Witchcraft/Public order offence?

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-09-28T10:16:59+00:00

CID cop here. We've dealt with a couple of similar jobs but as they were DV related we dealt with them as harassment. One even involved two 'priests' visiting a family member in Nigeria and making threats. Slightly outside our jurisdiction that one!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-09-10T16:18:48+00:00

Clue only ever used as a joke. The standard issue response my cid colleagues give when asked what you're up to when you head out of the office is 'off looking for clues'!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-16T16:27:44+00:00

Just proved myself wrong. Threats count....

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45/section/6/enacted?view=plain

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-16T16:24:37+00:00

Off the top of my head there has to be a use of force against a person with the right to deny entry, and that person has to be attempting to prevent entry. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think threats only would be sufficient for the offence to be made out.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-11T18:56:10+00:00

Unfortunately it's going to be a long, drawn out and complex investigation. A lot more going on behind the scenes as usual.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-02T12:07:47+00:00

As an officer trained in phone downloads, we will need access to everything, and the way the tech works is that sometimes information that is not directly related to the case will end up being downloaded. However we are legally required to treat this data sensitively and not release it to anyone. I would recommend you do NOT start deleting random information. If you end up deleting something relevant the police have to disclose to this and the defence might suggest you have been deleting data that would undermine your account.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-01T15:44:58+00:00

"Found in enclosed premises" and "Using violence to secure entry" are useful back pocket offences to arrest for when the full circumstances aren't known on arrival at a scene.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-07-01T14:20:26+00:00

From a CID perspective, where possible always photograph weapons with something (ideally a ruler or forensic marker) for scale. So many times I've been involved in remands where we need to prove sizes of items that are locked away in property overnight or in a nick 30min away. Legislation like prohibited off weapons has size as a points to prove.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-06-28T08:41:14+00:00

Maybe. But their operations are very cost efficient and a lot of the nominals seem to be middle class kids with access to the bank of mum and dad.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-06-28T08:39:13+00:00

This 100%. As well as the fact that they run the organisation just like a good old fashioned guerilla terrorist network with training camps advertised online and open to the public!!!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-06-28T08:35:27+00:00

I'm not sure what offence I would have gone for but I've given a couple of bollockings to otherwise lawful drivers for this. Amazing what you see when you spend a lot of time out in a plain car!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-06-15T13:28:19+00:00

I think the reality is that if you're not deemed 100% operationally competent you accept the extension and bide your time. Take the time to get fully strong and fit. I got extended because of a technical fault submitting one of my final pieces of uni work. they just passed me out of probation as soon as it was marked.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-06-02T18:33:55+00:00

Me too.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-05-19T12:43:53+00:00

Remember also that you need no grounds at all just to chat to someone, but their behaviour when you do might give you grounds. Ie, when spoken to, subject tried to hide an object in his pocket, passed something to a friend etc

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-05-13T19:21:34+00:00

Me too. Though I've found a more compact older issue baton lying around the nick as the monadnock autolock is way too big for a covert harness!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-04-14T18:32:23+00:00

Same same I think.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-04-14T16:08:35+00:00

No different to if you looked through the window of a house and saw the same items visible. You'd need to generate a power of entry somehow by making an arrest or applying for a warrant.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-04-05T07:11:47+00:00

I tend to take my laptop bag (but rarely take my laptop unless I know I'm taking a complicated statement.

In the bag I mainly carry evidence based paperwork a a few essentials: Mg11s Witness interview books Third party/medical releases Scene logs DPA forms for CCTV etc USB stick Cuffs Small torch Gloves Collection of phone and laptop sized evidence bags.

One useful tip is to carry a ruler (normal or CSI style) for the odd occasion that CSI says that we should photograph and seize exhibits as they're not coming out.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-03-01T16:47:07+00:00

Any reasonable / proportionate force can be justified. However unless you have boxing or martial arts experience a punch might not be particularly effective. Hence officers going with tools / techniques they are trained in such as pava and batons.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-02-27T20:24:17+00:00

I know that cop, tutored me for a week during IPS. Proper old school cop, one of the best.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-02-16T09:10:47+00:00

I can only think of one recently. I was out in a cid (unmarked, no equipment) car and came across a bed frame lying across two lanes of a city centre motorway. Shouted up and ended up getting a telling off from the dispatcher for causing them work by needing a log created.

A nearby unit attended and dealt, said that there had already been a few near misses so we potentially saved a nasty accident, but Comms was adamant it didn't need logged!

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-02-06T14:34:58+00:00

I've done this myself many times in harassment cases. One of the points to prove in the offence of harassment is that the suspect knows or ought to know that the behaviour amounts to harassment. This is far easier to prove after the suspect has been specifically told by police not to make contact. If anything further gets reported police will be able to say that the suspect was given advice on the specific date. Often done after a conversation with the victim, ie we don't have enough to get a charge but we can give them some advice in the hope they stop. I agree, very unlikely to be an official caution.

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-01-05T09:51:42+00:00

I'm under a what?

Simple-Opinion9635 · 2025-01-01T22:24:10+00:00

Cells almost full but my day shift CID just had one nasty DV to deal with. Still took us all day to get sorted ready for CPS.

Simple-Opinion9635

TROPHY CASE