Canoest, Cops & Guns

[JonCris]

Didn't know where else to start this thread.

Is it me or is the world going mad..

We have a middle aged woman, returning to this country of Her own free Will being greeted, on the plane, by 'armed' police followed by appearing in the dock, for a committal hearing, handcuffed.

Also a husband, for whatever reason, who handed himself in to the police

Yet even though it's Xmas they are not being given bail.

Christ we treat violent & phedo criminals better. As we have seen only to often we allow some of the most violent in society to wander our streets before we think of locking them away pre trial

What's going on to our sense of proportion. These people are no danger to the public nor are they a flight risk both if which is the only reasons to deny bail.

The 3rd reason for no bail would be the gravity of the crime but as I have already said we treat some very dangerous criminals better

I wonder are the insurance companies calling the shot's?

Whilst I wouldn't condone such behaviour if as alleged they have conned the insurers I do hope their lawyers pick up on this treatment as it certainly prejudices their right to a fair trial & may just be enough to force the court to dismiss charges Which in my opinion would teach the authorities a salutary lesson not to be so macho

[Castlebest]

I cant understand why they did it in the first place, the pay out was only around £25,000, if he had gone and got a job he would have sorted it in a year... and still have his canoe

[JonCris]

Whatever it's claimed they 'stole' my point is what on earth do the police think they are doing by arresting a middle aged woman at gunpoint. Particularly one that was returning to this country of her own free will

Never mind what this couple may have done the behaviour of the authorities in a democratic country just beggars belief - it's more reminiscent of the Stazi in East Berlin

[Castlebest]

I think there is more to it than we are being told, they had a 7 bedroom house they cant have been that short of cash that fraud was the only option, it just doesnt make sense to fake a death for £25,000.

I must admit from the photos of them they hardly look like hardened criminals but there is something fishy going on.

[ukaviator]

The Police in attendence at the Airport, were assigned to the Airport Security team. They will board Aircraft, Gun's at their side, to remove wanted fugitives etc. This was'nt at Gun Point when the woman was arrested. Although they are attached to the Police Force in their county, they are based full time at the Airport, where weapon's are carried 24 hrs a day.

[barracad]

Who will star in the inevitable film about them?
My money is on Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie

[GlasweJen]

There's more than £25000 involved, they claimed on a policy that cleared the mortgage on their house, I'm sure the BBC reported the total amount defrauded was £160,000 or therabouts.

The police at airports always have guns, the tabloids just didn't bother to mention that bit. Personally if I was a judge and I had a guy who was famous for dropping off the earth and his wife in front of me i wouldn't grant them bail either - Christmas or not the last thing they need is for these 2 to jump country together.

[MilkTrayMan]

...Bear a thought for the sons peeps!...

[JonCris]

Originally Posted by ukaviator

The Police in attendence at the Airport, were assigned to the Airport Security team. They will board Aircraft, Gun's at their side, to remove wanted fugitives etc. This was'nt at Gun Point when the woman was arrested. Although they are attached to the Police Force in their county, they are based full time at the Airport, where weapon's are carried 24 hrs a day.

Oh pleeeas. Stop making excuses for them. The guns are welded to their bodies are they? It was at gunpoint & anyway how is She to know the difference. A unarmed police woman could have arrested her without fuss. She wasn't going anywhere was She.

As we have seen the police seem to be little too gung ho when it comes to brandishing lethal weapons in public places & I doubt it frightens the villains but it sure scares the h ell out of me

[ukaviator]

No excuses Joncris. . . It's how they operate at the Airports. There are no unarmed Police Patrols at Airports. At Gunpoint means being thrown to the ground, with gun's pointing at them, whilst being arrested. Being removed from a plane, accompanying the wanted woman whilst carrying holstered weapons, is not at Gun point.

And just for information, i did that job for 18 months at Luton Airport, many years ago.

[JonCris]

If a police officer arrests me whilst carrying a gun, even in a holster, though how you get a bleeding machine gun in a holster beats me, then I & everyone else I suspect would consider I have been arrested at gunpoint.

Also are you seriously saying that at no airport in this country are there anything other than armed police - what rubbish & I don't care if you did do the job. You took your gun off from time to time didn't you?

[ukaviator]

Gun . . . . . Point. . .

Pointing the gun at someone would mean just that. The woman was not arrested at Gun point, but if you say that's how you see it, then there is no point in arguing on here. No doubt many ex soldiers and Police on this site would agree with me.

My weapons were with me 12 hrs a day at the Airport. I was expected to respond straight away, whether i was having lunch or in the office,they stayed with me, safety catch on.

The only unarmed Police at an Airport i have heard of, was at Glasgow. There were no armed Police on duty when the suicide bombers struck in July. Since then the high level security alert has not been lifted, and remains in place all around the country.

And believe it or not, you can get Machine Gun Holters.

[JonCris]

Sorry I know a little more about this than you think & I don't agree one bit.

Also just a point as you mention it as some justification for armed police at airports - armed police at Glasgow would not have stopped the bombers.

[ukaviator]

I agree, it would'nt have stopped them at that point, in their operation.

Sorry you don't agree. If you have something you can share with us all, then please let us know what it is you know.

[HSBCrusher]

Originally Posted by MilkTrayMan

...Bear a thought for the sons peeps!...

good point MTM.
I feel very sorry for them, it would be difficult to think of a worse set of circumstances for them.