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News and Comment December 2015

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18 December (Part 1) - A good day to bury bad news?

Just over two weeks ago I was given formal notification that the Crown Prosecution Service was likely to announce its decision on councillor Cheryl Bacon and her supporters today. The police in Greenwich thoroughly investigated an allegation that the councillor lied on an industrial scale to cover her relatively minor transgression of the Local Government Act. Her rather extreme lies over what took place on the evening of 19th June 2013 were supported by Chief Executive Will Tuckley and others who refused to look at the evidence that Cheryl Bacon was lying submitted by councillors from both parties. Other council officers wrote falsified reports in support of Cheryl Bacon and their names were submitted to the police too.

The police spent around six months assembling and examining the evidence that four people had conspired against members of the public and not once was there any hint that it was not a strong case which could lead to a prison sentence. That outcome was briefly discussed but I nevertheless always assumed that an excuse would sooner or later be found for the case not to proceed to prosecution. If I had to guess I would say the investigating officer felt the same, for sadly the British establishment always rallies round to save its own.

My guess was that the CPS decision would be Not In The Public Interest. Can you imagine the furore if the recently appointed Chief Executive to Tower Hamlets council and the wife of a Conservative GLA candidate found themselves in the dock?

I was even more convinced that there would be chicanery when I looked up the Crown Prosecution Service appeals process. You get five days from the date of any announcement in which to mount an appeal. What better timing could there be than four or five working days before Christmas?

I try to dodge predictions when there is some chance of being wrong, but I think if get this one wrong there will be ample consolation in losing the bet.

 

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