UK Policing News

An alleged bogus war hero who claimed to have raised £500,000 for Help for Heroes is being hunted by police after failing to answer bail on fraud charges. Matthew Brown, 34, was arrested in Newquay, Cornwall, in November after claiming he was walking the length of the British coastline for charity. Devon and Cornwall police bailed him until May 5 while officers investigated his claims. The date was extended to Tuesday this week, when he again failed to attend. A police spokesman said: 'We can confirm a male has failed to comply with police bail twice, whereby efforts are being made to address this issue.' Brown had previously boasted that he had rescued 88 comrades on…

Thoughts? 11 May 2011 Last updated at 02:52 Share this pageEmail Print Share this page 194ShareFacebookTwitter.On-the-spot fines planned for careless drivingComments (39) Currently motorists who drive carelessly have to be prosecuted through the courts Continue reading the main story Related Stories Growing row over 'dazzling' headlamps Dangerous cycling law considered Police adopt new speed guidelines Police will get powers to fine careless drivers on the spot, rather than taking them to court, as part of a government strategy to make Britain's roads safer. Ministers say motorists who tail-gate, undertake or cut others up often go unpunished and that introduc…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-13269779 (apologies for the ambiguity over the topic title!!) Police shot a man with a Taser stun gun after he caused trouble at a royal wedding street party organised over the internet. The 19-year-old was shot in Falmouth, Cornwall, last Friday. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed a Taser had been used to incapacitate the teenager, who was later cautioned for being drunk and disorderly. Police were called after complaints from Marlborough Road residents about the party attended by about 500 people. Insp Mark Richards said that many people had come from outside the area after organisers posted the event on the internet. …

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-13365309 Two men have been arrested after an off-duty policeman followed them into a theatre after seeing them fighting. Sgt Gary Watts pursued the pair as one chased the other into in Truro's Hall for Cornwall, during the intermission of a Puccini opera performance. He arrested one of the men in the theatre, before other officers arrived and arrested the other. A 20-year-old was arrested for affray and a man in his 30s for being drunk and disorderly. Sgt Watts, who was on his way home after attending an evening class with his wife, said he spotted a gang of men goading a lone man into a fight. The man punched one of th…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13369724 Courts would have to take more account of victims' feelings in burglary cases under planned new sentencing guidance. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales is launching a three-month public consultation on its proposals. For domestic burglary it suggests only least serious offences should escape a custodial sentence, with three to six-year jail terms for the most serious. But the Criminal Justice Alliance said community sentences might be more appropriate in some cases. The council's guidelines would be the first overall advice for sentencing for the different types of burglary offences - domestic, non-domestic, and those c…

Press Association

http://m.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/09/theresa-may-power-prosecute-police?cat=uk&type=article The power to decide whether a suspect is to be charged is to be taken from crown prosecutors and handed back to the police in more than 80% of cases, the home secretary, Theresa May, will promise. She will on Monday also hold out the prospect that some suspected minor offenders, who have already been bailed, may in future be charged by means of a letter and ordered to attend court in writing, rather than being called to the police station. Conservatives have made clear their wish that for hundreds of thousands of minor offences, police should decide whether to prosecute, w…

The longer the prison sentence the less likely an offender is to commit a further crime, according to research. The Ministry of Justice report found that offenders jailed for between two and four years have lower reoffending rates than those given sentences of between one and two years. Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke called the rates "unacceptably high". These findings raise questions about Mr Clarke's plans to cut the prison population. The results show that reoffending rates in 2008 were 7.2 percentage points lower for those sentenced to between two to four years in jail, compared to those serving jail terms of one to two years. Reoffending rates were 4.4 percent…

Police chiefs have admitted setting compulsory targets for handing out speeding tickets. Officers are being forced to meet quotas for minor speeding offences, seatbelt violations and invalid tax discs. Those who fail can expect a carpeting --and in the long run it could harm their career, one senior officer said. The move is expected to lead to a fourfold increase in the number of drivers caught and allow police to net millions in penalty fines. But it will fuel anger among drivers who feel they are being picked on by police and are seen as an easy source of revenue by the Government. Motoring organisations said police had put making money above safety. The qu…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13343685 Two things annoy me about this, firstly the headline is "children were near device"....oh so it isnt important that a couple of police officers were the target then? Secondly, as mentioned before, if this were the mainland it would be front page news, I haven't seen a broadsheet yet that covers the story, indeed the Telegraph seems to think Arnie splitting with the missus is worthy of the front page, police officers in NI nearly getting blown up...not so much!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-13340535 A criminal investigation is under way into a number of people associated with Cleveland Police Authority, it has emerged. The investigation relates to people with current or past links to the authority, including chairman Councillor Dave McLuckie. The authority said it had decided he should continue in his post. The investigation is being led by Warwickshire Police Chief Constable Keith Bristow. It will be conducted by officers from North Yorkshire Police. Warwickshire Police said some allegations involving individuals with associations to Cleveland Police Authority were raised in August 2010. It said this had led t…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13231419 A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been unlawfully subletting his council flat, according to a BBC Panorama investigation. Pc Stephen Holt offered to rent his council property to an undercover reporter at £359 more than he pays Southwark Council in weekly rent. The government has labelled unlawful subletting "housing fraud", which costs the taxpayer at least £1bn a year. Pc Holt did not respond to Panorama's queries about the council flat rental. As part of its investigation into social housing, Panorama replied to an advert Pc Holt placed on a website and an undercover reporter went to view the flat. Pc Holt, a part-ti…

Jurors at the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson will consider whether the actions of a police officer amounted to unlawful killing, a coroner has said. The jury must decide whether Pc Simon Harwood acted illegally and directly caused the death of Mr Tomlinson at the G20 protests in London on 1 April 2009. Judge Peter Thornton QC was summing up at the inquest into the death. Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died after he was hit by a baton and pushed to the ground by the officer. Judge Thornton said the jury had to decide if the baton strike and push were "unlawful" and "dangerous" and whether they inadvertently caused Mr Tomlinson's death. The judge said the push on …

Police officers should be able to do their jobs without having to think about health and safety, the head of the Metropolitan force has said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13319812 I am kind of amazed that Officers are still allowed out on the streets, let alone arrest people, it`s dangerous out there, glad to see top Officer is prepared to make sure that our Police can get on with their work without all this nonsense.