"Is That A Pistol On Your Facebook Page, Or Are You Just Pleased To See Me?!

A man was prosecuted for posting a picture of himself on Facebook posing with...

Oo-er!

...airsoft equipment.

Oh.

Christopher Turnbull, of Grangemouth, Scotland, was charged with a criminal offence for posting the picture, which was seen by a Stuart Brodie of Police Scotland.

No surprise there, I guess!

The 45-year-old was eventually cleared at Falkirk Sheriff Court (magistrates' court) on August 31 – but his pleas for prosecutors and the legal system to see common sense before the trial went unheard.

Oh, bless him! He thinks there's common sense in the legal system! I wonder if he believes in fairies & unicorns too?

Turnbull was charged with posting pictures and videos that were "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing manner, in that they depicted [Turnbull] in possession of a cache of firearms and explosives".

I'm amazed Police Scotland haven't made utter fools of themselves before this, raiding 'Blockbusters'...

"Jings ma boab, sarge, there's thousands of offences..!"

In a vain attempt to make procurator fiscal (Crown prosecutor) Jennifer Harrower do the right thing and drop the case, Turnbull's solicitor, William McIntyre, wrote: "My client's concern is that he wonders why he has been singled out for prosecution from the fifty thousand or so other members of the United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association who regularly post these types of images on social media. I am not sure if you are aware of the fact that Airsoft is an extremely popular leisure pursuit all over the world, as well as within Central Scotland where there are skirmish sites in both Grangemouth and Bonnybridge."

He added that around 300 pictures had been posted in July alone on the airsoft group where Police Scotland's Stuart Brodie had copied the pictures for the prosecution.

Indeed! One wonders just what it was that poor Turnbull did to provoke the ire of Police Scotland. And least you think that the justice system up there finally came to its senses...

We understand a break in the chain of evidence rendered the prosecution's evidence legally worthless.

Which could be a hurried attempt to back out with less egg on their faces, or could be that they are incompetent as well as wasteful and authoritarian.

El Reg understands that the comments contained numerous unmistakable references to airsoft games.

And it was the removal of these that apparently scuppered the case. So can't they be done for tampering with evidence?

H/T: Ivan Turner via email

Just Hide Out In A Ditch, Love....

...it's Police Scotland, after all, they'll never find you there:

Larysa Switlyk, 33, 'a world-renowned hunter' from Sarasota, Florida, was accused of 'trophy hunting' wild animals on the island of Islay, Scotland in September after she posed for a series of Instagram photos during the hunt.

Now, Police Scotland have confirmed that the hunter, who regularly posts photos of her hunts alongside her boyfriend Jason, has been reported for firearms offences, along with a 41-year-old man also from the US.

While she was pictured with slain goats, stags and sheep on Islay, hunting animals in season is not illegal in Scotland and she is facing a charge under Section 11a of the Firearms Act, which relates to how you can use borrowed shotguns legally.

One hopes they've boned up on firearms laws since their last debacle...

Ms Switlyk drew intense criticism from politicians and celebrities after posting the photos - although many commenters mocked her for posing so proudly with a sheep.

Police Scotland added that they had received several complaints about hunting in September and the Procurator Fiscal is now investigating.

No, I have no idea why Police Scotland are mocked and derided as little more than hapless lackeys in blue of the offendatrons...

British hunter Jenna Gearing was one of those involved in the trip but said she quit early disgusted by Ms Switlyk's attitude.

'I'm not friends with her [Larysa] any longer and In fact the reason I left that hunt early was because I was so against what she stood for and her morals.

'I'd left the hunting trip before that photo was taken but it is an embarrassment to people that hunt like me and my family, who do it for sustainability, management and to eat wholesome freerange meat that I can source.'

There's always some useful idiot who thinks that they can avoid a clampdown on their sport by throwing someone else under the bus, isn't there? Do they never learn?

You Really Left Them No Choice But Social Media, Police Scotland....

Tayside Police Division have confirmed that a 34-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the dog’s disappearance.

A statement from the force warned locals not to “compromise the legal process” on social media.

They mean naming the man. Now, I know Scotland has its own - sometimes bizarre - laws, but once someone's charged, why is it not possible to name him?

It said: “As some of you may know already, a 34-year-old man was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with the disappearance of Pixie the pug dog in Dundee on July 16. He is to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“As someone has now been charged, for legal reasons we can’t provide any further information until such time as he appears in court.

“While we are aware that the identity of this person has been distributed on social media, again we have to ask that anyone commenting here does not mention any names so as not to compromise the legal process.

“Thanks for all the help we’ve received and to the witnesses who have come forward to speak with us, it’s very much appreciated.”

If not for that 'help' (for that, read 'doing the polices' job for them) there wouldn't be any one charged....

The little dog was last seen safe on Monday afternoon at the Stobswell home of family friend Kelly Deuchar, 36.

She had been looking after the beloved pet and had left it in the care of a flatmate. The dog was later reportedly seen being roughly handled by a man in Baxter Park and carried limp through the streets of Dundee.

Pixie’s family have launched an online campaign to try to trace the 11-month-old dog but were told by Police Scotland it would be late on Thursday before an officer could speak to them — three days after she vanished.

But once the Internet got on the case, things moved pretty fast.

Police Scotland was asked last night to explain why no officer could be made available to speak to the family sooner. A spokesman said: “We can confirm that the matter has been reported to Police Scotland and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”

Didn't answer the question, I note...

It’s Only Taxpayers Money Pt 83290122

The family of Sheku Bayoh have reached an out-of-court settlement with Police Scotland after moving to sue the force following his death. Mr Bayoh, 31, died in Kirkcaldy, Fife on May 3, 2015, after he was restrained on the ground by six police officers. His family raised a civil action against Police Scotland three years later.

And the cops have thrown in the towel and are paying them to go away.  

A public inquiry has also been examining the circumstances leading to Mr Bayoh’s death, the investigation into his death and whether or not race was a factor. Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell met with Mr Bayoh’s family last month and offered an apology to them for their ordeal.A joint statement from Police Scotland and solicitor Aamer Anwar, who has been representing the family, said on Monday a settlement has now been agreed without any admission of liability by the force.

How much? We don't know, it's our money, and we aren't allowed to know. 

The statement said that to “respect the privacy of the family, the details of the agreement will remain confidential”.

The actual rank and file police aren't happy, either. 

A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Federation said the organisation, which represents rank-and-file officers, was “surprised to find that the chief constable has decided to settle this claim”.

The spokesperson said: “As the inquiry continues, it would be inappropriate to say any more at this stage, other than to remind the public that the clear position of the officers involved in the apprehension of Mr Bayoh is that they acted reasonably, in the public interest in the circumstances, given the danger that he presented.”

But with the state of the justice system they don't want to take a chance, and there's always more taxpayer cash where that came from, isn't there? 

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

A police officer later exposed as a violent serial rapist passed vetting checks to join his force despite two existing reports of criminal behaviour against women.

What use are vetting checks that don’t work? 

Alan Greer was investigated by police in 2002 and 2005 for making inappropriate phone calls to women and in one case was given a formal police caution.But he was given a job at Strathclyde Police – now Police Scotland – in 2009 despite vetting staff knowing about his history.

Police Scotland had claimed there were no 'missed opportunities' to expose Greer's offending sooner...

Really? Surely they wouldn’t lie about such a thing? 

...but has now said its comments related only to the officer's police career, not his vetting.

Ah lying by omission. Or ‘clever PR’, as we no doubt refer to it these days…

Last month Lynn Ratcliff, assistant chief constable, said vetting was 'markedly different' compared to when Greer undertook the process and added he would not have passed current checks.

Is that another lie? Reader, it is, and an easily disproved one, at that! 

A Strathclyde Police handbook from 2006, which details its standard operating procedures, said the force 'should not recruit people with cautions or convictions, which may call into question the integrity of the applicant or the force'.

Perhaps Lynn Ratcliffe should come under sctutiny for lying to the public? 

A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We have been completely open and transparent around information which can be shared in relation to the ongoing investigation into Alan Greer.

No you haven't - you've obfuscated and flat out lied at every turn so incompetently you've immediately  been found out! I'm embarrassed for you. 

They've Failed More Than One Family, They've Failed Society...

The pit bull’s owners were not home but a friend of theirs, a woman, was in the property at the time. She reportedly came out after hearing the child’s scream and threw water on the dog to get it off.

And called an ambulance? No, let the sobbing child run home covered in blood! 

Gillian rushed her crying daughter to hospital and police were called to A&E to note down a report of the attack.

But clearly, not to actually do anything about it. 

But the mum isn’t happy with how the case has been treated and is now hitting back at Police Scotland, saying they have “failed” her family. The attack happened on 11 September this year. Nearly two months later, on 8 November, the police went back to the family with an update.

She said: “Knowing that Rose is lucky to be still here makes me so angry. “[I am even] angrier that the police don't see this as serious as it is.

“The police said that they wouldn't be charging or having the dog destroyed as Rose wasn't in a public place, and the dog hadn’t attacked anyone before.

“No dog should be able to live after attacking anyone – even more so a child.

Quite! They've already had several attacks and one recent death to these dogs in Scotland so what the hell is with the nonsensical 'one bite' policy? 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 8.40pm on Wednesday, 11 September 2024, officers received a report of a dog attack on Tresta Road, Glasgow.

"Enquiries were carried out and advice and assistance were given.

“No further police action was required.”

Oh, it was required all right, it just wasn't undertaken. Why not? 

H/T: Baz via Twitter 

Procurator Fiscal Service Are Just As Useless North Of The Border As CPS South Of It...

So, the inevitable result of this case.

A police officer has been cleared by a jury in Edinburgh of raping a woman and a six-year-old girl after doubts emerged about the dates of the alleged attacks. Martyn Coulter, 36, a Police Scotland constable currently on suspension, was found not guilty of six of the charges by verdicts and a seventh charge was not proven – a verdict of acquittal, after the jury deliberated for nearly four hours.

Sounds like that was three hours longer than needed: 

He said that the second alleged rape of the woman at his former home in Dunbar at lunchtime in September 2013 “could not have happened” as he was in Hampshire taking part in military police training. His alleged victim, now 36, has claimed he wanted sex with her to celebrate his forthcoming posting to Afghanistan and forced himself on her, but Coulter said he only discovered he was going there in November. The court also heard evidence she went on a night out with him later that day.

What on earth possessed them to go to trial with this?

Duguid challenged the prosecution’s account by producing Google maps, timelines, bank statements and social media posts showing Coulter’s locations on the day of the alleged rape in September 2013. His army records showed he had been on an army training course for most of the month.

Someone should be investigated for this. 

Oh, wait. Someone will...but not, of course, who you'd think: 

Police Scotland said: “The officer remains suspended and, given that criminal proceedings have concluded, the matter will now be assessed for misconduct by Police Scotland’s professional standards department.”

Translation: "We couldn't get you for that but we still want our pound of flesh..." 

That Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act Is Going Well, Then...

A senior academic has been reported to police after allegedly making ­sectarian comments at an anti-racism rally.

Oh. 

Jeanette Findlay, an economics professor at Glasgow University, spoke at the event in Glasgow on Saturday. She is chairman and founding member of Call it Out, a campaign against anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic bigotry.

And her chosen method is....Protestant bigotry!  

In a recording of her speech to protesters, shared on social media platform X, Professor Findlay said members of the Orange Order were at the event. She said they ‘swim in the same dirty water as the racists who are in Luton or London’ and claimed ‘anti-fascist’ protesters had been ‘kettled’ by ‘political police’ at the event. Professor Findlay said: ‘When you say you won’t allow the Right on your streets, can I remind you that the Right march our streets every week 11 months of the year – and in particular in July, when they take over the whole city from the first hour of the morning to the last hour at night. You need to stand with us and our community and protect our churches, our places of ­worship, when those b******* are going past us.’

Protect them from people marching past, not actually doing anything other than existing? What a snowflake.

The professor is also seen in another video shared on X ­asking a police officer who is telling her to move on: ‘Are you moving the Huns?’

Well, I'm learning new epithets for religious bigotry, not sure of the derivation of that one...  

A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘A complaint has been received and is being assessed.’

As you have to do now.  

A statement online said the Grand Lodge had ‘written to the Scottish Government, police and other organisations expressing our concern over Professor Findlay’s speech and seeking action’. Todd Ferguson, a Tory councillor in North Ayrshire, tweeted: ‘The speech is at odds with the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.’

Easy to see why crime is becoming rife in Scotland, if the police are tied up with this nonsense all the time... 

Well, Who? Apart, Of Course, From The Usual Suspects...

The mother of a man who was mauled to death by an XL Bully he was dog-sitting is demanding someone take accountability.

Scott Samson's remains were discovered alongside the dog in the blood-soaked living room of his home in Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, on March 15 last year. The XL Bully, named Mitch, belongs to Neal Stark, 37, who had given it to a friend when he was jailed for drug offences in February 2025.The friend then asked Mr Samson to look after the dog while he went on holiday.

I guess having criminal-adjacent friends who palm off unregistered dangerous dogs on you in Scotland is a risk factor akin to going out to attend a protest while armed in Minnesota albeit with a far more grueome outcome...

Mr Samson's mother Morag said police did not tell her he had been attacked by the dog when his body was discovered, and instead said he died from an accidental drug overdose - leaving her confused when an undertaker said she would not be able to see his body and he would need a closed coffin.

So they lied. Is anyone surprised? Think they've sunk about as low as they could go? Reader, you ain't heard nothin' yet:  

Morag said dog catchers were unable to remove the aggressive XL Bully from the house, meaning it was left in the room with Mr Samson's body for another 13 hours during which time she believes it continued to attack him, targeting his 'private parts'.

The cause of Mr Samson's death was inconclusive due to the extent of the damage done to his body.

Yes, Police Scotland let this monster mutt eat the victim rather than risk the emails from the 'aww poor puppy' lunatics by sending in an ARV to riddle the thing with bullets. 

Morag was reeling with anger when she learnt no one will be prosecuted over her son's death and police have spent thousands of pounds keeping the XL Bully in kennels since the attack.

It's only taxpayer's money, Morag... 

The grieving mother said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told her there isn't enough evidence to prosecute the dog's owner, despite the animal being confirmed by experts as an XL Bully and found to be unregistered - a legal requirement for the banned breed.

Once again, the CPS living down to their nickname. 

Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey MSP said: 'This deeply troubling case exposes serious failures in how dangerous dogs are dealt with in Scotland, leaving families devastated and police tied up with costly, drawn-out processes. 'SNP ministers were far too slow to act on XL Bullies, and this failure has left communities less safe while taxpayers foot the bill. 'Police and prosecutors need the powers, clarity and resources to act decisively, and SNP ministers must urgently explain why that is still not happening.'

But they won't and they won't face any genuine consequences for this either, and you know it... 

That Accident North Of The Wall Is No Longer Waiting To Happen...

...it's happened: 

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being savaged by an 'out-of-control' XL bully-type dog that had attacked another man in the street minutes before.

The man was attacked by the 'bulldog-type' animal in the area of Tinto View, Hamilton, Scotland at around 5pm, prompting Police Scotland to send armed response officers to the scene who subsequently shot the animal dead.

The blood's on your hands as well as the idiot owner, Siobhian, if this turns out to be true:

The Record understands the canine had been rescued from England. Police say inquiries to establish the animal's breed are ongoing.

I've had a quick glance at social media, which is exactly as I suspected, full of smooth-brained 'animal lovers' claiming 'any dog can be savage' and 'it's the owner, not the dog' and 'why did the police not tranquilise it' as they always do in these instances. 

At least the Scottish taxpayer's not on the hook for the mutant mutt's long stay in kennels until a judge finally signs a destruction order so well done, Police Scotland, well done indeed.

And If That’s The Case, Who Is Committing Them, Sandy?

A senior police officer has said that the 1,400 rape allegations made in Scotland in the space of six months this year probably represents "the tip of the iceberg". The total number of cases recorded by Police Scotland between April and September was 19.5% higher than in the same period last year. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said police were hoping it represented victims having increased confidence in coming forward to report sex crimes.

And if it doesn't represent this, but instead represents an actual increase, Sandy? What then? 

Police Scotland revealed the figures as it launched the latest phase of its award-winning That Guy social media campaign, which aims to prevent sexual offending by addressing male behaviour.

It's noticable that almost all the men in this campaign are white Scots. There's the odd token dusky-hued chap, but they are very much in the minority.  

Praised by campaigners, That Guy was launched in 2021 and targets men aged between 18 and 35, the main age of people convicted of sexual crime.

And though they've considered age, it seems they've not looked at race.  But then, ignoring the obvious in order to skew the stats appears to be a thing south of the border too...

The Police Are Revolting!

But in a good way:

Scores of Scotland Yard officers are in open revolt after being banned from wearing Union Flag badges in support of British troops.

Met chiefs have decreed that the tiny emblems – which cost £1 with proceeds going to charity – must be removed after a complaint that they are offensive.

To whom? And why?

The report doesn’t say, only that ‘a complaint’ was received. So one malicious or ignorant little troublemaker gets to set policy for the Met?

A petition has been launched on the Downing Street website demanding they be allowed to wear the badges, which are to raise funds for the Royal British Legion and the Help for Heroes charity.

Good! I’ll be signing it, and I’ve put the link at the foot of this post.

Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: ‘The decision to forbid police officers from joining the rest of the country in showing support for those who are fighting for their country is nothing less than shameful.’

And it looks like some police, at least, have finally had enough.

Officers at Heathrow were also ordered to take down a Union Flag hoisted on June 27 – Armed Forces Day – because it was not an ‘approved ensign’. Strict rules are in place about when the Union Flag can be flown at individual police stations.

Mr Smyth added: ‘These orders from senior officers are legal and must be obeyed. They are, however, also completely crass.’

Not only that, they damage the reputation of the police and increase the number of civilians who no longer view them as ‘our police’ but rather as representatives of an increasingly out-of-touch ruling elite.

Because their double-standards have been noticed…

Mr Smyth said senior officers routinely turn a blind eye to constables wearing gay pride ribbons when they go on marches.

Well, of course they do! Those are favoured causes, and as such, are exempt from ‘the rules’.

More evidence of this is in the flag dispute:

In February, Scotland Yard was hit by another row over political correctness after the Union Flag hanging outside a police station was replaced by a gay rights flag to mark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) history month.

This is despite Met rules stating that only the Union Flag and its own flag can fly from force buildings.

So, rules are only there until politically inconvenient, and they can then be dispensed with, while maintaining them for causes that are not politically convenient.

How..convenient….

The Downing Street petition is here.

Update: They've backed down.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has made an "exception" to the force's dress code by allowing officers to display union jack badges.

Sir Paul's intervention came after about 2,700 people signed an online petition on the Number 10 website.

No Signs Of Intelligent Life...

No, not a post on the Mars lander! Though the images were stunning, it's a more down to earth matter...

After a decent interval to allow undertakers to collect the still-warm bodies from the streets after a Bank Holiday weekend full of reports of stabbings and beatings, the liberal do-gooders are striking back, lest we actually do anything too harsh, like punish offenders. First up is Magnus Linklater from the ‘Times’, who is quick to claim that prison doesn’t work:

Here is John Carnochan, head of the Violence Reduction Unit at Strathclyde Police, where knife crime is more than three times higher than in the rest of the UK: “It is a truism that putting people in jail doesn't work,” he says. “It may make the rest of us feel better, but it was never intended to solve the problem, nor does it.”

Well, obviously not, John, if your knife crime figures are three times higher than the rest of the country! Perhaps you aren’t jailing enough people…?

Most detailed surveys show that people are fully aware of the limitations of prison. They know that they have become, for the most part, universities of crime, and the public are more interested in schemes that work - that offer treatment to drug addicts, training programmes for young offenders, or properly supervised service to the community. They would probably understand the Sure Start programme, which helps young families, if the Government was prepared to come out and sell it properly.

Ah, yes, the age old cry of the liberal do-gooder; ‘people just don’t support my policy, there must be something wrong with them...!’

Actually, they understand all right – it’s why they don’t want to buy into more crazy schemes designed to ‘help and assist’ those who have repeatedly shown no inclination to change or help themselves.

Next up is everyone’s favourite PC PC, Sir Ian Blair, who thinks a solution to the rising tide of crime is more police ‘plastic police’:

Dedicated police staff are to patrol London's youth courts to encourage knife crime victims and witnesses to testify against their attackers.
The decision to put police community support officers inside the capital's youth courts is part of a series of special measures to tackle knife crime in London to be outlined by the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, later this week.

I wonder why the victims and witnesses are afraid to give evidence…?

The papers for the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting make clear that Scotland Yard is well aware of the possible implications of stepping up the scale of "stop and search" operations, which will disproportionately hit young people from minority ethnic communities. The police say they will monitor the ethnic impact of the new stop and search campaigns and will try to secure a community mandate for this approach by recruiting local community leaders as observers of the enforcement campaign.

Oh, yeah, that’s why. Senior police worry too much about the sensitivities of the youths, and not so much about the safety of the public. Not reassuring, is it? Nor the bit about recruiting ‘local community leaders’….

Still, that isn’t Blair’s most daft statement :

Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said that families must confront their children over weapons in the same way as they would over drugs and excessive drinking.

Yup, the most senior police officer in the land believes that it’s just escaped parent’s minds not to add in ‘Don’t carry a knife’ to the routine ‘Don’t drink and take drugs’ warning! Frankly, I’d be surprised if some of these parents can remember their kids’ names, never mind actually talk to them…

Sir Ian welcomed recent comments by a senior judge last week that said those caught carrying knives should face jail and called for a simple, tough stance, criticising the “conflicting messages” on what penalty those found with knives can expect.
The police chief added: “The knives we are seeing are not nearly as often home-made constructed weapons, as weapons you would take from the kitchen drawer.

Perhaps I’ve missed something, but as the UK isn’t a giant open air prison (despite the best efforts of the Labour government and local councils), why on earth would kids need to resort to ‘home made weapons’?

Has Blair watched too many episodes of ‘Prisoner Cell Block H’ on DVD or something..?

It Helps If You Get The Basics Right...

Another day, another dog attack:

The matter has now been reported to Police Scotland.

A spokesman said: “Police were made aware of a dog attacking another dog on Portobello beach around 12pm on Friday, 16 October, 2020. The dog suffered serious injuries and died at the scene. Enquiries are currently ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Well, at least the police are on the case. Unlike Police Scotland to get something rig.... 

Oh.

“I tried to walk away,” said Helen, who was now holding the ailing Fudge. “He couldn’t control his dogs – they were just going mad now. He was kicking them and shouting at them.

“I could feel Fudge fading, so I had to race to the vets.”

Sadly Fudge died before Helen got him to the veterinary for treatment.

“He didn’t have a mark on him so he wasn’t mauled. The vet said he had died of a heart attack from the fright of the attack.”

/facepalm 

Joined Up Policing!

Police told a young boy who was savaged by a rottweiler cross that he will have to put up with the dog sharing the same garden. Ten-year-old Kieran Mitchell was playing in his garden when he was grabbed by the dog, owned by a downstairs neighbour in the same block of flats.

Kieran needed 17 stitches – but police took the dog away for only one day and gave its owners a warning.

Hmmm…

The owner of the six-and-a-half-year-old dog, which is called Khia, defended her pet. Angela Cunningham, 38, said: “She can be overly friendly but she has never bitten anybody.

“I believe Khia jumped on the boy and her claws caused the lacerations. The report from the council’s dog control team said the boy suffered lacerations, not bite marks.”

Oh, well, that’s OK then, as long as he was just cut to ribbons, and not bitten!

Meanwhile, over in another part of Scotland, they seem a bit more…well, maybe ‘robust’ isn’t quite the word:

Officers were called to a house in Bellshill after three-year-old Lara bit the owner’s cousin and a friend. But Danielle Henderson claims her dog was simply being protective of her newborn pups and the police reaction was over the top.

The police reaction being, incredibly, to summon a vet to put the dog down right there and then in front of the owner!

Ms Henderson (20), of Amethyst Avenue, Bellshill, described Lara as a ‘friendly’ dog, adding: “I was devastated when she was put down. They said she was being sedated, but she died in front of me.”

Ah. So, apparently to lie about what action was being taken too, according to the owner.

The police themselves are adamant that they were doing what she herself requested:

The court heard evidence from a vet and a police dog handler who both said Ms Henderson wanted Lara put down - something Mr Murray disputed in court. Vet Colin Elliot defended his practice’s role in the situation.

He said: “A vet was called out under police instruction to euthanasise a dog that had bitten two people. The vet cannot make that decision.” A

police spokesman described the dog’s death as ‘unfortunate’, but added: “We were responding to a call about a dangerous dog. “We took advice from a vet and a dog handler at the scene that the dog had to be put down. The owner wanted that.”

She claims she didn’t. And this is a very shaggy dog tale indeed, with no-one wanting to take a hard look at it:

Government advice issued to police under the Dangerous Dogs Act outlines circumstances in which an owner can be charged and an animal seized pending a court hearing, but there is no mention of police having the power to destroy a dog.

A spokesman for the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals declined to comment on the police handling of this case…

It seems quite incredible, in this day and age, that no owner consent form would be used to prevent this sort of counterclaim…

One For Rebus..?

Armed police were called to a 'disturbance' at a house at Fernieside Crescent in the south east of Edinburgh at about 8.25am on Tuesday. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Local residents have reported hearing 'multiple gunshots' ringing out in the street. It is understood the incident involved a weapon but no one was shot with a gun.

Eh..? 

The incident was caught in Ring doorbell camera footage, where an officer is seen walking through a garden before five gunshot-like sounds are heard, soon followed by six more, the Sun reports.

There's a puzzler that could come from the pen of Ian Rankin, all right!  

In a statement, the Police Scotland said their inquiries are continuing.

I wonder what they are looking for, if not a gun? 

Police Scotland said a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

That'll make great reading! Unless it's a typo and they meant 'The Fortean Times'... 

Hunting Bigger Game…

It seems Scottish Police scorn their southern counterparts when it comes to the hunting of photographers.

Not for them the smaller plains game of tourists and doting fathers wanting a snap of their children on a merry-go-round. They are after one of the Big Five: professional journalists.

And it seems they have two heads for their trophy wall - Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney:

Baxter and Phinney were arrested as they were interviewing on camera Susie Munro, a resident who objects to the development of the resort. They say the police asked them to turn off the camera, but they refused.

After Baxter again refused to switch it off, their camera was taken forcibly, they say, and Baxter was handcuffed. All that footage is now likely to be used in the film, they said.

Assuming it was in any kind of viewable state when they got it back…

It seems this is another part in the ongoing saga of Donald Trump’s golf resort, as Subrosa points out, a very long-running saga indeed:

The two men were arrested as they investigated allegations that contractors working for Trump accidentally cut off the water supply to several local residents, including his fiercest critic Michael Forbes, for several days. The journalists said their camera equipment was held by police for five days, preventing them from filming.

Now, I know Scotland’s laws are very different, but surely the right of journalists to go about their work unhindered is still paramount?

Baxter and Phinney, who have worked for the BBC and Channel 4 News and won awards for their films, strenuously deny the allegations against them. They insist that Trump's local manager, Paul O'Connor, freely agreed to be interviewed on camera and that their film proves they entered the building with permission and never filmed any documents.

And it seems that the police have had second thoughts too:

In a letter seen by the Guardian, Grampian police said they had given the film-makers written warnings even though there was "sufficient evidence" to report both for breach of the peace.

Didn’t want to find out what the Procurator Fiscal would have to say, then?

They can’t entirely count on skinning out their trophies just yet, either:

Paul Holleran, the NUJ's regional organiser in Scotland, said the arrests were unjustified and had important implications for press freedom. A formal letter of complaint has been sent to the Grampian chief constable, Colin McKerracher.

"This is a blatant example of police interference aimed at stopping bona fide journalists from doing their job," Holleran said. "Their footage shows they were asking very pertinent questions in a mannerly fashion as befits professional journalists. I believe this is a breach of human rights, and we are taking legal advice. I think this must be one of the first cases in this country of journalists being arrested for just carrying out interviews to establish the truth and hold people to account."

Oh, dear. The police should remember that, in hunting any dangerous game, you need to make your first shot count.

Or you're going to get mauled...

What A Coincidence!

I knew it wouldn't be long before we heard from this bunch again...

A spokeswoman for Bark n Fly told the Daily Record: “We can confirm that on Friday, September 25, there was an incident involving an altercation between two dogs which was witnessed by a member of our team who is a retired Police Officer.

“Coincidentally, also the owner of the dog that was injured.”

Well, I never!  

“A full incident report and witness statement has been completed and the incident has now been reported to Police Scotland and to the local Dog Warden.”

Oh, really? 

The Daily Record approached Police Scotland for comment but were told no report could be found.

Well, I suppose they could have lost it. In a ditch somewhere.  

Lewis says he was 'not surprised' by the behaviour of the kennel towards Gosia. He told the Record:

“I was quite shocked but sadly not surprised to hear about the incident with Dash at Bark n Fly.

“This is yet another incident in an area not covered by CCTV and further evidence of lack of controls and supervision.”

One to watch! 

Let Their Own Words Condemn Them ….

The mood was angrier than it was last time, as thousands of demonstrators seized their final opportunity to persuade MPs to scrap plans for an increase in tuition fees.

Yes, anyone with half a brain could see, on Thursday morning, that this demo was going to be bigger and far more bad-tempered than the last couple.

Which rather begs the question, doesn’t it, why so many ‘peaceful’ protestors still attended, despite the increasingly fraught atmosphere?

They had been allowed to march through Trafalgar Square and down towards Buckingham Palace, before turning to head for the Houses of Parliament as MPs debated the issue.

There the march halted as police and stewards alike tried unsuccessfully to direct it up Whitehall.

The crowds, only "vaguely" under the stewards' control, according to eye-witnesses, just refused to comply.

That’s the thing with crowds, though, isn’t it? The police and stewards were never ‘in control’ of its progress, they merely had the illusion of control, so long as the crowd was willing to comply.

And when they no longer were…

Barriers had been erected by police, stopping protesters crossing the road in front of Parliament and getting on to the grass in the centre of the square. But protesters tore them down and bonfires were soon burning under the shadow of Winston Churchill's statue. It was then daubed with graffiti, saying: "Fuck police", "Clegg eat shit" and "Education for the masses".

I believe we’ve had ‘education for the masses’ for the last 50 years, as a commenter noted yesterday. Look what they’ve done with it!

As Leg-Iron points out, these changes aren't even going to affect the majority of courses, but they WILL serve to weed out the courses we can no longer afford to support.

Julyan Phillips, 23, whose face was covered with blood as he staggered away from the melée, said: "I was in the front line. People were trying to push forwards. I had my hand behind my back and was shouting at the officers that I was not trying to resist and one of them just decided to baton me. He gave me no warning. A few people around me were hurt.

"All the rises in tuition fees will do is perpetuate the divide between the rich and the poor," he added.

Just marvellous, isn’t it, the incomprehension that if people in the crowd start off their pre-planned violence, the police will be forced to up their game too?

The refusal to take heed of the fact that these planned changes to tuition fees won’t even affect the genuinely poor, they will – once again – mainly affect the squeezed middle classes?

And it doesn’t stop there…

James Samuel, 17, a London sixth-former going to university next year, said: "I have seen a girl get trampled and people squeezed against the fences. I think violence by the protesters is OK if that's what it takes to get things done. It's about time the English showed their passion for issues. This is our last chance to show them that the vote is not OK."

Ah, the wisdom of youth – not! I do hope he doesn’t plan to study politics….

Nigel David, 18, from Preston, Lancashire, said: "I feel there's a whole overtone about what the Tories are doing to this country: their idea of cutting things; removing key components of the welfare state; making it harder for people from underprivileged backgrounds to move up the ladder."

No, they are making it easier, actually, as Fuel Injected Moose points out. Do try to keep up…

I’m in agreement with Blue Eyes and Patently – on this dire showing, these prospective students don’t deserve a university education on our taxes, and certainly not to study pointless subjects leading to worthless pieces of paper.

The 'Guardian', meanwhile, was (rather unwisely) picking through its comments section and selecting what it thought was the comments which showed a brutal state clamping down on poor innocent students in a bid to make London look like Tiananmen Square.

Presented here are a representative sample for your delectation:

"Violent thugs? I am a 21-year-old literature student and I am a protester. I danced to music on Parliament Square as people spray painted NO on the grass, I shouted 'tory **** tory ****' with pride..."

"I was tired and cold and hadn't eaten for 12 hours or had any water."

"I saw that people were being kettled until 1am on Westminster Bridge. They were held there without toilet facilities, without water or food for 10 hours. We don't live in that kind of regime ... What we experienced is horrendous for a democratic regime."

"Three cold teenagers in T-shirts came past, looking upset, and I asked if they were OK. "They won't let us out," they said. "My Dad's called Scotland Yard and everything.""

"A group of around 20 protesters stormed a line of police keeping protesters in the square, managing to break through. As lots of protesters flocked to that corner, police reinforced their lines with more officers, before mobilising officers on horseback to try to push protesters back."

"Almost all of the defacement, fires, etc occurred after kettling – this is not to excuse that... I did try to step in and stop some of it, as when I told a kid to stop breaking up concrete to throw, but the people being violent were in no mood to listen. There were quite a significant number of those people there.."

"At one point, when we were told we could leave via Westminster Abbey, there were underage children crying and being crushed in the confusion caused by police officers."

"I was pushed backwards into the people behind me in the initial charge but the crushed and scared crowd pushed back to stop everyone falling over. I saw several around me hit by batons and fall, screaming. I was then hit over the head by a baton, hard enough to knock me sideways, then again, I think by the same officer. My ears rang and I couldn't hold my balance. I fell over and an officer stepped forward and deliberately stamped his foot into my chest, winding me.

A man next to me picked me up and held my bleeding head in front of the police (this I have heard from him as I was semi- or unconscious). They did not hit him but did not move aside. He repeatedly screamed for a medic but the police pretended not to hear him although it was clear to look at me that I needed one. He pushed his way through the police line who did not resist but hit a man who tried to follow.

Next to him, a police officer spontaneously collapsed, apparently feigning unconsciousness. As the officer was not on the front line, had had nothing thrown at him and was wearing full body armour including helmet with visor down, he could not have been injured (Ed: ORLY?). The only nearby medic immediately tended to this officer, who had apparently faked an injury."

"There were a series of short speeches from student union leaders and an RMT union official. Over half an hour or so these speakers invited protesters to "bring down the government" and " bring this country to a halt" (Ed: David Thompson was right about the 'warm glow of socialism' as a driving force for this demo...) and there were a number of references to what was felt to be over-aggressive policing.

The crowd, by the end of all this, was absolutely itching to get going..."

You can almost feel the baffled incomprehension in those accounts, the sudden realisation that this is the real world, where actions have consequences, where you are not allowed to do as you please, disrupt other people's activities, smash other people's property, without so,meone doing something to stop you.

Is this the first time some of these people have ever heard the word 'No'..?

It's Clearly Different When It's Children...

Police Scotland said two children aged three and 10 sustained minor injuries and a mini Yorkshire terrier died.

The force said a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy have been charged in connection with the incident.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "A 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old male youth have been charged in connection with a dog attack in a park in Bathgate.

"The incident happened around 6.20pm on Wednesday January 5 near Blackburnhall Gardens when two children, aged 10 and three, sustained minor injuries and a mini Yorkshire terrier died."

A full report will be sent to the procurator fiscal."

Don't drop the ball this time, eh?