Penalised for being abused by Travelers
Discussion
Unbelievable! Well no not really in this stupid country.
The Telegraph said:
Cancer sufferer's shotgun confiscated after traveller 'throat slit' threat
When a gang of travellers trespassed on her land and allegedly threatened to cut her throat with a chainsaw, Tracy St Clair Pearce dialled 999, expecting protection and reassurance from the police.
But while they took a statement and visited the nearby traveller camp, officers came back and confiscated her shotgun, saying it was a “sensible precaution”.
Miss St Clair Pearce, a cancer sufferer who is receiving chemotherapy, was walking in her smallholding on Friday evening when she was approached by four teenagers from an encampment next to her land.
The 50-year-old, who breeds rare Shetland cattle and Lancashire Heeler dogs at Seven Saints Farm near Chelmsford, Essex, could hear the sound of a chainsaw cutting her trees for firewood and told the youths to leave.
In response, they subjected her to a barrage of abuse, Miss St Clair Pearce claims. One of the gang, a boy of about 14, allegedly said that he would kill her and her animals.
“He threatened to slit my throat and he also threatened to cut the throats of the cows, the calves and foals,” she said.
After she stood her ground, three of the youths walked to an another field, from where they allegedly threw stones at her and exposed themselves while shouting obscenities.
A fifth youth continued to cut boughs off trees with a chainsaw behind her throughout the confrontation.
Miss St Clair Pearce called police, who took a statement only to return on Monday with a warrant to seize the 12-bore shotgun and smaller weapon which she owns legally and keeps to deter foxes from attacking her poultry.
She was out judging a dog show in Bedfordshire when police arrived, so they kept coming back until finally getting access to the locked gun cabinet at 3am. Officers later returned to demand her shotgun licence, without explaining why they were taking the guns, she said.
Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Miss St Clair Pearce said: “I’m at a loss for words. I phoned them because I was the victim and I thought that they would come and help me, simple as that. The travellers have actually said to us 'we are protected’. They said the police will do nothing; they are quite right.
“How come they can come and trespass on my land, damage the property, threaten me, and I am the one in the wrong?”
Officers told Miss St Clair Pearce that they had made arrangements to go to the camp on Saturday, but it is understood that they were told that the main instigator had “gone away”. Mr St Clair Pearce, who lives in London, said: “It’s not the OK Corral. The police attitude seems to be that she’s the one who’s the criminal and the travellers are blameless.”
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
Police said they were working with the local council, which owns the land on which the travellers are staying, to find a solution to the problem.
When a gang of travellers trespassed on her land and allegedly threatened to cut her throat with a chainsaw, Tracy St Clair Pearce dialled 999, expecting protection and reassurance from the police.
But while they took a statement and visited the nearby traveller camp, officers came back and confiscated her shotgun, saying it was a “sensible precaution”.
Miss St Clair Pearce, a cancer sufferer who is receiving chemotherapy, was walking in her smallholding on Friday evening when she was approached by four teenagers from an encampment next to her land.
The 50-year-old, who breeds rare Shetland cattle and Lancashire Heeler dogs at Seven Saints Farm near Chelmsford, Essex, could hear the sound of a chainsaw cutting her trees for firewood and told the youths to leave.
In response, they subjected her to a barrage of abuse, Miss St Clair Pearce claims. One of the gang, a boy of about 14, allegedly said that he would kill her and her animals.
“He threatened to slit my throat and he also threatened to cut the throats of the cows, the calves and foals,” she said.
After she stood her ground, three of the youths walked to an another field, from where they allegedly threw stones at her and exposed themselves while shouting obscenities.
A fifth youth continued to cut boughs off trees with a chainsaw behind her throughout the confrontation.
Miss St Clair Pearce called police, who took a statement only to return on Monday with a warrant to seize the 12-bore shotgun and smaller weapon which she owns legally and keeps to deter foxes from attacking her poultry.
She was out judging a dog show in Bedfordshire when police arrived, so they kept coming back until finally getting access to the locked gun cabinet at 3am. Officers later returned to demand her shotgun licence, without explaining why they were taking the guns, she said.
Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Miss St Clair Pearce said: “I’m at a loss for words. I phoned them because I was the victim and I thought that they would come and help me, simple as that. The travellers have actually said to us 'we are protected’. They said the police will do nothing; they are quite right.
“How come they can come and trespass on my land, damage the property, threaten me, and I am the one in the wrong?”
Officers told Miss St Clair Pearce that they had made arrangements to go to the camp on Saturday, but it is understood that they were told that the main instigator had “gone away”. Mr St Clair Pearce, who lives in London, said: “It’s not the OK Corral. The police attitude seems to be that she’s the one who’s the criminal and the travellers are blameless.”
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
Police said they were working with the local council, which owns the land on which the travellers are staying, to find a solution to the problem.
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
Tried this, no one has so far summoned any outrage !
Tried this, no one has so far summoned any outrage !
When will we stop persecuting good honest Romany Folk, merely trying to get a few sticks together to keep 'emselves warm on these cold winter nights???
This is a blessing in disguise, now when she opens up on them with the shotgun she can easily borrow from someone she knows, she can deny all knowledge as she hasnt got any guns!
This is a blessing in disguise, now when she opens up on them with the shotgun she can easily borrow from someone she knows, she can deny all knowledge as she hasnt got any guns!
Gargamel said:
Pothole said:
I'd wager we have not heard the full story here.
Not sure what you think is missing ? "Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
scum bPothole said:
Gargamel said:
Pothole said:
I'd wager we have not heard the full story here.
Not sure what you think is missing ? "Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
wolves_wanderer said:
Pothole said:
Gargamel said:
Pothole said:
I'd wager we have not heard the full story here.
Not sure what you think is missing ? "Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
Gargamel said:
wolves_wanderer said:
Pothole said:
Gargamel said:
Pothole said:
I'd wager we have not heard the full story here.
Not sure what you think is missing ? "Last night police said they were concerned by the reaction to the alleged threats of Miss St Clair Pearce’s brother, Stewart, who co-owns the farm.
Police described the decision to confiscate the guns from Miss St Clair Pearce, who has had a firearms licence for 20 years, as a “sensible precaution”.
Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.
“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.”
This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
Gargamel said:
Prioritising a crime that hasn't been committed (Essex pre crime unit call 999 - thought police) over one that actually HAS been committed.
This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
The site was visited therefore they clearly didn't prioritise a potential crime over a real one, how do you know what the outcome was? If someone who owns a shotgun makes threats against specific other people what do you think the police should do about it?This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
[btw not saying that anyone made threats in this case, just speculating on the most likely reason for an urgent removal of weaponry, as happened here]
I would say the brother pretty obviously threatened to shoot them, and the Telegraph declined to report this.
Not that this warrants confiscating a shotgun IMO, but unfortunately English law doesn't recognise the right to defend your property or even yourself with a tool designed for keeping down vermin.
Not that this warrants confiscating a shotgun IMO, but unfortunately English law doesn't recognise the right to defend your property or even yourself with a tool designed for keeping down vermin.
Balmoral Green said:
I only got as far as 'cancer sufferer' and the stench of what passes for journalism these days was too strong to continue reading.
Exactly.Every time I see one of these threads I get the urge to rush onto it and tell Soovy not to believe the Daily Mail.
But increasingly, lately, it's disheartening to see it linked from the BBC or from broadsheets.
wolves_wanderer said:
Gargamel said:
Prioritising a crime that hasn't been committed (Essex pre crime unit call 999 - thought police) over one that actually HAS been committed.
This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
The site was visited therefore they clearly didn't prioritise a potential crime over a real one, how do you know what the outcome was? If someone who owns a shotgun makes threats against specific other people what do you think the police should do about it?This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
[btw not saying that anyone made threats in this case, just speculating on the most likely reason for an urgent removal of weaponry, as happened here]
THe facts are reasonably obvious
Travellers do what they did.
Brother threatens to shoot them.
Police deal with both incidents sensibly.
PH jumps into hysteria about why we aren't allowed to shoot travellers who cut wood and get mouthy.
blindswelledrat said:
Just this. It's such a non-thread.
THe facts are reasonably obvious
Travellers do what they did.
Brother threatens to shoot them.
Police deal with both incidents sensibly.
PH jumps into hysteria about why we aren't allowed to shoot travellers who cut wood and get mouthy.
Agreed, although I would like to see them confiscate the chainsaw (assuming that they haven't) for fairness sake, given that we know they threatened to use that on the lady and her animals.THe facts are reasonably obvious
Travellers do what they did.
Brother threatens to shoot them.
Police deal with both incidents sensibly.
PH jumps into hysteria about why we aren't allowed to shoot travellers who cut wood and get mouthy.
blindswelledrat said:
wolves_wanderer said:
Gargamel said:
Prioritising a crime that hasn't been committed (Essex pre crime unit call 999 - thought police) over one that actually HAS been committed.
This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
The site was visited therefore they clearly didn't prioritise a potential crime over a real one, how do you know what the outcome was? If someone who owns a shotgun makes threats against specific other people what do you think the police should do about it?This would only make sense if the law was applied equally and the "travellers" had their chainsaws confiscated in case any further damage to private property was committed.
[btw not saying that anyone made threats in this case, just speculating on the most likely reason for an urgent removal of weaponry, as happened here]
THe facts are reasonably obvious
Travellers do what they did.
Brother threatens to shoot them.
Police deal with both incidents sensibly.
PH jumps into hysteria about why we aren't allowed to shoot travellers who cut wood and get mouthy.
In response, they subjected her to a barrage of abuse, Miss St Clair Pearce claims. One of the gang, a boy of about 14, allegedly said that he would kill her and her animals.
Bit more than "get mouthy"
Rude-boy said:
Agreed, although I would like to see them confiscate the chainsaw (assuming that they haven't) for fairness sake, given that we know they threatened to use that on the lady and her animals.
True, but there's a reasonable chance that they did.Its pretty obvious that the calibre of journalism would not allow information like that to filter into the article.
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