Knowsley residents protest over blacklisting and green space disposals.

On Mon 5th Sept, a group of local residents protested at the Knowsley Council meeting over plans to dispose of a number of green space sites in Knowsley for development, in addition to the 51% disposal of Knowsley's greenbelt.

The residents were also protesting over the permanent ban of six Knowsley Residents, who were banned for expressing their views over the greenbelt destruction at the Council meeting in Jan 2016.

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List of Police Officers and other Public servants charged and/or convicted of a criminal offence 2009 to 2016

Here's my latest list of Police Employees and Public Servants sacked, or charged or convicted of an offence 2009 to 2016. It's a long list

LINK: Police Officers charged/convicted of an offence 2009 to 2016 Version 30

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'Guilty' of a 'crime' for feeding the homeless

Today, Amanda and Kim were found guilty of "breaching a dispersal order under s35 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014", after Kim had been giving food to the homeless outside the Old Bank, in Castle St, Liverpool and Amanda was seen by Police throwing a sandwich to people who she believed to be homeless, who were occupying the building in May 2015.

After a three day trial in Feb 2016, two others charged with Amanda and Kim, were acquitted. But Amanda and Kim's trial was adjourned until today, when they were both found guilty.

Judge Shaw sentenced Kim to 40 hours community work, £60 victim surcharge and £713 court costs, and Amanda recieved the same surcharge and costs, but was given a curfew (8am to 10pm) and ordered to wear a tag.

In authorising this power the inspector (or above) must have regard to Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights that provide for the right for lawful freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

"An authorisation under s34 of the Act must -

(a) be in writing

(b) be signed by the officer giving it, and

(c) specify the grounds on which it is given.

Where an authorisation is in force under Sec 34, a constable in uniform may direct a person who is in a public place in the locality specified in the authorisation - according to Sec 35:

(a) to leave the locality (or part of the locality), and

(b) not to return to the locality (or part of the locality) for the period specified in the direction.

Two conditions need to be met for a direction to be given:

The officer must have reasonable grounds to suspect that the behaviour of the person in the locality has contributed or is likely to contribute to -

(a) members of the public in the locality being harassed, alarmed or distressed, or

(b) the occurrence in the locality of crime or disorder.

The officer considers that giving a direction to the person is necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of anti-social behaviour, crime or disorder."

Neither Amanda or Kim had harassed, alarmed or distressed members of the public in the locality, nor had they committed any crimes or behaved disorderly. Therefore, there were no reasonable grounds to suspect that they had 'contributed' to the two conditions, and the two conditions had not been met. I'd be of the view that their arrests were quite unlawful.

In my view, the only way that Amanda and Kim are guilty of this offence is, if giving food to the homeless, or anyone for that matter is 'anti-social behaviour, then they are guilty.

If giving food to others is not 'anti-social behaviour', as most sensible and compassionate people would surely agree, then they should both have been acquitted.

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98% of Merseyside Police Officers are not injured whilst on duty every year.

Government statistics say 574 Merseyside Police officers were assaulted on duty between 2010 and 2015, with 124 attacks recorded in the 2014/15 financial year.

Top cops say the figures highlight the dangers faced by Merseyside Police everyday, while the Police Federation has called for changes to the law to offer all public servants better protection.

But, hang on a minute. If there are approximately 6000 Merseyside Police Officers, and the figures are over five years.



Then this works out as 120 per year. 120 out of 6000 is only 2%. So, 2% of Officers are injured every year whilst on duty.

Or in other words 98% of Merseyside Police Officers are NOT injured whilst on duty every year.

So, in reality, statistics show, that Merseyside is relatively a safe place for Police Officers to work.

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Merseyside Police Inspector says, "Anyone, can ban anyone, from anything"

Asking a Merseyside Police Inspector, under what law or power of exclusion, can Knowsley Council prevent members of the Public from attending Public meetings.

Bearing in mind, "The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012":

Regulation 4 (5) which states "Without prejudice to any power of exclusion to suppress or prevent disorderly conduct or other misbehaviour at a meeting, the decision-making body is not to have the power to exclude members of the public from a meeting while it is open to the public."

Inspector Rankine says, ""Anyone can ban anyone from doing anything"

Before you all start 'banning' things, what the Inspector says is not true.



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Amanda's Trial for 'feeding the hungry' - Adjourned until Feb 2016

Amanda was in court today to face charges that she 'failed to comply with a Sec 34 dispersal order'. The trial was adjourned as the Police turned up without any evidence. Judge Andrew Shaw apologised to the defendants for the trial not going ahead

Amanda's Lawyer told the Judge that they had been left “in the dark” over the prosecution case.

Under legislation governing court procedure, the Crown Prosecution Service was required to serve evidence in sufficient time for the defence to prepare their case. But Richard Brigden, representing Doyle and Cawson, told the court the CPS were planning to rely on two and a half hours of CCTV footage during the case, which had not been served.

According to the CPS, the footage had been sent to Merseyside Police for editing.

Judge Shaw said: He said: “I’m not being critical of the defence, because this does appear to be a prosecution problem, but the law requires both sides to be pro-active and I’m not seeing letters in September, October, November. I’m not seeing letters to the court explaining the problem.”

He adjourned the trial until February 9.





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VIDEO: Huyton activist arrested for feeding the hungry.

Local activist Amanda was arrested yesterday by Merseyside Police after she attempted to throw food to hungry people in the Old Bank building in Castle Street, Liverpool.



Merseyside Police had put in place a 'Section 35 - Dispersal order'. These orders have to be signed by an Inspector who has to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the use of those powers in the locality during that period may be necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of — (a) members of the public in the locality being harassed, alarmed or distressed, or (b)the occurrence in the locality of crime or disorder.

In deciding whether to give such an authorisation an officer must have particular regard to the rights of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly set out in articles 10 and 11 of the Convention.

A constable in uniform may direct a person who is in a public place in the locality specified in the authorisation.The constable has to have reasonable grounds to suspect that the behaviour of the person in the locality has contributed or is likely to contribute to - (a)members of the public in the locality being harassed, alarmed or distressed, or (b)the occurrence in the locality of crime or disorder and that the the constable considers that giving a direction to the person is necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of the events mentioned in (a) or (b).

It is clear from the video, that Amanda was NOT harrassing, alarming or distressing anyone, nor was she committing any crime, and therefore in my view the 'arrest' was clearly both illegal and unlawful.

Amanda was charged with refusing to comply with a direction from a Constable to leave the area and released on bail.

Amanda is due to present herself in court on June 16th 2015.

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Merseyside Policewoman jailed for 22 months.

Merseyside WPC Helen Jones was today jailed for 22 months for Misconduct in public office, after seizing CCTV footage of Steven Gerrard as a 'tool to blackmail'. Jones obtained footage of a street bust up involving Gerrard, using her warrant card whilst on a 'career break'

The 32 year old from Chatham in Kent was jailed for her role in a blackmail plot to 'embarrass' Steven Gerrard. Jones had argued that she got hold of the CCTV for "philanthropic" reasons to help out a friend of a friend but that was rejected by judge Baker at a previous hearing where he said Jones acted for others out of "base motives", possibly as a lever to extort money and "embarrass" Gerrard.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy O’Connor, said Merseyside Police will not tolerate such criminal behaviour. This former officer let down her colleagues whom day in, day out, provide a professional and quality service to members of communities across Merseyside.

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Latest Police Officer Charged/Convicted List - Version 28

The latest list of Police Officers and Public servants charged or convicted of a criminal offence - Version 28 Click here


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Video: Knowsley MP George Howarth gets angry at being filmed.

I visited Knowsley MP George Howarth at his surgery in Huyton, to ask him why he was making untrue comments about me in emails to constituents. George immediately became angry, before I had even spoke, at the fact that I had a video camera with me. I commenced filming George once he became angry and threatened to call Police. Here's the full story and exactly what happened.




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Concerns over "questionable integrity" of high-ranking Merseyside inspector and junior colleague

The Liverpool Echo reports "Concerns over "questionable integrity" of high-ranking Merseyside inspector and junior colleague"

They reveal that Merseyside Police bosses have 'long running fears' over the 'questionable integrity' of Inspector Mark Gorton and PC David Woods.

Both men remain employed following an internal probe by the Force's anti-corruption unit because there is not enough evidence to bring criminal or disciplinary charges.

PC David Woods was one of the officers responsible for unlawfully arresting me on my own front garden on a dark night in November 2009.

I subsequently received an out of court settlement in 2013 with regard to this incident.

The ECHO also reports that PC David Woods runs a sideline business selling machetes, knives and realistic replica guns, as well as mugs bearing the Nazi insignia.

Military Mart, of which Woods is a co-director, sells weapons including bayonets and axes from a warehouse in Ormskirk.



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List of Police Officers sacked, or charged or convicted of a criminal offence

Here is the latest list of Police Officers sacked, or charged or convicted of a criminal offence - Version 24

Police Officer list - Version 24

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KHT Reported to Merseyside Police

A concerned individual has reported Knowsley Housing Trust to the Police for their crime of demanding money by menaces.

Dear Chief Constable

Letter by Knowsley Housing Trust: Administration of Justice Act 1970

I enclose for your review and possible investigation a copy of a standard letter from the Income Manager at Knowsley Housing Trust,which I understand to have been sent recently to several of the Trust’s tenants.

I seek your review because I believe the sending of the letter may have constituted an offence under the Administration of Justice Act 1970 Section 40, para (1) & (1) (a), which states that:

A person commits an offence if, with the object of coercing another person to pay money claimed from the other as a debt due under a contract, he…..harasses the other with demands for payment which, in respect of their frequency or the manner or occasion of making any such demand, or of any threat or publicity by which any demand is accompanied, are calculated to subject him or members of his family or household to alarm, distress or humiliation.

In addition, paragraph 2 of Section 40 states that:

A person may be guilty of an offence by virtue of subsection (1)(a) above if he concerts with others in the taking of such action as is described in that paragraph, notwithstanding that his own course of conduct does not by itself amount to harassment.

It is my lay view that the contents of the final paragraph of the letter may have been “calculated” to cause just such alarm or distress, in order to exact payment of rent arrears. People receiving the standard letter may, from the wording, have been extremely concerned, to the point of alarm or distress, that their children might be removed from them if they become homeless. This impression would be inextricably linked to non-payment of arrears, and may therefore be construed as a demand for payment accompanied by action calculated by the author of the letter (or others requiring that such a letter be sent) to cause such alarm or distress.

This is not to suggest that Knowsley Housing Trust do not have a duty of referral when a family is at risk of homelessness. However, the letter makes no reference to the justification for that referral, namely that it is a step taken to ensure that children and families receive the most appropriate support from the local authority during a difficult family time. I believe it is a reasonable to expect a professional body to have given consideration to this.

Of course, I understand that it would be a matter for the court to decide the extent to which the letter is “calculated” to cause alarm or distress, but at this stage I would contend that a) there is sufficient evidence to suggest to the Crown Prosecution Service that a prosecution under the Administration of Justice Act 1970 might successfully be brought b) that it is in the public interest to consider prosecution, given the fact that the letter comes from a professional body of whom the public might reasonably expect high standards of conduct

Yours sincerely

Link to crime report

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Two Merseyside Matrix Police Officers sacked after unlawful use of taser.

Two Merseyside Police Officers were sacked today for gross misconduct after the IPCC upheld a complaint by Kyle Wardle, a man who was wrongly arrested and subjected to five unjustified rounds of Taser in December 2009.

WPC Joanne Kelly, one of the officers sacked, was the female Officer involved in my unlawful arrest in May 2009. My complaint against her and the other officers, Sgt Charlie Tennant, PC Mark Gibbs and PC Jason Jones was dismissed by Merseyside Police's professional standards division, but upheld by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. I subsequently accepted an out of court settlement after issuing legal proceedings against Merseyside Police.

Kyle McArdle was detained by officers from Merseyside Police when he was spotted urinating in an alley off Elliot Street in Liverpool city centre.

Kyle was put into the back of a police van and hit with five rounds of Taser, including three times in 'drive-stun' mode where the weapon was pressed against his chest, leg and upper abdomen. The arresting officers said he was 'violent' and Taser was needed to restrain him.

Taser barbs were also removed from Mr McArdle’s chest in contravention of Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) guidelines that say they should only be removed by a medical professional unless there is an ‘operational necessity’. The officer who took them out said he feared Mr McArdle would remove them himself and use them as weapons.

Mr McArdle, 26, was charged with assaulting two of the officers but was found not guilty at a magistrates’ court hearing.

He then made a number of complaints, including that multiple use of Taser in the confined space of a police vanwas disproportionate.

After investigating the complaints Merseyside recommended officers receive management advice about their 'lawful' use of powers.

Unhappy that the force had not properly addressed his complaint about the extent of force used against him, Mr McArdle appealed to the IPCC. The appeal was upheld and the IPCC recommended Merseyside re-investigate, this time considering if the use of Taser would be justified had the victim been lawfully arrested.

Merseyside then asked its lead Taser instructor to examine the case. The officer concluded the force used was "necessary, proportionate, reasonable and in line with the officers’ training and Acpo Association of Chief Police Officers) guidance”.

A second appeal, which was also upheld, was lodged with the IPCC who found that the officers should have been served with notices for gross misconduct and interviewed under caution. The IPCC also said that insufficient weight was given to Mr McArdle’s version of events and the evidence that supported his account. That evidence included CCTV footage that did not support the officers’ claims that he had been violent and needed to be restrained.

The IPCC also said it was concerned that Merseyside’s lead Taser instructor was uncritical of the officers’ use of the weapon and relied solely on their version of events.

Following the second upheld appeal Merseyside police held a misconduct hearing for two of the officers that began on 30 September. It ended with the dismissal of PCs Simon Jones and Joanne Kelly after gross misconduct was proven. A third officer, Sergeant Charlie Tennant, had already been dismissed from the force for an unrelated matter.

IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone said: "To enjoy public confidence it is important police officers only use force, including Taser, as a last resort; and then only at the minimum level necessary for the threat they actually face. The IPCC recognises that there is public concern over the considerable increase in Taser use – not only in the number of officers using it but also in circumstances where it would not have been used previously - and the significant rise in complaints that has accompanied that. Incidents such as this do nothing to alleviate that public concern.

"While we welcome the robust action eventually taken by the force in response to our appeal findings it is a concern that Merseyside’s lead Taser instructor lacked objectivity and presented as fact the officers’ version of events without challenge. It is important that when things do go wrong complaints are addressed thoroughly and responded to robustly. We hope the force will take on board learning from these events for the future.”

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Latest list of 'criminal' Police Officers - Version 22

Latest list of 'criminal' Police Officers - Version 22
Click Here

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Liverpool Echo Publishes "Policeman slapping youth" story

The Liverpool Echo's Ben Rossington today published the story of the Matrix Officer who slapped a youth, after the video was posted on Huyton Times TV

The Liverpool Echo - Merseyside police officer under investigation over YouTube ‘slap’ video

Five Merseyside police officers face misconduct hearings over “inappropriate” texts found on sacked inspector’s phone

"FIVE police officers are facing disciplinary action after a huge probe into “inappropriate” text messages.

The investigation was launched as part of the inquiry into the activities of sacked Chief Inspector Mark Brew earlier this year. Brew, 47, was suspended while an internal inquiry took place and his work mobile phone was analysed as part of the probe.

The ECHO understands as well as implicating Brew and leading to his dismissal, the contents of certain text messages sparked the further investigation of other officers. It is believed at one point up to 28 texts, some said to be from officers in other forces, were examined. Merseyside Police today confirmed five officers were heading for misconduct hearings as a result of the discoveries."

Source: Liverpool Echo

Five suspended Matrix Police Officers Sacked!

Five Police Officers from Merseysides Matrix squad (pictured) were today sacked from the force.

The Officers were sacked on the spot at a disciplinary panel, after photos were found on a mobile phone of an Officer being investigated for theft, showing them larking around and posing with household items whilst carrying out a house search.

After a three month internal inquiry in which Police Sgt Charlie Tennant was sacked and is currently on bail, the five constables in the photo were found guilty of gross misconduct and were also sacked.

Source: Liverpool Echo

Nine Merseyside Matrix Police officers under investigation for theft and drug offences.

The three previously suspended Officers are in this photo.

A further six Merseyside Police Officers from the forces Anti-Crime Matrix Unit have been suspended after images found on an Officer's mobile phone were of them clowning around during a house search relating to a serious crime.

Images found on the mobile phone of an Officer previously suspended for theft and misconduct gave Police Chiefs reason to suspend further Officers. Another Officer was suspended for dealing in steroids.

Source: Liverpool Echo

Three Matrix Police Officers suspended

A corrupt force to be investigated.

Three serving Police Officers from the Force's Matrix Disruption Unit, were today suspended over allegations that they stole items from houses they were searching and sold them on the auction website Ebay.

Detectives investigated the three over several months and were led to a profile on Ebay linked to one of the Officers. All three were arrested at their homes on March 9th 2011 and taken to separate Police stations, their computers were seized and are now being examined by IT experts.

All three have since been bailed and are currently suspended pending further inquiries.

Source: Liverpool Echo