How to drop charges , and not appearing at court

How to drop charges , and not appearing at court

Author
Discussion

robbocop33

Original Poster:

1,184 posts

106 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Been pestered by an idiot for a while now, appears outside my house drunk shouting the odds at me, after getting his head filled with nonsense about me and basically been lied to about me, anyway.
One night I decided enough was enough, usual crap standing outside my house with an iron bar, threatening me, drunk etc. So I decided to call the police, initially just for the police to tell him to ps off and lock him up for the night.
So, few weeks go by and they've charged him, I didn't ask for this, can't be arsed going to court etc, he's just a harmless, gormless, easily led idiot.
I called the court and explained I never wanted to press charges, sent in the appropriate paperwork, couple of weeks went by, I get a letter saying I have to go?
What will happen if I/we just don't appear? Letter says I 'may' be arrested, incidentally, my misses who is a nervy person to start with has been embroiled in this too which makes me even more frustrated, as she gave the police a statement too!

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
What exactly did you think was going to happen? They'd interview with no biscuits, and he would learn a life lesson, and be a better person?

You started it, you get to go to Court and give evidence. You might be able to get your wife to appear by video, but that seems a little much.

4x4Tyke

6,506 posts

131 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Don't bail out, you need to follow through, otherwise he will be emboldened and next time it will be worse, because he will think he got away with it.

hutchst

3,696 posts

95 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
If it's a civil case you can withdraw or settle, but you might have to pay his legal costs. If it's a criminal case it's got sod all to do with you. It's our very own Majestic Queen that's pressing the charges against him, using her very own personal Prosecution Service. It's up to her whether to continue or not, although I think she has delegated a bit of her power down the food chain.

ghe13rte

1,860 posts

115 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
You have brought a man who appears to get drunk and wave iron bars about threatening to cause damage and injury.
You don't get to choose what occurs after you report him to the police, they decide. Sounds like they may have done the right thing, now your turn.

robbocop33

Original Poster:

1,184 posts

106 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
What exactly did you think was going to happen? They'd interview with no biscuits, and he would learn a life lesson, and be a better person?

You started it, you get to go to Court and give evidence. You might be able to get your wife to appear by video, but that seems a little much.
So you've never heard of people getting a warning and not getting charged?

steveo3002

10,493 posts

173 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
a warning would be when they havent got a cats chance in hell of making a charge stick

you called the police , they turned up and caught him which is a result , if you didnt want anything to happen then you shouldnt have called them , sounds like theyre doing their job for once

mr angry now knows who dobbed him in lol...

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Let's put it this way... If it was entirely your decision as to whether to drop charges or not, then what has he got to lose from threatening you a bit more actively, unless you ask the police nicely...?

vxr8mate

1,654 posts

188 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
The police are not your private security service there to carry out your requests.

Like many here have already written, what did you think would happen when they arrived.

Besides, he sounds like he needs some help / deterring as next time the bar could be used for worse things than swinging.

Man up, go to court and finish what you started.

Plug Life

978 posts

90 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Don't be a pussy.

Cold

15,207 posts

89 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
What this bloke needs is 6 months suspended sentence and a £60 fine (plus costs and victim surcharge). That'll show him.

IJWS15

1,830 posts

84 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
If you leave it now how far up the police "to do" list do you think you will be the next time you call them because he is stood outside your house threatening you.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Have you tried to contact the CPS? They're the ones who are going to present the case or not.

Alternatively, you could just go.

IJWS15 said:
If you leave it now how far up the police "to do" list do you think you will be the next time you call them because he is stood outside your house threatening you.
Won't make any difference.



Bennet

2,119 posts

130 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
So if it's up to the police, not the OP, under what circumstances do they come back to you asking if you want to "press charges"? Or is that just on TV?

LeoSayer

7,299 posts

243 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
robbocop33 said:
So you've never heard of people getting a warning and not getting charged?
Maybe he's got previous.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Bennet said:
So if it's up to the police, not the OP, under what circumstances do they come back to you asking if you want to "press charges"? Or is that just on TV?
It's not up to the police, it's up the CPS whether to continue or discontinue.

The police will ask about 'pressing charges' when you're the victim. Practically, in most circumstances, without the victim wishing to 'press charges', (support a prosecution through giving evidence) there can be no prosecution as the evidence isn't there.





HantsRat

2,369 posts

107 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Bennet said:
Under what circumstances do they come back to you asking if you want to "press charges"? Or is that just on TV?
They're wrong. Police can go ahead and 'press charges' without a 'victim' This is quite often the case with domestics and/or controlling and cohesive behavior as the victim is quite often scared to support a prosecution but we still push ahead when appropriate.

Officers who say 'do you want to press charges' should actually say 'will you support a prosecution'

ED209

5,740 posts

243 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
My view has always been that the police either do nothing or take positive action based on evidence, we don't just go round warning people on a whim. Theres simply aren't the resources for the police to be used as a weapon in people petty spats.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
Did you give a statement? It will ask on there if you’re willing to attend court.

If you called them to say a man was outside and had an iron bar with him only for them to turn up and find a man outside with an iron bar then they will have arrested him even if you didn’t give a statement due to the weapon he had.

You should have an incident number from when you called them. Give the force a call and ask to speak with the officer dealing to find out exactly what went on if you didn’t give a statement and explain you don’t want to go to court.

With or without you if the police found him on the street with an iron bar he’ll get the full force* of the court



  • a slap on the wrist.

Red 4

10,744 posts

186 months

Friday 23rd February 2018
quotequote all
What offence has he been charged with ?