by the PC Police.
A former BBC presenter has won damages after being wrongly arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred for "light-hearted" remarks at a country fair.
Robin Page, who hosted TV's One Man And His Dog, fought a five-year campaign to clear his name after being locked up in a cell for his jokey introduction to a pro-hunting speech.
He told a meeting in Framptonupon-Severn, Gloucestershire, in 2002: "If you are a black, vegetarian, Muslim, asylum-seeking, onelegged lesbian lorry driver, I want the same rights as you."
OOOH, he said something INSENSITIVE!
Two officers from Gloucestershire Police travelled to Cambridgeshire to arrest Mr Page at his cattle farm.
He was held in a cell at a police station for 40 minutes before agreeing to be interviewed without a lawyer present.
Mr Page, 64, said yesterday: "I was told I had committed a 'hate crime', interviewed under caution-and given police bail."
No charges were brought but he was never given any explanation for his treatment.
"...agreeing to be interviewed without a lawyer present." Isn't that interesting?
And after receiving a settlement,
"Annoyingly, the police sent my cheque in an unstamped envelope.
"I had to go to my local post office to pay £1.24 to pick it up. I'm not all that convinced it was a mistake."
He said the Freedom of Information disclosures had also revealed he was on a police "homophobic incident record" and he fears his name has not been removed.
He said: "How can you be included on a homophobic incident record for using the word lesbian once in a speech? It is just incredible. Political correctness is the new McCarthyism."
Police hate to be asked "Don't you have any actual crime to deal with?" But those involved in crap like this should have it asked of them. Often.
Of course, they'll probably consider it 'hate speech' and write you a ticket.
Thanks to Theo for pointing this out.
1 comment:
If he is a farmer, then he is considered a prey species by all branches of the bureaucracy.
DEFRA employs arpond 14 pen pushers administering agriculture for every 1 farmer.
As law abiding people with little experience of being on the receiving end of "crimminal investigations", generally aged in their mid to late 60's, and often with little classroom education, it is often possible for "the autorities" to brow beat or bull shit (bully) them into crap like interviews without legal representation, especially using shit like saying "you would be helping your case" (shit, it only helps the bastocrat prosecute you).
The resulting crimminal convictions then help the bastocrats justify their continuing role.
Time for a 50% cut in budgets to all departments, followed by further 50% cuts if any more bullshit is seen, or basic duties are neglected.
Keith
Post a Comment