More Worthless Tick-Boxing Drain On Retailers Time

Retailers will be required to report suspicious or bulk purchases of knives, and those caught selling blades to under-18s will face tougher sentences under a new raft of measures to clamp down on young people’s access to weapons labelled Ronan’s law.

Who? 

Named after Ronan Kanda, the 16-year-old killed in Wolverhampton in 2022 by a teenager carrying a 22in ninja blade he had ordered online, the new laws are part of a raft of anti-knife crime plans announced by the government on Wednesday.

So, not a teenager carrying more than one knife? So why the bulk purchase thing?

A government-commissioned review has found that age verification for buying knives online is “a huge vulnerability”, and that 15 illegal dealers had sold more than 2,000 knives in an 18-month period.

Metropolitan police commander Stephen Clayman, the national lead for knife crime who led the review, said: “I could go to a legitimate dealer and buy 300 knives, and the dealer has no obligation to tell police that someone’s just bought that, or the fact I bought five knives each week for the last 10 weeks.

Well, no, of course not, you idiot! Because what's more likely, that they bought them to sell off individually to Shaniqua and DeWayne to settle beef in the ends, or that they are supplying chef's shools and catering colleges? It seems we hadn't quite scraped the bottom of the 'knife crime idiocy' barrel after all....

“We need to plug that and understand who is buying these knives. Because they are then selling indiscriminately to children and young men, predominantly men, because there are no age verification safeguards.”

How many of them? And how many are not? So you're going to start investigating legitimate business to catch the one, maybe two, people misselling? That doesn't sound likr a good use of time to me. As a wise woman once pointed out:

 

The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “It is horrifying how easy it is for young people to get hold of knives online even though children’s lives are being lost, and families and communities are left devastated as a result.”

And how horrifying is it that they don't have to, because there's multiples in every kitchen in the country. Gosh. Maybe it's not the method, maybe it's the person, Yvette? 

Ronan’s mother, Pooja Kanda, said her son “didn’t stand a chance” against the weapons. “How was this allowed? A 16-year-old managed to get these weapons online and sold them to other people,” she said.

“We welcome the government’s plans to tackle the online sale of these weapons, and the proposal of a registration scheme, which will continue to implement stricter measures on the online sale of bladed articles. We have so much work to tackle knife crime; this is a much-needed beginning.”

Because we all know they aren't going to stop at this idiocy...despite being very well aware of where it's going to lead: 

The prison sentence for people caught selling weapons to under-18s will be increased from six months to up to two years, and both the individual who has processed the sale and the chief executive of a company face being charged. The measure will be implemented even after an official review found that longer incarceration had driven the country’s justice system to breaking point, and that successive governments had prioritised longer prison sentences over cutting reoffending.

We really are governed by morons, aren't we? 

I'm Moving To Nottinghamshire When I Retire!

Because the place must be a crime-free paradise!

A retired teacher was threatened with criminal action after fallen leaves were allegedly blown onto her neighbour's drive. Lorraine Perro, 66, was visited by officers from Nottinghamshire Police who said her garden waste constituted antisocial behaviour and handed her a Community Protection Warning. Ms Perro was left so intimidated by the warning she erected netting on her property to catch any fallen leaves and bark.

Well, it seems harsh, but if her trees are causing a nuis...

Oh. 

She claimed the source of the waste is fallen leaves from trees on nearby parkland that she doesn't own.

And so she's rightly annoyed.  

Ms Perro accused Nottinghamshire Police of overstepping their powers, adding it had infringed on her liberties.

She said: 'I have no convictions and this has caused me major distress.

'We have a park area where the trees blow on to my drive and my neighbours' drives. But I'm told by the police that I am responsible.

'I asked why the police didn't give warnings to the squirrels and birds as well – the wind blows the leaves around.

'I have had to put a net up to prevent leaves being blown about. I feel terribly intimidated by this.

'My rights and freedoms are affected, as it ignores my right to have my garden the way that I want it.

'You are treated as a culprit, as if you have done something wrong and not given a chance to respond or defend yourself.

'I am sure the public would like to see a better use of police time and resources in preventing serious crime.'

Yes indeed, particularly fare dodging. But stroppy urban chip-on-shoulder customers on buses put up more of a fight than retired old ladies.  

Nottinghamshire Police have denied fallen leaves could be covered by the warning.

And now the neighbours who complained to bring about this have waded in to say this isn't about leaves at all. 

The squabbling neighbours live in near identical red brick detached homes in the leafy Nottinghamshire suburb of Eastwood. Neither the lone householder nor the couple are allowed to talk to one another or communicate in any way after signing police 'keep the peace' orders.But matters have escalated in recent weeks after the Amos's accused their neighbour - through their local community officer - of keeping an untidy front and garden with leaves and bark chippings blowing onto their drive and over their rear lawn. They also claimed her 'inconsiderate parking' meant their own car was blocked in their small drive.

Another case of people who don't get on escalating things, then? But is this really a job for police action? 

Mr Amos, 74, a retired classic car sales manager, said: 'She deserves that warning. She is the neighbour from hell.

'We've lived here for 47 years and she has made our lives hell for the past 23 years.

'She's crazy and she continues to invade our privacy and doing annoying things which are driving us mad.'

His wife, a retired customer services advisor for an insurance company, fumed: 'She's a nasty, horrible woman and we just want her to leave us alone.

'We want a quiet life, and we don't need the hassle, but we can't with her next door. She's a total nutter and I just ignore her.

'I'm glad police have given her that a warning, they had every right and it's about time, but I doubt it will stop her carryings on.'

This isn't a job for the police, this is something only an estate agent can solve. If these people can't live together one of them should move. But it's yet another indication of how the police are happy to wade in on things like this, but run a mile when confronted with organised pushback that could be considered 'racially charged'. 

And Nor Should They...But The NHS Should!

Scotland Yard will face no action from the police watchdog over the disappearance of Owami Davies, despite the fact officers spoke to her the same day she was reported missing after being called to welfare concerns.

Good. They shouldn't face any. What were they supposed to do, when at the point they spoke to her they didn't know she was a missing person? 

Good to see them hitting back at the usual suspects whining about 'racism'.

Fears for Miss Davies' safety had been mounting over the past two months after she was last seen walking north along London Road in Croydon on July 7 after leaving her family home in Grays, Essex three days earlier - having told her mother she was going to the gym.

Despite the arrests of five people and numerous appeals for information, some 50 officers were struggling to locate Miss Davies as they trawled through 117 reported sightings of her and 50,000 hours of CCTV footage as they frantically worked to retrace the student nurse's steps.

All for nothing. She wasn't missing at all. She was just another flake with mental issues.   

Her colleagues at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GSST) added: 'We are delighted that our colleague Owami has been found and is safe. Thank you to everyone who helped to find her.'

Shouldn't that be 'ex-colleague'..? Surely the NHS isn't so desperate for nursing staff it's considering taking on a mentally-troubled recruit? 

It comes as it emerged that an NHS trust offered her a job then withdrew it because she did not respond to her emails while she went missing.

A spokesperson from GSTT also confirmed to MailOnline that the job offer was withdrawn due to an automated system when a response was not received. They said in a statement: 'Owami has been offered a job with our Trust but unfortunately our automated system withdrew this when a response was not received within a specific timeframe.

'As soon as this was discovered we very quickly reinstated the job offer which remains open.'

Oh. Apparently they are... 

"The night they drove ol' Bicester down...."

A woman from Oxfordshire posted a photo of the flag hoisted up by the van on Facebook this morning, saying today is the third day she has seen it up.

An offensive flag? I wonder what it it? Skull and crossbones? Swastika? ISIS?

Well....no.

The 26-year-old woman, who has asked not to be named, said she reported the van to police at Bicester Police station but they cannot take it down.

She said: "They've spoken to him and explained the meaning behind the flag but he's expressed it was a gift from a friend in the southern states so for that reason they're powerless to get it taken down because no crime is officially being committed but I can speak to the council about it."

What is it about modern life that makes people think they have the right to demand others do as they say simply because they are 'offended'..? 

Might I Suggest 'April 1st'...?

PC Heidi Moxam, Road Casualty Reduction Officer for the south-west force, said: "Our aim is to create a road respect culture in Dorset by highlighting the benefits of being more considerate to each other on the road."

Hmmm, not sure this is really the role of the police, but OK, how exactly will your cash-strapped (because of the terrible Toree cutz, natch!) force do this?

Good drivers who stick to speed limits will be sent congratulatory letters through the post, police have announced.

Any letters sent out will look to praise driving, speed and general behaviour by motorists as part of a “road respect” culture.

...

I...

Wait, what?

Dorset Police said that the full scheme will be launched shortly but did not provide a date.

Well, I know what comes to mind.

H/T: Rolo Tamasi vis Twitter

"You got to know when to hold 'em..."

"..know when to fold 'em..."

Northamptonshire Police withdrew an order to have the dog destroyed ahead of a hearing at Wellingborough Magistrates' Court.

The court ruled that Muppet, a lurcher-whippet crossed with a Staffordshire bull terrier, should be muzzled at all times while in public.

Yes, I knew it'd be worth keeping an eye on this case.

Police had initially proposed to have the dog put down and had twice asked Mr Penfold to sign a voluntary destruction order. When he refused, the case was sent to court.

However, before the hearing on Thursday, Mr Penfold and the force reached an agreement that such an order would not be made as it was "completely out of character for Muppet".

Magistrates also ordered that the dog must be secured to prevent escape and controlled while in public by someone over 16. They also ordered Mr Penfold maintain third party insurance for the dog.

Seems poker's not your game, cops. You blinked.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Penfold said it had made his Christmas to be reunited with "placid" Muppet in December after not seeing him since he was seized last February.

Ah, well, it's only taxpayers' money, after all.

Grow Up, People! They Are Police Officers, Not Hurt Feelings Co-Ordinators!

Asked if she had a message for the ranting man, Ms Brookman said: “His views are unbelievably outdated and offensive in 2015.

“While people like him still exist and think women should not be commuting and working like men there’s still a long way to go.”

Woman has encounter with male chauvinist pig on Tube platform, gives as good as she gets, Tweets about it, the end.

But wait! Her feels! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!

TfL’s director of enforcement Steve Burton called the man’s outburst “unacceptable”.

“All our customers have the right to travel without abuse from other passengers,” he said.

“This unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated.

“If you experience anything that makes you feel uncomfortable please report it to the police or a member of staff.”

Oh, good god! Finding out that there’s some unreconstructed dinosaur on the same platform as you, who thinks you should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, is not a police matter!

I can’t say it’s even a matter for the underground staff – what are they going to do, revoke the guy’s Oyster card?

Meanwhile, in Southend:

In the last month, his team have dealt with harassment texts relating to the unhappy sale of a car, children shouting abuse at each other outside of school and numerous road rage incidents.

All of these incidents, which police are obliged to log in their system and carry out initial investigations, have resulted in no further action due to uncooperative victims.

He has urged people to think before phoning police.

Waste of time. No-one’s listening.