UK Policing News

Train robber Biggs wins freedom Biggs has suffered several strokes and is fed through a tube Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has been granted release from his prison sentence on compassionate grounds, Justice Secretary Jack Straw has said. Biggs, 79, is severely ill in hospital with pneumonia and doctors have said there is "not much hope" for him. Mr Straw said the decision had been based on medical evidence that Biggs's condition had deteriorated and he was not expected to recover. Biggs's son Michael told the BBC he was "absolutely…

HantsPol not satisfied with doing what its meant to be doing (i.e Policing) has wasted a bit of time this week with an e-mail from FHQ instructing officers and staff about the perils of Facebook selling their personal photos to third parties. Unfortunately for the person concerned its covered here: http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/facebook.asp Not exactly the truth now as told by FHQ! A few years a go a major NHS trust in Manchester was caught out by bad advice from GMP about an e-mail received with this gem http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/lightsout.asp METPOL could see it was false but GMP's advice was to follow the advice in the e-mail which was duly sent …

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Polic...il/article.html DEVON and Cornwall Police could be forced to axe 300 officers if the Government's multi-billion-pound banking bailout results in public spending being slashed. More crap due to the incompetence of this government. If this goes ahead, it must surely have a huge knock on effect.

A man suspected of raping a woman 12 years ago cannot face prosecution, as the police have lost the case file. Wendell Baker's DNA matches that of the man who broke into Hazel Backwell's home in Stratford east London, beat and raped her and left her in a cupboard. Mr Baker was charged with rape, but a judge ruled his DNA had been unlawfully retained. This decision was then overturned by the Law Lords in 2000. The story has come to light following a BBC investigation into the case. If the police have no case file then we cannot apply for a retrial CPS spokesman A retrial cannot take place unless the original case file can be found. Mrs Backwell, who has sinc…

Below is the link to the final report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Several chapters which include : Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Background Chapter 3 Perceptions of protest at G20 Chapter 4 Police preparation and planning for G20 Chapter 5 Policing operation on 1st April 2009 Chapter 6 Use of force in public order situations Chapter 7 Conclusion G20 - Final Report

MORE than 300 Southampton residents have agreed to pay for private "cops" to protect them from crime. And bosses behind the controversial new community patrol service hope many more will follow after a free three-day trial which gets under way in Shirley today. Four uniformed security officers equipped with handcuffs and stab vests will be showing residents what they can expect if they agree to pay £3.15 a week or a one-off annual payment of £163.80. The full Atraks service will include dedicated patrols of eight officers up to 60 times every 24 hours in every community that signs up, special patrols outside schools, escorts to shops and banks, emergency response …

It is huge sadness that we have lost one of our colleagues. http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/index.php?o...s&Itemid=50 Also listed in Wilts section.

http://www.criminalsolicitor.net/forum/for...D=5080&PN=1 I would like to hear if anyone else is having similar frustrations- We are having a fair few cases recently, where DP is arrested and IV -no evidence to prove or disprove case-early days, in my opinion and on the basis of Clients alibi, more investigations required! Client should be bailed-but isn't, he is kept in custody whilst the case goes to the case directors then to the CPS-decision made by CPS-Charge and remand.

A loan shark who lent a couple £500 and forced them to pay back nearly £90,000 over seven years escaped a jail sentence yesterday. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12...l#ixzz0NMVUzTKa http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime...ed-1767554.html One very nasty piece of work? or are people just daft? Maybe some see an opportunity to get out of trouble by taking these loans and have no idea what to expect later.

Source Glad to hear somebody has been charged with her murder!

sbo-style Violent Offender Orders (VOOs) that can restrict criminals' movements after they are released from prison are coming into force. Civil VOOs are intended to help cut re-offending by banning criminals from certain places or from contacting particular people for up to five years. But the Howard League for Penal Reform said it feared they could be overused and counterproductive. Ministers have also announced £3.2m of funding for victims of sexual assault. The measures are part of an updated strategy by the government to tackle violent crime and were contained in the 2008 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act. Under the terms of VOOs, serious offenders who have …

Doesn't look too good http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/597...0-protests.html

From the hallowed BBC: Solicitors boycott virtual courts Ministers say the scheme will save money and time A government scheme to allow defendants to be dealt with via "virtual courts" is being boycotted by solicitors who say it is "justice on the cheap". The initiative lets prisoners face magistrates via video link from a police station instead of in court. But solicitors in Kent are refusing to take part in the pilot, claiming it is unfair on both defendants and lawyers. Minister Bridget Prentice said it allowed swifter just…

Although on a slightly happier note, conviction rates for rape in Scotland have risen slightly from 2.9% to 3.7%, but it's still the lowest in all of Europe according to The Scotsman.