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News and Comment November 2014

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27 November (Part 1) - Nick in nick

Police StationIt was Nicholas Dowling’s turn to visit Plumstead nick yesterday, the first time in his forty something years he has ever set foot inside a police station.

His story is much the same as all the others; talk to tape for a couple of hours and sign the statement.

Like the four complainants (Mick Barnbrook, Elwyn Bryant, Peter Gussman and me), Nicholas was impressed by the thoroughness of the investigating officer. Whatever the outcome this officer will not be on the receiving end of the sort of complaints that Bexley police always attract when trying to save the Bacon of Bexley council. Criticised by the IPCC for breaking all the procedural rules, attempting to suppress evidence, kicking complaints into the long grass and admitting to political interference.

Not that the latter can be ruled out. The next stage will probably be to interview the alleged offenders. It was only when councillor Peter Craske was arrested 13 months after a crime was reported that the alarm bells rang in the Civic Centre and a rescue operation had to be mounted.

It’s 99:1 that something similar will happen to this case. It will be too trivial, or too expensive to prosecute or it won’t be in the public interest. If senior council officers were subject to the law of the land there would be one in court every week. That doesn’t happen and it is not because they are all good upstanding citizens.

 

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