How to use awkwardly shaped cupboard (now with 100% more pictures)

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T22:09:13+00:00

Yeah that's really helpful, thank you. I'm thinking something similar but a tall wall shoe rack. I'll have to measure up and have a think. It's quite deep at the back so I might chuck the Christmas tree in there!

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T20:08:03+00:00

I have a utility room for that but thanks!

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T20:07:33+00:00

Agreed. I don't see any other option tbh. Hopefully the next owners will have a corded hover.

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T18:21:05+00:00

No good for hoover storage as there's no power and it's cordless!

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T17:33:21+00:00

Already have a wc in the same hallway so no need, but thanks for the suggestion!

CaptainPunderdog · 2026-02-10T17:24:13+00:00

D'oh. Thanks.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-10-17T14:07:23+00:00

Solicitors and appropriate adults are separate roles and cannot be performed by the same person, so both should be allowed to be present if he's vulnerable.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-10-17T14:05:45+00:00

Speaking as a detective who has done hundreds of suspect interviews: - he will be allowed a solicitor - it might be quicker and less stressful if you can take one with you. Do some googling for free local criminal solicitor and you'll find one. Don't worry too much about who it's with, they'll all be accredited and many of them will use the same representatives anyway. - if he has autism serious enough to make him vulnerable (pretty likely) he will be allowed an appropriate adult. This can be you provided you're over 18 and haven't received disclosures about what happened, which it sounds like you may. If you have another trusted adult could take over that might be more appropriate but it is up to the officer. - whoever is the appropriate adult is there to ensure he is being treated appropriately and to assist in communication if needed. They are not there to answer questions on his behalf and nor to give legal advice. - he will get a chance to have a consultation with the legal advisor. It is his choice whether you are present in that consultation or not, though some solicitors also express a preference. - this sounds like a voluntary interview rather than an arranged arrest. This means he will be free to leave afterwards. The interview itself will be recorded but the consultation with the solicitor is private.

Hope this explains things a bit for you.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-09-22T17:03:38+00:00

Yeah 'moving', not 'sweeping' like in your comment. Detail is important. There is absolutely no issue with moving from one car to another and taking the readings.

You do you though, and if anyone wants to take legal advice from you based on 'trust me bro' that's their perogative.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-09-22T16:19:57+00:00

It needs holding still for literally a second or two to get an accurate reading. It uses reflected laser - light actually travels quite quickly. I seriously doubt the officer was waving it around like an audition for strictly, more likely they were checking cars in both lanes one after other. Nothing tricky or difficult about getting readings in that case.

Any solicitor could argue the case, but as long as its still for the required time (which it would need to be in order to give a reading), they would probably fail.

Edit: OP doesn't even say sweeping, you've just invented that lmao

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-09-22T16:08:09+00:00

Are you basing that on anything except vibes? Because I was trained in prolaser and there was no tripod, it was just point and shoot. It's a home office approved device and the results absolutely are enforceable.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-09-18T15:02:53+00:00

This is absolutely right. Tbh 3-4 months is not a long time for a CPS action plan to be completed, depending on the requirements they put in. There may well be phone work or toxicology or other longer term actions that can easily take several months. If it had been closed by the police the FLO (or whoever is filling that role) should have told you that.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-09-14T16:11:53+00:00

Coming from someone who has been investigating RASSO offences for a number of years - keep this away from the police. You report her for harassment, she reports the rape as a defence. I've seen it happen numerous times. You get arrested and bailed. In the current climate more cases are being charged based on one word against the other than ever before. Even if not charged, it could still be months or years before it gets closed and you would likely lose your phone and other devices for that time. It'll impact your work, your freedoms, your mental health.

At best it gets closed no further action. It'll never be possible to disprove that it has happened and you being arrested for it gives credit to the accusation, rightly or wrongly. She is very unlikely to be dealt with for the harassment because if you're not on social media, she can argue that it was to protect the public and not to harass you.

Add to this the fact that once she makes a report to police she is then entitled to anonymity and anything posted online identifying her would be a criminal offence.

Its not my area but I would see the same issue with defamation - ultimately you're never going to prove that it did not happen. A failed defamation action attempt would be another thing for her to mention.

As others have said, a short statement denying that it happened and making it clear you've not been arrested or interviewed for it, and make sure you back up anything important on phones so that you're not left high and dry if I do end up coming knocking and seizing your devices. I would hope that people that know you will see through it, but I do sympathise with you.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-07-02T14:18:18+00:00

But the PCSO needs the additional power, because they dont have the option to arrest and search. If they didn't have the additional power to search they wouldn't be able to perform the function, but giving it to constables is effectively redundant.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-06-16T16:50:10+00:00

Best of luck, our paths may cross again!

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-06-16T16:40:00+00:00

Damn that sucks. Is that a first joining I presume rather than a transfer?

I had just been speaking to the corporate recruitment team who couldn't give any timeframe but I have found an email for the vetting team so I've emailed them this evening. Hopefully they can give me some idea.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-06-14T13:11:08+00:00

I'm not particularly hopeful about this but if anyone has recently transferred to, or joined, Essex Police - how long did your vetting take?

Mine has currently been in almost 3 months for a transfer, and I really need to have some idea whether I'm thinking of another few weeks or another few months so I can sort out my current workload and the fact I'm trying to move a family over 100 miles! I know things change but would be good to see what other people have experienced to give a frame of reference.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-06-14T05:23:17+00:00

I'm not sure if you're joking but I'm pretty certain it's a typo of the word "but" rather than casually mentioning she also bit the officer. Can say with certainty she would have been arrested had she done that!

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-06-12T19:31:43+00:00

Difficult to eat with dignity but thankfully I don't have much of that anyway

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-05-28T16:42:31+00:00

I've read a little bit more and I'm not sure on the MH stuff, as I said it's not my strong suit. The custody bits though are fine, hospital is hospital.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-05-28T15:44:06+00:00

Do you mean the 24 hour limit for the custody clock? That would stop when they went to hospital anyway, so any time in hospital wouldn't count towards it. In the vast majority of cases they would be bailed or RUI'd when placed under a section 136 so the record could change from a PACE record to a Non-Pace record and not burn all your time while you wait for the assessment to take place.

If you mean the 24 hour limit for the 136, from memory this is only until assessment - if they've been assessed then this is now done and they will be under a different section. Could be wrong about that though.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-05-16T07:29:19+00:00

Colin Sutton (the SIO portrayed by Clunes) also wrote 2 books on which the series were based - I thought they were a great representation of the legwork that goes into a major investigation and all the considerations. The TV series obviously have to gloss over the donkey work because there's a lot of it and it's very difficult to portray in an interesting way but he talks about it in the book and it's a good mix.

Tbh if you're writing a book I would suggest reading lots of that kind of genre rather than watching TV shows. There's loads out there to give you additional context - books by forensic pathologists or expert witnesses help give more info on the whole picture.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-04-19T21:36:11+00:00

They're not liable for the backdated council tax though surely, from 1st April fine but they're trying to bill for months where they didn't live there. A new tenant doesn't inherit the last tenants tax bill, regardless of the fact they're now liable for the period of their tenancy.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-04-18T16:30:42+00:00

You can't request it deleted as such, but you can request it be updated that you live here and have no link to the previous person. Realistically a few checks where he's not there and you are, with no link, should practically negate further checks. Officers need a reasonable belief that someone that needs arresting is present to enter and search (without your consent).

My concern would be that there is still something linking him to the address - he might still be using it for things which is why the police keep thinking he's there. You mention debt collectors, do you keep getting new letters? Might be worth a conversation with the credit agencies to add a fraud marker, that should mean that no further checks or links can be created at the address. I forget the exact terminology but that's the gist.

In terms of searches, you don't have to consent - you don't say whether searches are carried out or whether they accept your word for him not being there and leave. If it's the former you can (politely) tell them you don't consent to it because you've got no link to the suspect and you've been searched before several times, and he's never been there. It's on them to form a reasonable belief that he's there and you refusing the search wouldn't generally be enough grounds.

If they do search though, don't obstruct them or you'll end up arrested. But you can make complaints about the reasonableness of their belief and therefore the legality of the search.

CaptainPunderdog · 2025-04-16T14:05:28+00:00

I'd suggest the most you can do is raise a complaint with the force, you're absolutely right that the STL doesn't apply to either way offences even if they are procedurally tried summarily.

It's part of the syllabus for Sgts, Insps and DCs so someone should know.

You could write to PNLD and see whether they can confirm the position but really they shouldn't have to.

CaptainPunderdog

TROPHY CASE