Back to work today after 4 days off. I like my four days off but when I get back to work there are normally plenty of emails to keep me busy for a couple of hours. One of the emails really sums the Police up:

Email received 4th

"Hi David, can you please do a statement for the card skimmer. He is next in court 7th April 2008 so if you could do this ASAP I would appreciate it, Thanks"

Why admit your guilt?

Not a problem I hear you say. Except I was on rest days until yesterday and he had already been to court. Luckily it adjourned till the 23rd so plenty of time to get the statement in!

What really gets me about this case is that he was arested with all the tools, admitted what he was doing and remanded. Now to the normal member of the public you would think that we would have this job all wrapped up ready for a guilty plea. But you would be sadly mistaken. What you fail to realise is that he has now got legal aid and a defence solicitor who got his hands on the case and a not guilty plea has been entered!

Why is it that what a defendant has admitted the offence, he is allowed to plead not guilty and contribute towards the backlog courts rightly complain about. No doubt the defence will complain that case is not ready for commital and maybe, just maybe accuse the Police of an abuse of process!

Harrass This!

For some reason we get a lot of reports of harrassment where I work. I picked up two more yesterday. One of them beggars belief. The person who reported they were getting harrased have reported the harrassment to us because they have been using MSN and someone has been sending them abusive messages. What ever happended to helping yourself and taking steps to avoid problems such as this. Why is it for the Police to do this! I went to the see the young person with their mother and took a statement. Once the statement was completed I gave them some crime prevention advice which invloved changing the MSN id.

Them "Oh I can't do that"

Me "Why is that"

"Cos no-one will be able to contact me then"

"Well tell your firends and the people you trust your new ID and don't accept strangers requests"

"Well then I won't make new friends"

(Starting to get a little irritated by the lack of common sense I say)
"And if you don't I won't have to try and find the offender every time you make a new friend!!"

"But thats your job!!"

I give up

I thank them for their time and the cup of tea and leave

"You never had a cup of tea"

"Exactly" I say!

Another crime goes undetected

Worrying Times

I have touched on domestic violence before in this diary. Last night on the way back to the nick I was sent to a domestic. What really worries me about this dispute is that you never know how far either party is willing to go. The lady and her new partner I went to see are fabulous. They live in fear of the ladies ex husband and I find it really difficult to walk away when no offences have been committed. She deserves to have a peaceful life but I do worry about her. Enough said I think

Time Gentlemen Please

Ok another quick statement for a fraud and I go back to finish off for the day. I update my crimes whilst eating my food and call it a day at midnight

Back on lates and another harassment to deal with tonight

Good night all