delicious!

Awareness Of Knives: Complete

A young offender stabbed another teenager to death at a community centre with a 10-inch Rambo knife while on a knife awareness course, a court has heard.

YCMIU, could you?

Michelle Nelson QC, prosecuting, said: 'There is a cruel irony in this case that Hakim Sillah was stabbed while he was attending a weapons awareness training course.

'The course was for young offenders, those aged under 18 with a previous offence related to weapons.'

Ms Nelson said that all participants at the centre had been risk assessed before the session, which was run by the Youth Offending Teams (YOTS), and that 'those classified as high risk were precluded from attending'.

'Both the young men must have been risk assessed, but the sad reality is that both attended that course carrying knives,' she said.

I guess no-one told them there wasn't a practical on this course...

Better Not Check The Lasagna...

...there might be a horse's head in there!

Polly Wheaton, 47, popped out to Lidl to buy the ingredients for a vegan bolognese for her twin daughters Isabelle and Megan, 20.

But as Isabelle got to the final few mouthfuls on her plate, she was horrified to find what looked like the scaly head of the reptile in her food.

The family think it came from a jar of sauce or tin of tomatoes from the supermarket.

They think..? But they aren't sure?

"I feel at the very least that this product should have been recalled. The fact that we found an exotic animal in our food in the middle of a global pandemic is shocking."

But I haven't had so much as a courtesy call from Lidl to apologise.

"I've had to constantly chase them over the last six weeks, and all they've told me is that their complaints team is still looking into it.

"I think this should take precedence over someone who has complained about a bad can of baked beans or something."

Hmmmm....

Polly said the suspected lizard's head was about the size of her thumbnail - which is why she had not seen it when she was pouring the ingredients into her sauce.

And as a 'nail technician' I guess she's qualified to judge! So....Lidl haven't done anything about this?

A spokesperson for the German supermarket said: "We were very sorry to hear of this matter and would like to sincerely apologise for any distress that this may have caused.

"We are keeping the customer updated on the progress of this investigation, and upon its conclusion will share any results directly."

Ah. But clearly she wants her 15 minutes of fame regardless.

Why So Apologetic?

...when for once, you're doing your job?

Inspector Matt Moss added: “We understand the circumstances will be incredibly distressing for the public, but please be reassured that it is very rare for our officers to have to deal with an incident of this nature.

“The dog involved did have to be destroyed at the scene by attending officers.

"We do not take these sorts of decisions lightly, and we are confident that this was absolutely necessary in the circumstances to protect the wider public, due to the threat that the dog posed.”

Grow a pair, Insp Moss!

And hopefully when you 'investigate the circumstances' you'll have serious questions for the owner. Like, why would she feel a need to own such a brute?

The Naming Of Terrorists Is A Difficult Matter, It Isn't Just One Of Your Holiday Games...

You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter when I tell you a Muslim must have different names...

Police are considering dropping the terms 'Islamist terror' and 'jihadi' because they 'don't help community relations.'

Alternatives suggested include 'faith-claimed terrorism', 'terrorists abusing religious motivations' and 'adherents of Osama bin Laden's ideology,' The Times reported.

Who on earth is suggesting this? Well, the enemy within, of course:

A Muslim police organisation claimed today's official terminology fuelled negative perceptions, stereotypes, discrimination and Islamophobia.

It instead suggested an Arabic word, 'Irhabi,' could be deployed. It is used throughout the Middle East to describe those with extremist views.

Nah, I think we'll stick with our own terms, thanks. If you're keen on Middle Eastern terms, why not go live there instead?

David Toube, of Quilliam, a counter-extremism think tank, told The Times: 'People do not like to feel that they are being told only the partial truth ... there is a serious problem with Islamist terrorism.

'The use of any term that obscures that fact risks damaging public trust in the police.'

Could it possibly be damaged any further?

Perhaps They'd Respond Faster If It Was A White Alsatian?

Tiyah Shirley, 14, was bitten while trying to protect her dog Barney after seeing an Alsatian charge towards them in Rushley Park, Basildon, on Saturday.

The Alsatian, which had latched onto her left hand, had to be grappled and pinned down to the floor by owners for it to stop attacking, leaving Tiyah in desperate need of medical attention.

Horrified, the family then rushed her to hospital, where she was told she would need surgery to avoid infection.

She's lucky it wasn't more serious. The owners are in serious trouble now, under the new DDA...

Lukas and the family are now urging the Alsatian’s dog owners to come forward.

Wait, what? Why are the family having to do this? Isn't this a job for whichever police force's area this is?

Oh, wait!

The incident was reported to Essex Police and the force was contacted for comment, but did not respond by the time the Echo went to print.

*sighs*

Knext Story, Copy Editor!

The dear old 'Telegraph' has invented a new body part...

H/T:Neil McCarthy via email

'S'..? 'Z'..?

"What's the difference anyway?"

H/T: Stephen Brown via email

Sunday Funnies...

No, I think they've got No 3 a bit wrong...

Which Shop Would Get Your Business..?

The Guardian spoke to shop owners about their thoughts on the announcement.

Oh, this'll be good. First up, sensible pension-age shopkeeper with useful store:

“The word ‘mandatory’ is meaningless,” says 70-year-old Redmond Hanlon, who has owned his village convenience store in Devon for 35 years. “I’m not going to refuse entry to mask-free customers. I’ve got 80-year-old guys coming in first thing in the morning for newspapers. I’m not going to say, no, you can’t have your paper. These are guys I’ve known for years.”

Hanlon says most customers do not wear face coverings, but he has been handing out free masks to customers who want them. Last week, he installed a pedal-controlled hand-sanitiser dispenser at the shop entrance and a screen over the counter.

“I think government instruction might make a difference [to how many people wear face coverings]. I’m going to put up a sign thanking customers for wearing masks tomorrow, but I won’t do more,” Hanlon says. “My view is that it’s up to people how they get on with each other. By and large I like to let people do their own thing.”

Next up, scatty little millennial snowflake running currently-trendy shop that no-one considers essential:

Rosie Fletcher is delighted face coverings will be mandatory from 24 July. She was already planning to ask customers to wear them in her north London shop, but the government’s announcement “means I have some more force behind it”, she says.

“It’s not just me being wacky. I can say: ‘A-ha! The government says so too!’”Making face coverings compulsory, she says, will make her feel more secure.

“Masks aren’t magic but when people wear them, it says to me that they’re taking the pandemic seriously.”

Gosh. It's a hard choice, eh?

Left Hand, Do You Know What Right Hand's Up To...?

Left Hand: "Sure, the same as me, making sure everyone's muzzled in shops! Right..?"

Right Hand: "Errr..."

/facepalm

And What Does Happen...? Well, Nothing!

Christopher Summers had previously been sentenced for trying to meet who he thought was an under age girl for sex after messaging online.

He was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order as part of that sentence, and was told he could not have a mobile phone with access to the internet, or use private browsing, without informing the police. However, the 65-year-old, of The Greensted, Basildon, had bought a Samsung phone which had the ability to browse privately, and did not tell the police when asked. He had then used this to access legal pornographic sites, but tried to hide this from the authorities. He also deleted his internet history to prevent police from seeing what sites he had visited.

Summers eventually admitted two breaches of his order and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Well, he's for the chop, surely?

Representing himself, he was asked by Judge Samantha Cohen (Ed: Oh oh!) why he had hidden the phone and had visited the site. He replied: "I don't have an answer to that. It was just to see what happened."

Well, guess now you know!

Summers also said he had not told his 90-year-old mother he was in court, and that if he were sent to prison it could have a negative effect on her.

Yes, no doubt. Those are called 'consequences'...

Summers also said he was in a stable relationship and his partner was looking to move to the UK within two to three weeks.

Does he/she have to wait for term time to finish, or something?

Judge Cohen gave Summers a suspended prison sentence of six months, saying it was only because of the impact on his mother that she had not sent him to jail.

*sighs*

She said: "You present a risk of future offending by contacting young people.

"These are deliberate breaches of your order.

"You knew perfectly well that you should have told police you were using the phone and should not have used private browsing.

"It's only because of the impact of you going to prison would have on your very elderly mother that I am going to suspend the prison sentence.

"You have escaped custody by the skin of your teeth."

No, because the justice system is weak.

Now Will You Believe It Isn't About Health...?

..or 'stopping a virus'? It's about control, pure and simple.

It's about seeing what you can get away with in terms of regulating behaviour, if you dress it up as 'pandemic suppression'.

"We Need Female Judges To Stamp Out Domestic Violence.."

Daniel Heath accused his partner of cheating on him, and flew into a drunken rage when he stumbled into her Basildon home after drinking heavily.

The 34-year-old of Lottem Road, Canvey, banged on the door of his partner’s home before being let in at 1am on February 5 this year, three hours after she went to bed. He falsely accused her of having another man in her home, and the shouting woke up her 11-year-old son, who went into the bedroom to comfort her. Heath then punched the woman and left her with a black eye, before going downstairs and getting a kitchen knife, shouting ‘when I find him, I will kill you both’ before falling asleep in an armchair.

Over the course of the next week Heath would watch his partner and her son, turning up one evening and calling her son “scum”.

The court heard of an incident when his partner moved her car off the drive so it looked like she wasn’t in. Heath called her asking where she had gone, and when she claimed she was at her mother’s house, he told her he had been there and not seen her car.

On another occasion he came around, took a hammer from the shed and hit it against kitchen work surfaces, and smashed a photo frame as he left the house, when his partner called the police.

Heath was arrested and later went on to admit controlling and coercive behaviour, assault and criminal damage.

Ooh, the justice system is going to deal with an animal like you as you deserve. Isn't it?

Mitigation said that Heath was “disgusted” by his actions and had sought help to curb his alcoholism.

Hah! As if that'll get you off the hook!

Judge Samantha Cohen told Heath he had put his partner and her son through a “terrifying” ordeal and gave him a 16 month suspended sentence, 150 hours unpaid work and £340 in costs.

*blinks*

Nobody Sums It Up Better...

...do they?

Well, except LegIron:

"I can hear the nasal whine of ‘Oh but those masks don’t protect against the virus’. Neither do any of the others. Not one. No matter how much you pay for them. If you are wearing a mask a virus can’t get through, you can’t breathe through it. Every damn mask out there is, to a virus, like a mouse going in through an open barn door. They are all, every one, completely and absolutely pointless."

She Probably Thinks 'Ethics' Is A County In The South East Of England...

Scerif initially denied wrongdoing but eventually admitted she knew what she was doing was wrong and that she was not entitled to use the pass.

She said when she was stopped by the TfL ticket inspector she 'panicked' and tried to do what she could to minimise the seriousness of her actions.

She said she lied as she was 'ashamed and fearful of the consequences.'

She has since completed an ethics course and said she 'genuinely apologised to her family, the TfL ticket inspector, the TfL organisation, her profession, her colleagues and the public.'

Her profession? Yes. Amazingly, it's Junior Doctor.

In giving Scerif the all clear to return to work, tribunal chairman Jayne Wheat said: 'Dr Scerif maintained her denials for a significant period of time until the suspension imposed by the 2019 Tribunal.

'But during this period she has undertaken considerable learning activity and her reflections were thorough and genuine. She provided genuine and honest responses regarding her acceptance of her dishonest conduct and provided convincing evidence of the insight that she has developed into her failings.

'The Tribunal was impressed that, despite the challenges presented by the Covid19 pandemic, Dr Scerif had continued with her online training, and secured a mentor that she has continued to liaise with. There is a minimal risk of repetition.'

We're supposed to be impressed that she managed to complete an online course while working at home? Seriously?

Why Should They Do Business With Stores That Treat Them As Biohazards?

Ocado's boss today claimed that lockdown means shoppers 'won't be going back' to rivals' stores as the online retailer's half-year sales smashed through the £1billion barrier for the first time.

...

Some consumer experts believe Boris Johnson's plans to make masks compulsory in shops could force more people online.

Well, yes! Of course. Why would you go to a store that treats you like a potential disease carrier when their own staff can be treated normally, and don't need to wear masks?

Britain's grocers are gearing up for a massive price war amidst fears unemployment could rise above four million.

Perhaps they can switch to delivery driver/store picker instead?

Next week Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver his plan for rebooting the UK economy.

Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer called it the 'last chance to save hundreds of thousands of jobs'.

What are we supposed to be saving them for...? So the establishment can treat you like medieval serfs?

It's Mad To Call Him A Psychologist....

A Croydon psychologist has been jailed for at least 32 years after bludgeoning his victim to death with a barbell to steal his Rolex watch.

Really?!

Well, no. It seems likely he gained the degree while in clink. There's no evidence he ever worked as one:

Christopher McDonald, who gained a first class degree in psychology, had been on life licence for public protection when he killed Paul Tong.

That worked out well, then, didn't it?

Mr Tong, 54, known as Yankee, was attacked by McDonald with an exercise weight at his home in Ealing, west London, on April 19 2017.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, McDonald, 35, was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob. On Monday, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years.

His co-defendant, criminology Masters degree student Aliysa Ellis, a bipolar friend of Mr Tong, was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

What a lovely bunch of people, eh? Truly, it's 'No Humans Involved'.

McDonald, who once burgled his own grandmother while armed with a knife, was released from HMP Elmley on September 8, 2014.

The mitigation is going to be a bit of an uphill struggle. But his brief is game!

Kerim Fuad, QC, defending McDonald, argued that the murderer stood a chance of reforming himself after release from prison 'albeit as a much older man.'

Mr Fuad said: 'His behaviour throughout the trial has been, I submit, impeccable and courteous.

'The minimum term will place him in or close to his 70s before he can ask for parole.

'He's a father of three young children. As an individual he can positively contribute to society. Albeit as a much older man.'

I'm not entirely sure how...

It's Over. Common Sense And Rationality Lost.

Face coverings have been compulsory on public transport since June 15 and, last Friday, Scotland ordered shoppers to wear them.

I've driven past buses where the passengers onboard are clearly wearing them....round their necks, having pulled them down to speak to companions as soon as they have got on. The same has been reported all over the Tube and rail network.

The move may anger those who find them uncomfortable or dislike the idea of state compulsion.

Only 'may'...?

The move follows days of confusion about the Government’s stance on the issue.

On Sunday, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said that while it was ‘basic good manners’ to wear masks in shops it would not be made compulsory.

He said it was ‘always better to trust to people’s common sense’.

Sadly, we don't have him as leader of the party. We apparently have a weak-willed, vacillating fool who listens to ... well, who? Not the scientists, clearly.

Or only when they say something he agrees with...

In March, deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries said wearing a mask could ‘trap the virus’ and cause the person wearing it to breathe it in.

‘For the average member of the public walking down a street, it is not a good idea [to wear a face mask],’ she added.

But scientists have changed their view as evidence of the risk of asymptomatic and airborne transmission has grown. Officials now believe that face coverings can help stop people spreading the virus, particularly when they do not know they have it.

I thought we were only supposed to believe science that was settled..? If we are supposed to believe them on climate change, anyway.

The move is part of a wider push to open up the economy and give consumers confidence to go out and spend.

By making it harder and more difficult for people to do so?

The New #MeToo....

This time it's 'driving while black', and it's the Lawrence woman again.

The peer had been heading home through the streets of south London not long after her son was stabbed to death and realised she was being followed by a police car.

“They continued to follow me and then they flashed me to stop,” she said. “They said I needed to get out of my car. I said: ‘I’m a woman, it’s late at night and I don’t want to get out of my car.’”

Why not? There's two police officers there, you're perfectly safe. Just get out of the bloody car like everyone else!

There were two officers, a man and woman. “Eventually I got out and they were telling me that they know the pub is not too long closed and that I was driving erratically.

“If anyone knows the black community, especially a woman, we are not coming out of pubs and this was after twelve [midnight]. So these are the issues that people in the black community are suffering from.”

I thought it was wrong to make assumptions about the behaviour of people based on their race? But you think they should have done so?

Gosh. It's almost like you want to have your cake and eat it, isn't it?

Isn't There A Word Missing In This Headline?

Like the word 'legally'...?

The hunter, who prompted a worldwide outpouring of fury when he targeted Cecil five years ago, was identified as one of two men in a photo with the dead Altai argali – the largest wild sheep in the world.

According to WWF, the argali is legally protected by Mongolian law, and hunting it is banned.

Strange. There's plenty of sites that say that's not actually true. Gosh, surely the WWF wouldn't be lying through their teeth, would they?

Shouldn't the Charity Commission have something to say about that?

Impressively Wrong, Even For The 'Mail'...

The nation's most beloved airplane? Well, no. It isn't.

The spotter points out: "These planes are Boulton Paul Defiants. They had no forward-firing guns, their only armament was the four .303 machine guns in the turret. The Spitfire was a single-seat fighter. The defiant had a crew of two and was never a great success."

H/T: Stephen Brown

Well, It Explains A Lot....

...having a Communications Officer who can't spell.

Sunday Funnies...

I can't wait for the inevitable coronavirus movies...

Maybe The Female Of The Species Is More At Risk Than The Male?

Shocked Zoo Zurich visitors have witnessed a woman being attacked and mauled to death by a Siberian tiger.

Swiss authorities are investigating why the zookeeper and the tiger were inside the enclosure at the same time.

Another zookeeper death, and it struck me that all of the last ones I can remember were women.

Rosa King, Stacey Konwiser, Samantha Kudeweh, unknown Spanish keeper, Kristen Hayden-Ortega - all women. All killed by tigers.

The rare exception that I could find being Akira Furusho.

A statistical blip, or is there something more to it?

And For Once, It's Not Racism!

Ace needs a kidney transplant. He's been on the waiting list for two years. But that's not that unusual for a black man.

In fact according to the NHS, black and Asian people have to wait, on average, a year longer than white people for a kidney transplant in England.

Typical, the state's institutions are riddled with institutional racism and...

Oh. Wait!

"I always tell the story of when I was filling out my driver's licence," says 1Xtra's DJ Ace.

"I was 17. I was like, 'Mum, do I fill out this donor bit?' And she was like, 'no, we don't do that'.

"I just took that as gospel. My mum said we don't do it. So we don't do it. I never even questioned why. I don't think it's something that the black community do."

Wait, wait! *gets popcorn* Pray, continue...

In May, Ace's hopes were given a boost. A law change meant every adult in England automatically became a donor, unless they specifically said otherwise.

Do you feel a 'But...' coming on, Reader? I do.

But people are opting out and a lot of them are black and Asian.

Ooh, need more popcorn.

Kinzah is a 24-year-old Muslim and said she removed herself from the organ donation list because of the way she interprets her religion.

Note the phrasing here - the only time the BBC will ever dare to attempt to tell a Muslim they are wrong.

Harpreet Matharu is an organ donation specialist nurse from Birmingham. "I just feel like they've got maybe the wrong message.

"A lot of people are thinking the government are taking control of peoples' organs. That is absolutely not the case."

Oh, it absolutely is the case, Harpreet, no matter how much you stamp your little foot and try to deny reality.

But back to Ace. Has he learned something?

Although Ace admits he hasn't really spoken properly to many of his friends about how they could potentially help him, he is feeling more confident of getting a donor.

That'll be 'no' then.

You Allowed, Nay, Encouraged, Them To Take An Inch...

...why the surprise when they come back for the mile?

A woman was left 'dumbstruck' after a pharmacy assistant told her she couldn't buy a pregnancy test because it is 'not an essential item' and she 'shouldn't be trying to conceive' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

What did you think would happen when you demanded they start meddling in things like this? Did you think they'd stop at telling people to stub out those fags?

In a later post, the woman, who decided to order a pregnancy test from Amazon, went on to say how she had since called the pharmacy to complain.

However, she believed it was the same assistant who answered the phone due to the 'sound of her voice'.

And when the customer asked to speak to the manager, the staff member said he wasn't there and they were unable to call her back.

Gosh, and I thought they were all supposed to be 'community-focussed' now...

Who Says Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice?

A man has died after a serious assault at a care home in Wickford this evening. Police were called shortly before 7pm, with reports that a man in his 60s had been assaulted at a residential care home on Swan Lane.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, the man sadly died. A 43-year-old man from Wickford has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Swan Lane? Residential care home? Gosh. It's deja vu all over again...

A man was stabbed inside a Wickford care home on New Year’s Eve. Emergency services rushed to Swan Lane at roughly 1pm on Tuesday after reports a man had been injured inside.

A man in his 40s was found inside the home with a stab wound to his back, while a 68-year-old woman from Wickford has been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The care home is believed to be Longcroft Residential Care Home, although the home declined to comment when contacted by the Echo.

What sort of 'care home' is this, anyway?

Longcroft Residential Care Home specialises in caring for adults under 65-years-old, caring for people with mental health conditions and offering support to people with substance misuse problems.

Ah. I believe that's what we call 'a clue'.

It's Not 'An Injustice' To Protect Our Borders...

...in cities, another huge issue is now inescapable. As the pandemic has ground on, attention has belatedly been paid to the million or so people in Britain who have what officialspeak terms “no recourse to public funds”, or NRPF: that means no access to benefits, notwithstanding the right to live here at least temporarily.

In other words, people who came here and didn't take up citizenship, or illegal immigrants. So, yes, of course they have no recourse to public funds.

People like this:

I also spoke to Maruf and Tasnova, a couple who volunteer at the food bank. They are unable to get work, barred from benefits, and living with their six-year-old son and three-month-old daughter in a single room. Food is at the heart of their family’s plight – not just because they have so little of it, but also in the way their anxiety is playing out in the daily rituals of mealtimes. Their son has been so unsettled – by lockdown, the suspension of school and his family’s awful circumstances – that he often refuses to eat.

Wait, I thought you didn't have any food? Now you have so much your children can choose not to eat it?

Can't you people get your story straight?

There are ways out of these injustices that are not nearly as inconceivable as some people would have you believe: a minimum income guarantee or universal basic income, an end to the immigration rules that mean so many people live in a state of constant panic, and the long-overdue abandonment of the thinking whereby people are threatened with destitution as a matter of policy.

Yes, we'll just change our whole society for the benefit of people who come here to mooch off us. That seems sensible...

Dangerous Bitches On The Loose...

Rebecca Tantrum (Ed: Appropriate name!), 28, and her partner Chantelle Bennett, 30, attacked Paul Sutton in Commercial Street on July 5 last year after their dog approached the victim and his partner Louise Elliott who had been out walking their pug.

After the defendants' dog bit Mr Sutton on the arm and appeared to be trying to get to his pug he led the dog away by its chain which caused Bennett to shout at him. She tried to hit Ms Elliott with a glass bottle so Mr Sutton pushed her to the ground. Bennett then hit him over the head with the bottle, which didn't break.

Following this Tantrum left the nearby home she shares with her co-defendant armed with a wooden-handled claw hammer and proceeded to attack Mr Sutton with it until the police arrived...

Whew! Just in the nick of ti...

...and mistakenly arrested the victim.

Wait, what?!?

Both defendants, of Commercial Street, were interviewed and both pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Tantrum also pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a controlled Class B drug.

Lovely fragrant flowers of femininity, clearly...

The judge said he would have sent both defendants straight to prison had it not been for the delay in the case, which had not been their fault.

He said: "This case highlights how the court's hands are tied. Cases like these are taking far too long to get to the doors of the court."

Tantrum was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and Bennett was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months.

*sighs*

If Only Those Cops Had Been Better Shots...

According to the newspaper, Adebowale has refused to comply with medical treatment while in Wakefield jail leaving officials no choice.

No choice but to throw him into that cozy £250,000 luxury accommodation briar patch he wants. Good grief, who's the mad one here?

The 50-year-old, told the Sun: “I’ve said before that Adebowale deserves to be in a tough prison for what he did to my Lee.

“I get the impression this whole situation is going to yo-yo back and forth for years because the authorities clearly don’t know how to deal with him.

“I need to be reassured that the right punishment is being handed down to the man who took my son’s life.”

If a couple of ARV cops had done a bit more practice at the range before that fateful morning, it might have been...

A category A prison reportedly costs £50,000-per-year to house inmates – five times less than the cost of Broadmoor where prisoners reportedly have access to email, TVs, DVD players and extra visiting hours.

*sighs*

Whatever It Is, It's Not An Apology...

...criticism of the tweets have prompted a climb down from the chief inspector, who all but apologised on behalf of his force.

That 'all but' is doing a lot of work there. Here's what he actually said:

Chief Inspector Hodder said in a statement: 'We are aware that the tweet posted by the Roads Policing Unit in relation to this collision has attracted some criticism.

'It was certainly not our intention to cause any offence or belittle the severity of the incident.

'The team continually balances the need to raise awareness of road safety messages whilst being innovative in our messaging on social media.

'I am fully supportive of officers highlighting road safety matters and engaging with the public on social media, which continues to be an important channel of communication.'

If you think that's an apology, you're an idiot.

"It's Everyone Else's Fault, 'cos I Is Black!"

Jordan Walker-Brown fell from a wall while being pursued by two officers. A Metropolitan Police officer is under criminal investigation by the police watchdog over the incident in London.

It will examine what role ethnicity played in decisions that day amid concerns about the disproportionate use of Tasers on black men.

So this young black chap was just innocently walking down the road when the police decided to arrest him for no reason?

"I do not pretend to be anyone other than myself," Mr Walker-Brown told the BBC from hospital in a statement released through his lawyer.

"I ran from the police because I had a small amount of cannabis in my possession for personal use - and I had fresh in my mind the memory of a similar encounter with TSG [Territorial Support Group] officers only the previous day when I was mistreated, arrested and charged for possession of a similar amount of cannabis."

Ah. Well, I guess that explains that!

He said he believed he was targeted by police because he is black.

"I know that I would not have been the subject of police attention, on either day, if I had not been a young black man," he added in the statement.

You don't think the 'being caught with cannabis earlier' had anything to do with it then? Oh, and being a known criminal?

Jordan Walker-Brown has previously served time in prison.

We aren't told what for. Maybe that would spoil the picture the BBC - our state broadcaster, remember - is trying to present of this poor innocent lamb?

And as for 'disproportionate use of taser on black men', perhaps they should look to the many YouTube videos of the attitudes to police questions that they display?

(Epping station) 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/yI0KrsdWIr

— London & UK Crime.. (@CrimeLdn) July 3, 2020

The Blood Is Once Again On The Hands Of The Usual Suspects...

A man has admitted killing a bus driver and injuring seven other people in a crash last Halloween in Orpington, south east London.

Kenneth Matcham, 60, died on Sevenoaks Road after Dorjan Cera's car collided with two single-decker buses on 31 October.

Cera, 20, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday to causing Mr Matcham's death by dangerous driving. Judge Wendy Joseph adjourned sentencing until 6 August at the same court.

Nor was dangerous driving his only offence:

Cera, of Hillingdon, also admitted seven further counts of causing injury by dangerous driving, being unlicensed and uninsured and possession of an identity document with improper intent.

Judge Joseph said everybody who had been affected by the crash "must be utterly devastated" by what happened.

They will be when they hear it could have been prevented. Just two years ago:

An 18-year-old has been jailed for two years after he was caught with 26 wraps of cocaine in Hersham . When he was stopped by police on June 28 this year, Dorjan Cera showed police officers a photograph of a Lithuanian driving licence in another name which he had used to hire the car he was driving, Guildford Crown Court heard.

Naomi Edwards, for the prosecution, said Cera had told police officers that he found the drugs in the Audi Q3 and had intended to hand them into the authorities. He was arrested and a further false Portuguese driving licence was later found at his home address during a police search.

Well, well, well.

So...why was he still here, driving like a manic and killing innocent people two years later?

Mr Ingle suggested Recorder Whitehouse should suspend his client's sentence because Cera, who arrived in the UK from Albania when he was 16, is seeking asylum and a custodial sentence could potentially jeopardise this.

We must be mad to keep putting up with this, mustn't we..?

"Whoa, Whoa, We Didn't Mean That Sort Of 'Diverse Team'..."

"...there's no place for someone who holds opinions we don't agree with!".

Chris Snowdon, managing director of Working Partners, said: ‘Erin Hunter is not a single person but a diverse team of creatives and writers.’

Well, there's diversity and then there's diversity. Clearly, this was the wrong sort.

‘The decision taken was not in direct response to the nature of Gillian’s personally expressed views.’

What horrendous views does she hold, then, that require sacking? Does she want women chained to the kitchen sink? Does she think gay couples are an abomination?

It came after the writer, who has penned a popular series of books for eight-to-12-year-olds, added the hashtag #IStandWithJKRowling to her Twitter handle.

Ah. Of course. She holds the only wrong opinion that matters to the mad (and tiny and totally unrepresentative) vocal trannie mob on Twitter...

After Ms Philip received sexualised abuse and deaths threats from the trans lobby, she tweeted ‘Bring it on, homophobes and lesbian-haters’ – which only inflamed the situation.

Yes, how dare she do anything but cower in fear and swear never to voice her opinion ever again?

Within 24 hours, James Noble, managing editor of Working Partners, replied to the barrage of complaints saying: ‘The worlds created by Erin Hunter are meant to be inclusive for all readers and we want to let you know that Gillian Philip will no longer be writing any Erin Hunter novels.’

So what have you told your audience of young readers, Chris and James?

That if they are sufficiently motivated to make a fuss, the bullies will always win? That good people can be crushed and defeated by mere words? That a good employer will never stand by an employee who is attacked?

Great life lessons for youngsters, I'm sure parents will agree...

You Lay Down With Dogs, Surely You Should Expect Fleas?

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan expressed outrage after Black Lives Matter protesters...

Wait, what? I thought this mad bitch was all in favour?

...showed up at her home Sunday afternoon, despite her previous support and defense of the "CHOP" encampment.

Ah! Yes, it's different when it's you in jeopardy, eh?

Durkan released a statement expressing her anger at the protest. She was especially upset that Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant had joined the protesters at her home.

"Mayor Durkan and her family are in the state program to keep their address confidential because of the death threats mostly related to her work as Seattle's U.S. Attorney under President Obama. Instead of working to make true change, Councilmember Sawant continues to choose political stunts," read the statement from her office."

Fancy that! A politician doing politics! Why, the very nerve!

"Tonight she did so without regard for the safety of the Mayor and her family. The Mayor was not even home — she was working at City Hall. Seattle can and should peacefully demonstrate but should not put families and children at risk," the statement concluded."

Perhaps you should defend your own home, Jenny my sweet. Like other people have to do, with those icky guns....

Better Not Land On Any Trump Hotels!

Also greatly amusing me this week, a new board game for all the (non typical) family to play!

Sing-A-Long-A-Sunday!

There's been a dearth of newspaper cockup this past week, so here's a musical interlude:

 

I've been enjoying these musical parodies on YouTube since lockdown.

Sunday Funnies...

And strangely, the US is number 1 despite stiff competition...

A Chip On Her Shoulder? It's An Entire Sack Of Potatoes!

Bennett is now so frightened that she has installed cameras in her car. She said: “I feel I have to protect myself from the police more than anything else as a black person in London.”

Really?!

Is it the police stabbing black youths on the streets, then, or is it other black youths?

Are the police carrying out vicious muggings and rapes, or is it people who are the same colour as her?

All the police are doing is their job. And facing the usual battle from people who think they shouldn't have to comply.

When Bennett refuses to wind down the window or get out, and later says she is calling a lawyer to check the search is legal “because this is what you’re doing to black people”, he replies: “You’re really starting to annoy me.”

You're not the only one, chum!

She insists: “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.” Within a minute, the footage shows, he threatens: “Open the door or the windows are going to go in.” Six minutes later he and a colleague pulled her from the car, according to the police report.

An official police investigation found no wrongdoing on the part of officers.

Quite so. What are the police supposed to do when someone objects to being stopped? Just shrug and say 'OK then'?

When police officers stopped Neomi Bennett late at night, they did not know anything about her – including that she had been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to nursing, and invited to Downing Street in recognition of her work. In her opinion, they simply saw a black woman sitting in a car...

Quite so, again. Are BEM holders sacrosanct, and people who have visited 10 Downing Street to be considered off limits? In a country where a sitting MP was a wrong 'un with a criminal record?

Now she intends to bring a civil claim against the Metropolitan police for wrongful arrest, assault, battery, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

Of course she does. She sees the compo train rollin', she ridin'!

She believes her experience illustrates the challenges faced by black people once they are in the justice system. She was found guilty at Wimbledon magistrates court in September of resisting/obstructing a constable and says she worried about bringing up racism to an all-white bench.

“Even in court I never once said: ‘This is because I’m a black person,’ for fear of them thinking: she’s got a chip on her shoulder.”

Now, who'd think that?