'Get Orf Moi Land!'

A brother and sister are at war with their local council after erecting an illegal fence through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

No, not the usual red-faced Farmer Giles type this time: 

Urusa Ahmed and her brother Syed triggered a dispute in July 2021 when, without planning permission, they erected a fence around their two acre woodland plot that blocked public footpaths. The pair went on to illegally install large security gates and have erected several structures, including a large dwelling-type building with windows and a livestock shed, at the woodland site they own near Chesham, Bucks.

After missing Buckinghamshire Council's order to take the fence down by November 2022 , the case was upgraded to 'a criminal offence'.

But the dispute has boiled over in recent months as locals, furious at what they claim is council inaction over the saga, have taken the law into their own hands and smashed large sections of the fence down. The attacks came to a head on Tuesday when police were called in after two men armed with a sledgehammer were caught hacking down the fence.

You'd hope, would you not, Reader, that a Muslim couple breaking the law to keep people away from their secluded land would attract the attention of the security services. What are they hiding? 

Urusa told MailOnline: 'Everybody has the right, it is a human right, to fence off your land, especially when people are trespassing.

'The land is like everywhere else! There is a sheep farm next to it, it has fences, the farm behind us has fences, opposite us has fences, next to us has fences.

'Now tell me one good reason why the council will not allow us to have fences? What's the difference between us and the rest of the people here?

'Why can't people have livestock in agricultural land, and if you have livestock, how can you expect us to protect them.

'There are men coming in with dogs, big dogs, deliberately trying to intimidate me.'

There are laws in this country and everyone is expected to abide by them. If you want to live in a different country, where the laws are different or non-existant, Heathrow's thataway!   

I Agree With Insp Gadget At Last...

...we really do get the policing we deserve (not that we all deserve it):

This was the craven response from the Met Police to one of their officers getting a criminal record for coming up against one of the urban chip-on-shoulder, rules don't apply to ME creatures that roam our streets and ride our public transport system. These are, it seems, everywhere these days.

The fuss seems to have stemmed from the fact that, in doing his job, he 'overstepped his authority', according to a judge that anyone with common sense can see has clearly overstepped his. 

And instead of backing their officer to the hilt and pointing out that of course he was entitled to do what he did, the Met reflexively cringe in the face of opposition from a certain sector. And so TfL will continue to hemorrhage money and people who think they shouldn't have to do as everyone else does in a functioning society will be further emboldened, and life in the capital - and particularly commuting - gets just that little bit harder for everyone. Even the judge has to admit this: 

Throughout his verdict, Judge Ikram referred to the complainant as JA and to the defendant as D.

He said: 'Whether an arrest was necessary and proportionate is an objective test, I make the following findings to the criminal standard.

'I readily find that JA was difficult throughout, she knew the inspectors were checking tickets but didn't stop as she could have, but wanted them to follow her.

'I find that she did say she'd paid and was difficult perhaps because she knew she had paid, as was later established.

'I've examined the video carefully - on examination of the video footage, she clearly has the Oyster card in her hand outreached towards the inspectors' machine.

'In having it out it appears she may well have touched the machine given the opportunity to do so.This would have been visible to D.'

Look, we've all been there. Us commuters, I mean. Is it annoying to be ticket checked twice on the same journey? Yes, undoubtedly. But are you going to solve anything by getting into a strop? No. So just tap the bloody thing again, rather than act like a giant toddler denied an ice cream!  

It's always a certain demographic, too. As regular readers will know, I'm currently on jury service and have to go through a bag & body search every day. No argument, it's expected, was notified in advance, and is there for a very good reason. Last week, I witnessed a new prospective juror kick off because he’d brought in a bag of tools (hammers, chisels, etc!) so he could go to work after and didn’t want to let them take them off him and give him a receipt to claim them back after court, so simply stormed out of court. Want to guess his race?

Why The Difference..?

Family with seriously ill child are arrested when she dies:

The Met Police have defended their actions, stating the arrests were 'necessary due to the seriousness of this tragic incident'.

Family who buy pitbull type which kills their four-year old are treated as poor victims:

Giving an update earlier on Wednesday, Superintendent Marc Tarbit said that the child's family are being supported by specially trained officers.

'An investigation is currently under way to fully understand the circumstances but we currently believe that this was a tragic, isolated incident and there is no threat to the wider community,' he said.

'Accordingly, no arrests have been made at this time.'

The difference surely can't be down to different forces - don't they all follow the same guidelines? Is the mauling death of a four year old considered 'less serious'? Did the Met Police fear that Mr Weiss was 'a danger to the wider community'? 

Why Are You Asking Questions To Which You Already Know The Answers..?

Questions are being asked about how the boy was able to ride the scooter when Voi’s policy states riders must be over 18 and hold a provisional driving licence, as well as a valid payment method.

Hmmm, who was the boy? 

A 12-year-old boy who was killed riding an e-scooter that collided with a bus in Birmingham has been named as Mustafa Nadeem.

Ah! 

The West Midlands assistant police and crime commissioner Tom McNeil said “new questions were needed over Voi age verification” after Mustafa’s death.

No questions for the parents, then? 

Were they unaware their son was breaking the law? Did they not know how he was getting to school? 

Police said Mustafa’s family were being kept updated as they establish the full circumstances of the incident, and had asked to be allowed to grieve in private.

So is there to be no questions for them at all? 

Why Does This Require 'An Investigation' In The First Place?

A Royal Parks Police spokesman said: “We’ve been dealing with a road traffic collision after the driver of a vehicle slowed to allow some geese to cross the road and a male on a bicycle collided into the rear of her vehicle and through the back window.

“The cyclist was taken to hospital, his injuries are not life threatening or life changing. The investigation is ongoing. Wishing the cyclist a speedy recovery.”

If I ran into the back of a fellow motorist, there'd be no investigation whatsoever; I'd be judged - rightly! - as at fault for tailgating. 

Why should it be different for cyclists? 

Remember When The Law Was Applied Equally And Without Favour?

Posters saying "[redacted]" have sparked a police hate crime investigation. They were found on lampposts in two roads in Basingstoke and near Basingstoke College of Technology.

Hampshire Constabulary was alerted to the posters by a resident on Thursday and said they are being treated as a hate crime.

What did these posters say? "No blacks, no Irish, no dogs?" Or "Only women have vaginas"? 

No. They said "It's OK to be white". So we must conclude from this that the police in this country - certainly those in Hampshire who have form for this - don't think it is OK to be white...

They will, of course, say that that's not true and their hands are tied, and thanks to the ludicrous legislative burden they work under, they have to respond if someone makes a complaint. So, has someone?

Resident Priya Brown said: "These tactics are divisive and they have no place in today's world. They're tactics that are used to divide deliberately by neo-Nazi groups and white supremacy groups. It started in the US but we have seen it here in the UK."

So does that mean that posters and statues proclaiming 'Black lives matter' are now fair game for a complaint on the same basis? Do you think police would be forced to investigate if a complaint was made about them?

If you say 'Yes', then would you like to buy this? 

A spokesperson for the police force said they were liaising with local community groups as part of the investigation.

Will any of those be majority white community groups, I wonder? 

If It Wasn't For Double Standards, He Wouldn't Have Any At All...

London's inclusive Mayor:

London's famous riverside New Year's Eve fireworks display has been cancelled for a second year because of "uncertainties caused by Covid".

Explaining why this year's event was also being cancelled, a spokesperson for the mayor said: "Due to the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, our world-famous New Year's Eve display will not be held on the banks of the Thames this year.

"Last year's successful show took place in a slightly different way due to the pandemic, and this year a number of exciting new options are being considered as part of our New Year's Eve celebrations in London."

Also London's inclusive Mayor:

Hmmm....

I Hope They Take You (And Your Failed Parents) To The Cleaners...

A police officer's son who killed two men while drug-driving is being sued for more than £200,000 by one of their families.

Hang on..? Surely this isn't..? Yes. It is.

Magistrates spared Mr Coopey jail when he appeared in court and imposed costs of £105 which they said his parents could pay, but that the teenager should do chores around the house to make up for it.

However, Mr Imi's wife Sarah has since launched a civil action against Mr Coopey for compensation over the death of her husband, who leaves behind three children.

It was understood that Mr Shackley's family is also suing.

The best of British luck to you both, since British justice has failed you so abysmally. 

Detective Constable Peter Burrows Deserves An Oscar...

...for this amazing job of pretending that this is a success:

Stone, of no fixed address, went on to plead guilty to a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.

At a Nottingham Crown Court hearing earlier this week she was jailed for three years.

Three years? What did she do, hit him with a rolling pin? 

“The force of the blow to his face resulted in the knife penetrating into his brain. He had to have his eye removed and is due to be fitted with a false eye.

“I am pleased to see this result from court and that she has been handed a lengthy prison term for her serious crime.”

She should be laughing all the way to the early parole, because if the sexes were reversed, there's no way he'd be getting off so lightly...

H/T: InspGadget via Twitter

But Flick, We All Know Why It's Happening...

A local MP has slammed Winchester City Council for ‘a total lack of duty and care’ towards residents living near travellers who are allegedly breaking planning rules.

Flick Drummond says that despite multiple breaches, the council has taken no enforcement action at World’s End and The Paddock in Durley.

Who's surprised? Not me, Reader! 

“The rules are there for a reason. The council has a duty to enforce them and I cannot understand why this is not happening. The fact the leader of the city council hasn’t even replied to the residents’ MP speaks volumes and shows a complete lack of leadership and a total lack of regard for those who live in the southern parishes by this Liberal Democrat administration.

“I am angry on behalf of my constituents whose lives are being made intolerable by a minority who have no respect for the law and I am angry the council’s political masters seemingly want to do nothing to help.”

And what do they say to this?  

When contacted by the Chronicle, a spokesperson for Winchester City Council said: "“The land at Worlds End, Denmead, has planning permission for use as a travellers’ site and is being occupied for this purpose. This has not expanded outside the property boundary of the approved consents that were awarded by the Planning Inspector on appeal in October 2019 and a further permission issued by the council in 2020.

“The council carefully assesses complaints and will take enforcement action where the breach in question is causing significant harm in planning terms, following our adopted Local Enforcement Policy and national planning guidance. Enforcement notices served in 2018 were overturned by appeal in 2019. We are aware of alleged on-going breaches regarding the terms of the planning permissions granted primarily relating to lighting, size of the day room, drainage connection and landscaping, which we have been investigating, including making a number of visits to the site.

“In addition, we have also looked into issues relating to allegations around the noise generated at the site and animal welfare. Our investigations have not resulted in formal action being taken.”

See? They spit in your face and don't even bother to tell you it's raining. 

H/T: i r jackson via email

Is It As Much Of An Embarrassment As The Fact Most Of The Fines Are Overturned?

Up to 10 off-duty police officers were caught at a party that breached coronavirus social distancing rules and were suspended while the police standards office investigates them.

The off-duty officers were discovered breaking the law when their on-duty colleagues from Sussex Police turned up at a large house party in Hove on the evening of May 15th, two days before lockdown restrictions were relaxed.

Whoops! 

A police source speaking to The Telegraph called the incident a “major embarrassment”, especially since the force “have been handing out these draconian £10,000 fines to Covid rule-breakers”.

Yes, they have, but hopefully if they do issue one to their colleagues, they'll actually get it right this time. 

H/T: ir.jackson via email

Sticks And Stones May Break My Bones But...

'Racist' incident, headlines in all media, outrage on Twitter from the usual suspects:

Police said the attack on Monday evening took place following an earlier incident involving Dea-John and his friends during which they were subjected to racist language.

The Guardian understands the abuse is believed to have included the N-word.

Not a racist incident, a single report in local newspaper:

Mr Hayes said: “My daughter can’t remember anything, she was unconscious at the scene for an hour - they took over an hour to revive her.

“However, we have gathered information from witnesses who have come forward.

“She was out with her younger sister and was walking to the taxi rank in Brighton to go home.

“As she walking past Burger King, three black girls came out and ran up and attacked her.

“Witnesses say that these three girls were in Burger King having an altercation with someone in there, they got ejected and as they came out, took it out on my daughter.”

I can't wait to see what happens when the real story abour Dea-John's killing comes out in court. 

Why? You Get Paid Regardless...

Lawyers for a woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for manslaughter have said they are “appalled and gobsmacked” that she will remain in prison six months after her murder conviction was quashed.

And after all, it's not as if she's innocent, is it? 

Farieissia Martin was convicted of murder after stabbing Kyle Farrell, 21, in November 2014. She was jailed for life with a minimum term of 13 years, but the ruling was quashed last year after judges ruled that new evidence had emerged that was not heard in the first trial and a retrial was ordered.

The Crown accepted Martin’s subsequent guilty plea to manslaughter and on Friday the same judge sentenced the 28-year-old, who has already served six and a half years, to 10 years for manslaughter.

He passed a further sentence of nine months for possessing a mobile phone and a razor blade while in prison.

Sounds like prison is absolutely the right place for her. 

Lawyers for Martin said she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Then she should have left him, and not stabbed him in the chest during an argument.

Harriet Wistrich, Martin’s appeal solicitor for Birnberg Peirce and director of the Centre for Women’s Justice (Ed:Aha! An activist in silk...), said she was “appalled and gobsmacked” at the sentence, comparing the length of the sentence with that of Anthony Williams, who received a five-year sentence for manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility after strangling his wife.

She said Martin’s two children, who were aged one and two at the time of the killing, had been sentenced along with their mother.

Sounds a lot more like the justice system has protected them, doesn't it? 

The Do-As-You-Likeys Do...Well, You Know.

The 800 year old Wickham Horse Fair, which usually attracts thousands, had been cancelled for the second consecutive year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Signage had been placed on all main routes into the village of Wickham, Hants, but that didn't stop dozens of travellers bringing their horses for the annual event.

Roads into the village were said to have been completely blocked as police tried to disperse the crowds which had gathered in the square.

And the locals are furious with the ...

Wait. With the cops? What?

Tina O'Nion, who owns hair and nail salon Wispers in the village square, said the 'frustrating' road closures had stopped customers turning up.

The 46 year old said: "The fair has been on for years and that's fine - I used to come down as a child.

"This is only our fourth week since reopening and as a business we have been shut for eight months out of 12.

"We had a notification that the fair was cancelled and that we could trade.

"My main issue is not with the travellers - I think it was a complete overreaction to close the roads leading to the square, and as a result we have lost our custom.

"I'm just so frustrated that here we are trying to get our business back on its feet and this was an inconvenience we did not need."

Don't blame the police for this! They are guilty only of being naive enough to think that a 'community' that makes a point of ignoring laws they don't feel apply to them would take the slightest bit of notice. 

"There must be about 150 travellers in the square now. They're not causing any harm, really, but there could have been some more planning on this."

There was 'planning', but clearly, it wasn't adhered to. So how exactly are they 'not causing harm'? 

Laura Haste is the manager of The Square Cow pub, which directly faces the crowds of travellers, kettled into an area just off the square.

The mother of three said: "We closed yesterday tea time. Once we realised the cancellation was going to be ignored, we decided to close for the day.

"We were in the midst of a national lockdown last year when the event wasn't on, but this year it was always going to be harder to stop people from coming.

"Some of the gypsies were in the pub last night, and they were pleasant enough.

"But it has affected trade in the square today. We have been really busy all this week before today - things were just starting to get going again.

"I think it was always inevitable that it was going to happen today, because they missed it last year and it's a tradition that has gone back centuries.

"We will open up tomorrow. I think it will be by then - we have a busy weekend ahead of us."

The fatalism of these people is astounding. 

This wasn't a natutal disaster like a flood or bad weather - it was a 'community' that decided the laws that had inconvenienced everyone else, but which they had put up with for the greater good (no matter how misguided those laws might be) didn't apply to them.

And the police, who must know in their hearts that their instructions would be ignored, tried to deal with it within the constraints the law allows them. And they are the target of the ire of the local businesses. 

H/T: ir.jackson via email

We Can All See The Double Standards At Play Now...

Chief superintendent Mark Sutherland said: 'Due to the rising level of disorder taking place, and the threat to public safety, in George Square in Glasgow this evening, Saturday, 15 May 2021, Police Scotland will...

Well, since it's this Mark Sutherland, I assume the answer is '...bring them tea and biscuits and facilitate their celebrations'..? 

...make use of powers available to officers under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to disperse those who have chosen to gather there.

'This decision has not been taken lightly, the senior police officer on the ground will give direct instructions to those gathered and anyone in George Square should leave immediately.'

Oh... 

What's 'Difficult' About It?

Police have responded to criticisms of the way they handled an unauthorised horse and trap race on the A33, saying “ultimately these are the difficult decisions policing has to make every day”.

Eh...? People are breaking the laws of the road. You arrest 'em. What's so difficult about that? 

It shouldn't matter who they are, or why they are doing it! 

A spokesperson said: “We know there has been a lot of interest in our decision to close the A33 due to an unauthorised horse and trap racing event on the A33 this weekend. 

“This type of action is not exclusive to this event, as with any large gatherings we have seen across the country this past year, policing always has to balance whether allowing an event to happen, even if illegal, is safer than the risks of shutting it down.

“We accept that this caused some disruption to the road network, but we are doing all we can to manage the situation.

“This is an illegal sporting event, and we do not support or facilitate it...

Wait a minute, hold on... 

Whew! For a minute there I thought I'd been using that word wrong all my life! I think a few of these might come in handy in the office, eh?

...however our primary role as the police is to protect the lives and safety of those that we serve. In order to do this the decision was made to put lane closures in place on the A33 and this was done for road safety reasons only.”

Translation: "We bottled it because we knew they'd kick off and we didn't fancy a ruck.." 

And what happens when you fail to act? 

That's right. You get more of the same.

...speaking at Micheldever Parish Council's AGM, Winchester district inspector John Stribley said it is unknown whether officers will be able to prevent the dangerous sport.

"I don't yet know whether we will be stopping the event, this is now being dealt with at a higher level. When I have the answer, I will let you know. Of course in an ideal world I would like something in place to stop such disruption, but as I say that decision won't be made by me."

Let's hope it's to be made by someone with some balls and a spine, then. Maybe Priti Patel, fresh from Conservative success in the elections, would like to step in and point out who and what these morons work for? 

H/T: I R Jackson via email

But It Clearly Is One Rule For Some, And Another For Others, Nick...

Now I hold no brief for Adderley, a thoroughly modern Chief Con in every respect, but he's spot on here:

Speaking previously, Chief Constable Nick Adderley, said: 'It is exceptionally frustrating when we see a group of people with no regard for other people's safety, completely flouting the restrictions and having the type of funeral many people would have loved to have had but have been unable to hold, simply because they think they are above the law.

'While I of course sympathise with anyone who has lost a loved one, it cannot be one rule for some people and another rule for others, and no one is above the law.

'This is why Northamptonshire Police is seeking to issue its first £10,000 fine to the organisers of this funeral for their total disrespect of the restrictions put in place to keep us all safe.

'This may seem like a harsh course of action to some but I do not apologise whatsoever when I have seen so many painful sacrifices made throughout this pandemic by law-abiding citizens I have a duty towards.'

Very well said! So...why, when our head of State herself is restricted to 30 mourners only, is the CPS letting them off? 

But on Monday afternoon at Northampton Magistrates' Court, the case against Rooney was suddenly dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Prosecutor Stella Moses said the CPS had taken the decision after a 'careful review of the case'.

Is it because the police got the law wrong? If so, we should be told. Because guess who's paying? 

The court heard Rooney, of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, had funded his own defence of the case privately and his costs will now be reimbursed through central funds.

Ain't it always the way? But if Adderley's officers blundered, it should come out of police funing, not general taxation. And if they didn't, questions need asking.

The Owner's Temperament, However, Is Another Matter...

Jenner Stronge was convicted of possessing a prohibited pitbull-type dog called Bleu in January 2017, but was allowed to keep him with conditions including that he be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

Well, those are easy to fol...

Oh. 

But, in February 2018, Mr Stronge was sentenced for failing to keep Bleu on a lead and muzzled, and an immediate destruction order was made, with Mr Stronge banned from keeping a dog for five years.

And that should be the end of it. But no, of course not. 

He failed to surrender Bleu because he was 'desperate to save his dog from destruction'.

The animal was later seized by the Metropolitan Police and held in private kennels pending the outcome of an appeal against his destruction.

Mr Stronge brought a legal challenge against the force for refusing to move Bleu to the kennels of the Dogs Trust, where he said a member of charity staff could take responsibility for Bleu and therefore could be his keeper.

I wonder how he could afford it?  

But, in a judgment today, Judge Roger ter Haar QC dismissed the claim.

The judge said Bleu had an 'excellent temperament and is not known ever to have shown aggressive or dangerous behaviour'.

Unlike the owner. 

The judge added: 'The basis of the destruction order was that the claimant was not a fit and proper person to be in charge of Bleu; the police did not suggest that Bleu's temperament or behaviour made him a danger to the public.'

Again, unlike the owner.  

"Two worlds, one family..."

Gym goers? We'll do you like harp seal pups, you covid-breakers! 

A police raid on a gym in Liverpool which breached Covid rules by refusing to close saw officers pin a man to the floor and wield batons at customers and staff who attempted to flee.

Travellers? Let us close the road for you!

Up to 200 mourners ignored the coronavirus lockdown by amassing outside a church to attend a funeral today as families paid their respects to a tree surgeon who was crushed to death by heavy machinery at work.

Witnesses described travellers binning social distancing rules and drinking en masse, with even children reportedly seen carrying boxes of Stella Artois beer, at the funeral of Daniel White in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

Bikers revved their engines while police were pictured down Churchgate road as a funeral cortege led by Mitsubishis proceeded to St Mary the Virgin Church, where elaborate floral arrangements were laid.

They couldn't make it any clearer, could they? They will treat people not according to the law, but according to the whims of whichever cowardly commissioner or commander heads them up. 

They aren't a service. They are a gang.  

You've Got Some Cheek!

Now, I hold no brief for vacuous 'celebrities' who think the rules don't apply to them. 

But I wonder if this chap's cheeks flushed brighter than a covid patient's when he stood up in court and offered this condemnation:

Charles Holland, who is representing the Met Police's application, said at the hearing, held online due to COVID-19 restrictions, that Rita 'selfishly wanted to flout the lockdown for financial gain and selfish pleasure'.

There's a lot of that going around, isn't there, Met Police?