No Charges over G20 man's death

No Charges over G20 man's death

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Discussion

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

264 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Time for a title change...."The Crown Prosecution Service could reopen criminal proceedings against Pc Harwood after jurors ruled he acted illegally, recklessly and dangerously."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13268633

paddyhasneeds

52,068 posts

212 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Deva Link said:
paddyhasneeds said:
It'll be interesting to see if this goes anywhere.

The whole affair smelt bad from start to finish, dodgy coroners, what sounds like an unhealthy interest from day one to try and rule out police involvement, and a not entirely truthful copper.
A bit worrying that without the chance capture on video it's highly likely that nothing would have ever come of this.
More worrying that even with it caught on video some people will still try and explain it away as entirely justified and reasonable.

rewc

2,187 posts

235 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
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The thing I found surpriseing after following the inquest as closely as I could without being there was the lack of Police supervisory control of the group of officers that Harwood attached himself to. He apparently got detached from his Met colleagues and joined a group of COL Officers and made his decision to assault Mr Tomlinson on his own. When it was finished he drifted back to his Met vehicle. It is a bit worrying that he didn't appear to be under any Local Supervisory Officers command.

ExChrispy Porker

16,965 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
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Mr_annie_vxr said:
Why?

I've had two unsubstantiated complaints of assault. One of them I was 15 miles away when it happened.
I had dozens.
I am surprised that unsubstantiated complaints can be brought up in court though. Substantiated certainly of course.

mercGLowner

1,668 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Best PC (soon to be Mr) Harwood gets used to the idea of prison food and starts to save up for a 'soap on a rope'.

Mr_annie_vxr

9,270 posts

213 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
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munroman said:
I am sure if you felt strongly that the complaint against you was unfair you would have stayed and fought it, not 'resigned on medical grounds', that's all.
As an ordinary member of the public, it just seems strange that someone with a record like Harwood would get back into the part of the Met where he potentially could inflict most violence, maybe his history was seen as a positive by some?

Please excuse us being concerned, from the dodgy doctor who did the Autopsy onwards, the whole thing stinks slightly....
Police complaints are a strange beast. People can make any complaint. You can see yourself interviewed for hours, surveillance on you, moved from your role only to have it not proven and no appology or recourse against the complaint.

I've known officers subject to utterly fictitious allegations who have just finally cracked as a result.

If there is a criminal job. Then whether you resign or not wouldn't impact if the victim is supporting.

His retirement and rejoining does seem very unusual

Mr_annie_vxr

9,270 posts

213 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
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Deva Link said:
A bit worrying that without the chance capture on video it's highly likely that nothing would have ever come of this.
Could be said of many incidents.

grumbledoak

31,591 posts

235 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
mercGLowner said:
Best PC (soon to be Mr) Harwood gets used to the idea of prison food and starts to save up for a 'soap on a rope'.
It's not clear that they'll be able to pin the bigger charge on him. And it's too late for the Assault charge that would have been proven by the video. The clamour for a big charge may yet have scuttled any chance of justice. We'll just have to wait and see.

mercGLowner

1,668 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Probably been mentioned before, but the aggresive behaviour he displayed against a BBC cameraman, by pulling him to the ground is also indicative of a less than stable human being, let alone a Police Constable. I think the phrase is, you reap what you sow.

If the time elapsed since the 'alledged' misdameanour precludes a criminal charge that will be rough justice for the family.

ExChrispy Porker

16,965 posts

230 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
It will also be hard to find a jury who have not been influenced by the media coverage. I have just seen Jon Snow 'interviewing' the family on channel 4.
Completely irresponsible if criminal charges are being considered IMO

Mr_annie_vxr

9,270 posts

213 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
mercGLowner said:
Probably been mentioned before, but the aggresive behaviour he displayed against a BBC cameraman, by pulling him to the ground is also indicative of a less than stable human being, let alone a Police Constable. I think the phrase is, you reap what you sow.

If the time elapsed since the 'alledged' misdameanour precludes a criminal charge that will be rough justice for the family.
The family that's all but had nothing to do with him?

The officer should have been dealt with for the offence that was there. However it was the desire to avoid allegations if cover up that IMHO lead them to try for the more serious offence. Which would always have been near impossible to prove.

Jasandjules

70,012 posts

231 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
This seems very much like a rock and a hard place type of situation.

I don't think there was any need to shove the MoP in the way the officer did, it was a bit harsh. But at the same time 99% of people would have stumbled on and kept going, not fallen to the ground. I know it is egg shell skull and all that, but still.

No matter what way I look at this, I can't see a just outcome (whether for the family or the officer).

mercGLowner

1,668 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Mr_annie_vxr said:
mercGLowner said:
Probably been mentioned before, but the aggresive behaviour he displayed against a BBC cameraman, by pulling him to the ground is also indicative of a less than stable human being, let alone a Police Constable. I think the phrase is, you reap what you sow.

If the time elapsed since the 'alledged' misdameanour precludes a criminal charge that will be rough justice for the family.
The family that's all but had nothing to do with him?

The officer should have been dealt with for the offence that was there. However it was the desire to avoid allegations if cover up that IMHO lead them to try for the more serious offence . Which would always have been near impossible to prove.
Who? The CPS or the MPS? It is scandalous that the Police appear to be above the law. If I, as a member of the public, had done what PC Harwood did, I would have been INSTANTLY arrested and subsequently charged with assault/ABH/Manslaughter/Murder.

Who failed in charging him appropriately? what did his colleagues around him think of his actions?

philthy

4,689 posts

242 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
mercGLowner said:
If I, as a member of the public, had done what PC Harwood did, I would have been INSTANTLY arrested and subsequently charged with assault/ABH/Manslaughter/Murder.
Well said !
This stinks, and the smell isn't going away until something satisfactory is done about it.


Night Runner

12,231 posts

196 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
grumbledoak said:
mercGLowner said:
Best PC (soon to be Mr) Harwood gets used to the idea of prison food and starts to save up for a 'soap on a rope'.
It's not clear that they'll be able to pin the bigger charge on him. And it's too late for the Assault charge that would have been proven by the video. The clamour for a big charge may yet have scuttled any chance of justice. We'll just have to wait and see.
At least it looks like any professional career is over for him.

Next to be seen working security at a Tescos near you...

mercGLowner

1,668 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Night Runner said:
Next to be seen working security at a Tescos near you...
Harrassing and pushing customers who loiter and spend too long in the vegetable aisle.

Stigproducts

1,730 posts

273 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
mercGLowner said:
Mr_annie_vxr said:
mercGLowner said:
Probably been mentioned before, but the aggresive behaviour he displayed against a BBC cameraman, by pulling him to the ground is also indicative of a less than stable human being, let alone a Police Constable. I think the phrase is, you reap what you sow.

If the time elapsed since the 'alledged' misdameanour precludes a criminal charge that will be rough justice for the family.
The family that's all but had nothing to do with him?

The officer should have been dealt with for the offence that was there. However it was the desire to avoid allegations if cover up that IMHO lead them to try for the more serious offence . Which would always have been near impossible to prove.
Who? The CPS or the MPS? It is scandalous that the Police appear to be above the law. If I, as a member of the public, had done what PC Harwood did, I would have been INSTANTLY arrested and subsequently charged with assault/ABH/Manslaughter/Murder.

Who failed in charging him appropriately? what did his colleagues around him think of his actions?
All the crap that the police came out with after this happened eg "police were bombarded with bricks, bottles and planks of wood" whilst trying to save his life, the dodgy postmortem. All a big smoke screen puffed away by video footage which seemed to suggest a much different story. Then, until now, a series of events which conveniently meant that "unfortunately" nothing could be done to hold the police to account.

Closing ranks, using the system, condoning criminal behaviour, trying to sweep it under the carpet. A police reaction with precedent.
Closing ranks to protect people doing a difficult job can be explained but this incident has really shown in the full public gaze just how arrogant, corrupt and unaccountable the UK Police force has become.

Pc Simon Harwood was out of control that day. The only thing that did stop him was his behavior in killing an innocent man.
His colleagues did nothing to stop it and then pathetically tried to cover it up. Not one of them stepped in to disapprove of Harwood pushing that man; one can therefore conclude they too felt it was OK.


I wonder if the change in government has anything to do with this? It seems that whilst Labour were in power this was tidily being filed under "unfortunate" and now the tide has turned??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson

grumbledoak

31,591 posts

235 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
Someone seems to have their bloomers in a twist!

The problem is, unless you've got a different video, that the PC didn't do anything that you would expect to kill them. They should have got him for assault.

mercGLowner

1,668 posts

186 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
grumbledoak said:
Someone seems to have their bloomers in a twist!

The problem is, unless you've got a different video, that the PC didn't do anything that you would expect to kill them. They should have got him for assault.
Am no lawyer, but if assault leads to death in those circumstances, is that not at least manslaughter?

sharpfocus

13,812 posts

193 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2011
quotequote all
I did hear something on the news (FWIW) about a manslaughter charge now being a possibility.