[Closed] Legal Advice Please - Police Station Attendance

My kids run up to their room and hide when they know they're in for a talking to.

Maybe doign the 'grown-up' equivalent of this will be seen as an admission of guilt?

If you *really* can't remember then go along and see what they say.

If you can remember but would rather forget for legal reasons then maybe get some legal advice first?

and my understanding from being at the other end of a similar situation is that a threat to harm someone is treated quite seriously so I'd be careful what you admit to.

I genuinely can't say if I did or nor wwaswas.
He's previously been reported to the police for leering at my 13 year old daughter and I did the juvinile thing of telling him I was going to do him physical harm that time (police ans wife calmed me down though).
I have certainly thought about how nice chinning him would be since then but when I have a degree of equilibrium about me, I wouldn't punch a bag.

telephone the copper before the appt and tell hime you cant make it get him to come to you in your home another day, all friendly like let him see what a decent/ nice chap you are etc ( jaffa cake moment req.)

It sounds like they might just be going to have a chat with you and maybe offer some words of advice over whats been reported.

If they're going to ask you any formal questions in a voluntary taped interview or contemporaneous interview, you have the right to have a solicitor present or speak to one over the phone and their 'chat' can be delayed until you've seen or spoke to the solicitor.

On what you've said though, it does seem that it'll just be an informal chat.

Sounds like they are going to have a word with you one way or another. The person does have evidence, but IIRC it must be corroborated i.e his word against yours would be insufficient.

In Scotland the threat of violence can be an assault.

So tell us what you actually said?

You do realise that several serving Police spend time on here don't ya?

😉

A 'friend' had the same thing happen to him. He went to the relevant Police station , was immediatly arrested. Shoe laces and belt taken , wallet , change etc.
He then asked for a solicitor . The solicitor took 2 hours to appear. He sat in a cell reading pace and then had to go through a full on taped interview .

It took about three hours from start to finish

No further action taken , but they would have sent a car round to his house if i hadnt gone when asked nicely on the phone.

Might be worth a quick call to solicitor / Citizens advice or ring the cop shop and say you will be in at 0900 tomorrow , and be prepared for a wait.

"my" house, STM?
🙂

I was in the middle of a particulary manic period when I've supposedly threatend this bloke.
I can't recall it having happened and to be honest, I wouldn't have done it the first time if he hadn't have put his arm around my daughter at the school bus stop. She came home in tears! The guy is fairly big bloke and is in his thirties.
The police are aware of some other 'incidents' although I don't know what they are.
Anyway, all replies greatfuly received and I'd be especially interested in a reply from a serving officer.
Other than not going to the station this evening (I'm sure he'll understand. it's a massive game), I'm only asking if I HAVE to go.
I can only tell the bobby what I've said here. I don't think I did it. In fact, I'm positive I didn't. There are no 'black holes' in my memory, it was just a giddy episode (to put it midly).
Singletrackmind - that's scary! I'll make plans accordingly.

Make sure you get there early tomorrow.
Good luck, I'm sure most chaps on here in your situation would have had something to say too.

I think if I found an answerphone message telling me to report to the local nick, I'd assume it was a hoax and ignore it. After all, the police wouldn't seriously be following such bad practice as to be leaving answerphone messages without confirming your identity and where any munchkin who isn't you could play them back, surely?

Just because old bill left a voicemail, how do they know you actually received it?

Picked up a voicemail on my phone the other day, which was 7 days old...

Call them back, explain you an't make it tonight but more that happy to pop in tomorrow for a chat.

Remembering rule #1 - You get arsey with them, they get arsey with you - you've got 2 options.

1) Keep it friendly and low key - phone and arrange a time tomorrow.
2) Get on high horse about how very dare they etc. etc.

Always remember the scene in Bonfire of the Vanities when the cops only knew they'd found the right bloke when he demanded to see his lawyer before saying anything when they were just on a random door to door.

monksie - you aren't under any obligation to go, no. Seems like they are trying to get it dealt with in a low key manner, so maybe rearrange it if possible? Don't miss footy for it though.

He left a telephone number to call back on. It was the Community Police Dept. at out local nick. My attendance is required at the big nick - gulp.
J- can you talk Mr J in to going for me? call from H/Grove, have to go to C/Heath. I'd be more grateful then he would ever know. I told you if I wrote a book they'd have to put it on the fiction shelf. Nic is heading for a breakdown.....or a rolling pin!
ps. she's on TV on Saturday. ITV as part of the cup final show. Two players were at the hospice. She was in the Independant on Sunday.
Thanks thegreatape. I'm taking your advice above all others 🙂

When you go to see them - and you obviously need to do this, sooner rather than later - be [i]very[/i] careful in what you say. Genuinely, you could be walking into trouble here, if he's alleging that you've threatened him.

I'd ask them whether it has to be tonight as child care issues(or some such legitimate and understandable reason) prevent you attending unless it's really very important.

If they [i]insist[/i] on your attendance tonight, they're obviously not going to have just a 2 minute chat and wave you on your way, and I'd then think about legal representation.

Im sorry let me get this right, this guy has leered at you teenage daughter once already (and possibly has further history) and you've had words with him, and then he's gone and effectively assaulted her (contact that causes distress or harm) and you threatened to chin him.

To be honest if that is the case then you are far more restrained than me - I dont have kids (i wouldnt wish me as a parent) but they second time it wouldnt have been a verbal warning it would have be me round to his house and he would have seen the wrong side of or a bar and 5litres of unleaded and would have been left in no doubt that if there was a next time I would be bringing a lighter with me.

I'd call them up and ask the Officer if you're going to be interviewed or asked any questions under caution.

If you are and you want a solicitor present, you can tell them over the phone and they can arrange to have one waiting for you at the station.

It would probably be a good idea to call the Officer back and explain that your busy tonight and arrange to call in at a time and date suitable for yourself.

If you ignore the call, they will call around the house to speak with you.

As long as you make an appointment, the Officer should be happy with that. If it was anything pressing, they'd have just called around the house.

Yes, if they insist on tonight it's a good reason not to go in tonight but to seek legal advice first.

But it's City -v- Spurs nickf! I've also got the cup final at Wembley on Saturday. This is all getting a bit much for me.
I might hide for a bit.

Would police leave a voicemail? I would be wondering if my house was getting burgled all the time I was away if I was you. What with folk knowing you are going to be out and all that.

But it's City -v- Spurs nickf! I've also got the cup final at Wembley on Saturday. This is all getting a bit much for me.
I might hide for a bit.

Obvious I'd not tell them the [i]real[/i] reason you don't want to go tonight.....as I say, a reasonable parent could entirely legitimately state that they're home alone with the kids, thus precluding attendance, but that they could come along at a prearranged time tomorrow or whenever.

It's not unusual to leave a voice mail, but it would be very basic giving the name of who the message was for and the contact details for the Officer.

I wouldn't have mentioned the details myself, I'd have just said it was a quick follow up enquiry or courtesy just incase it's the wrong number or person

This is my area of expertise.

Call a solicitor now who does criminal work google yellow pages will have details of local ones .Follow their advise .

Do not discuss the case at all with the police without representation.

You will not have to pay for representation at the police station. All solicitors qualified to do police station work are part of the Duty Solicitor scheme so do not believe that the Duty solicitor is second rate.

Do not dodge the officer he will circulate you as wanted you will then be arrested at a time that is unlikely to be convenient to you and may well spend longer in custody awaiting the officer in your case to be available to interview you. singletrackminds friends experience is common.

If you contacted my firm i would contact the officer arrange for a convenient time for you to go in, attend with you, find out exactly the score and advise you what to say (if anything ,) I would then remain with you while interviewed and after interview make the appropriate representations on your behalf . All that would be free of charge to you.

If you go to the station you can ask for a solicitor and the police will contact one of your choice or Duty the solicitor is obliged to attend within 45 mins of the police stating they are ready to interview so you should not be waiting too long.

Hippy - the school bus stop is outside his house. He lives with his parents. Always out messing with his car when they come home from school, trying to find their cat in the morning, things like that. He then found reasons to talk to the girls at the bus stop etc. Suspicions went right up when he'd be out on the drive polishing his car [b]every[/b] afternoon when they all come home, with no t-shirt on when it was sunny. Lots of parents voicing concerns.
My youngster came back in the house in tears one morning when he'd been leary at her specifically and put his arm around her.
Eight 12 to 13 year old girls getting hysterical kind of muddied the tale of true events so the police could only have a very severe word with him. He's not been near any of them since.
Thanks everybody. Lots to think about and especially crankboy et.al. I'll ring in the morning, apologise for not being there tonight and arrange for a solicitor to come in with me.

I’m in the CID. I believe amplebrew is an officer as well, judging from his replies.

It sounds to me that the officer wants to conduct an interview with you as a ‘voluntary attender’. In these circumstances if the officer wishes to adduce your conversation into evidence he must conduct the interview in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE Code C 3.21) - that is to say you will be invited to the station and more than likely interviewed on tape. You have the right to free and independent legal advice. As you will not be under arrest you’ll not be booked into custody as such, and are free to leave at any stage. A haven’t got a copy of PACE to hand but I think the right to free and independent legal advice only extends to when you are at a police station – this FREE entitlement is not extended if it’s conducted at your H/A for example.

The best thing to do is give the PC a shout tonight and arrange the chat for a mutually convenient time in the next day or two and have no contact with the other party involved. Sound the officer out by asking if you will be offered legal advice – is it an interview under PACE?

Probably best to stop giving specific details on here too - you don't want to prejudice your case and you've changed your 'can't remember' to 'definitely didn't' already since the original post.

Oh yes and DON'T post details of the incident on the internet !! It could easily be admisable in court.

Thank you Deluded. If I'd done what I'm accused of, I'd go in and hold my hand up but I'm convinced I've not (since the previous time as above).
Shutting up now.

Would have been better off saying nothing, going back into your home and try to get some video evidence and/or making a complaint to the old bill.
I know it's hard to remain calm when your children are involved, but start displaying anger and you play straight into their hands.
Good luck!

My advice is go to the station and play ball with the officer. If it's a PACE interview get a brief. The officer should make a disclosure of the police case (or the evidence) to your solicitor prior to an interview. You will then be afforded the right to consult with the solicitor who will pass on what the police have decided to reveal and offer you advice accordingly - and take it from there.

....And you said in your first post 'you were going to be arrested'... If that's the case, you'll definitely want your solicitor present.

So, if you are definitely going to be arrested and definitely didn't make the alleged threats, get your solicitor to arrange a mutually convenient time to go to the station. That will demonstrate you are taking the situation seriously and will give you the best chance of a good outcome.

In the words of my Policeman brother when I was to be interviewed for an alleged assault..."admit nothing - deny everything - counter accuse!"

I think he was being slightly tongue in cheek with that but the fact remains 'You're convicted by what you've said not what you've done', do not speak to the Police without Legal Representation.

Oh yes and DON'T post details of the incident on the internet !! It could easily be admisable in court.

But would be easy to get it dismissed as hearsay! 😈

I may have said what he says I said but I may not have, I can't be sure.

monksie - Member

J- can you talk Mr J in to going for me? call from H/Grove, have to go to C/Heath. I'd be more grateful then he would ever know.

Well, I *[b][i]think[/i][/b]* I recall the handshake but it's been a few years now...

But seriously, not, there's a whole [b][i]WORLD[/i][/b] of trouble just waiting there

Vital reading:

http://nightjack2.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/a-survival-guide-for-decent-folk/

I'm also in the CID, and so I'd (obviously) do exactly what deluded said. I'd also emphasize the bit about having no contact whatsoever with the other party - if they've already made one allegation, they can very easily make another. The Nightjack stuff is also very sensible reading.

I'm back - City won. Champions League next season!
Thanks again everyone, I'm going to ring tomorrow.

And tonight's result makes Yerpean footie for Liverpool next season even more likely now, speshly following last night's 5-2 thrashing of Fulham! 😀

Boblo - he said I was [b]not[/b] going to be arrested, that's why I wondered if I had to attend or not.
I have concluded with the kind assistance of my wife that I had barely been out of the house last week apart from going bike riding with other people. Nobody has mentioned any kind of unsavoury incident involving me at any point apart from the complainant.
Therefore I am innocent and consequently will not be going anywhere near any police station.

I personally would have gone on the run 😉

In fact I bet you are, the posting here is just a ruse to convince plod that you're still at home

Sorry, misread your post. I'll tell Mrs Boblo to stop baking a cake with a file in it now shall I? 🙂

Good luck with the meeting monksie.

I can't imagine for one second that the police are going to be on the side of a guy who has already been 'reported' and may or may not be the subject of ongoing investigations for his conduct with schoolgirls.

FWIW I think in the circumstances you were remarkably restrained when your daughter came home in tears and you then asked the gentleman 'politely' not to do it again. Lesser men might have resorted to threats and violence. 😉

I have concluded with the kind assistance of my wife that ... I am innocent and consequently will not be going anywhere near any police station

As things stand they have a guy who's had a few complaints about possibly inappropriate behaviour now suggesting that you've threatened to harm him. Given that the "paedo/perv" label is easily applied and hard to shift, regardless of the truth they're probably quite worried about his safety (like that paediatrician who was singled out, or the landlord of that murdered lass in Bristol)

On the tiny off-chance that this situation with you & the "perv" might just recur in some form or another, why would you want to be seen by the police as uncooperative ?

If I were you I'd call them, discuss need for representation and make an appointment to go in and have it on record that you didn't do this.

If I were you I'd call them, discuss need for representation and make an appointment to go in and have it on record that you didn't do this.

+ 1

I'd definately not ignore the phone message as it is likely that you'll get a personal visit at home and having no contact [i][u]could[/u][/i] give the impression that you've got something to hide etc (Speaking from my own professional experience)

I'd also much rather speak to the Officer on my own terms with regard to dates and times, than have one at my home address.

If this chap has acted inappropriately, I would definately want to get my side across and have it recorded.

"Therefore I am innocent and consequently will not be going anywhere near any police station"
Therefore I am innocent and consequently will not be going anywhere near any police station"

What ever one thinks of the police they don't go around inviting you in for a word for the fun of it. The officer either wants you in and off guard so he can get a result for himself or he wants you in so that he can make a rubbish job go away with minimum hassle for you.

If you don't go in he will have an uncleard case on his work load he will get pressure off his supervision and his only option will be to escalate the response by circulating you as wanted and then some one will arrest and detain you. At which point the police's good will and the desire to resolve things in you favor will have diminished.

Question number two in interview would also be "if you are so innocent why have you been avoiding us?"

Please contact a local criminal lawyer and make an arrangement to go in as a volunteer to sort it out.

Crankboy LLB Solicitor HCA

I would just go in fr the chat - but keep in mind that you can always shut up / ask for representation if it is going in a direction you don't like.

IMO its always worth being co operative with cops - it just makes life a lot easier

The flip side of this...

Is it possible the police are trying to build a case against the chap who put his arm around your daughter?
They MIGHT have had other complaints and need to speak to you with regard to your incident

granted its unlikely.. ukPLC you're guilty until you prove yourself innocent
I really think you need to speak to them, but not without representation.
Don't speak to them in your home, and don't let them come round in a panda car to collect you..
Good luck

(Mr MC posting)

I'm surprised to see coppers saying get legal advice, and get the solicitor/rep to tell you what the police have disclosed. This practice of disclosing to solicitors only goes to serve the solicitor not the detainee or the investigator, by empowering the solicitor with "look what I've got out of them" and undermining any rapport the officer has built with the suspect. I give disclosure to the suspect- after all they are the person with a case to answer, and I give it to them regardless of whether they want legal advice. If they have legal advice I give a copy of the disclosure to the advisor as well. Locally this practice is taught in Tier 3 suspect interviewing now.

To the OP and as others have said, it is likely to be an interview under caution not under arrest. Call the officer and find out if this is the case, arrange a mutually convenient time, and attend. Find out what the score is, and decide whether you want legal advice. And remember it is only advice, not slurring those legal professionals on here (as crankboy has given very balanced, sensible advice) but I have done many interviews where the suspect was innocent, but they replied "no comment" on legal advice which has not been in their best interests (kept in overnight and further interviewed, if theyd given that account straight away they would have been released no charge no further action).

It sounds like the officer is being reasonable so respond accordingly. The extreme alternative is the officer resorts to circulating you as wanted, you get stopped in your car and arrested (possibly in front of wife, family, friends) and get kept in overnight for the officer in the case to come in and deal in the morning. You have defence solicitors and police officers giving the same advice. Me, I'd make the phone call.

So are you still on the lam?

Do you need a safehouse?

When I was a boy I went in for an 'informal' chat after someone in our school OD'd.

During the 'chat' I was essentially accused of being a drug dealer, and told that there would be 'consequences' if I didn't give him the names of all drug dealers in the village.

I said no and he got a bit shirty.

My Mum was with me though...she had my back.

Mr Mc obviously i disagree with a portion of what you say and would happily have the full debate down the pub or on a cross country ride ,but out of curiosity do you genuinely give disclosure prior to interview off tape to an unrepresented suspect? if so where do you work?

I have a lad on remand now because he chose to put forward his innocent account in interview rather than follow my advise to say nothing.

Oh, I should probably point out that the 'informal chat' I had when I was a boy was recorded and I was read my rights before we started.

crankboy, we will both have counter experiences. I had 3 suspects kept in overnight and subject to intimate samples for a rape where, if they'd given the account they eventually gave at the start, they would have been released 18hrs earlier and without suffering the indignity of a medical exam. They all said they wanted to talk but followed the advice given (with no opportunity to collude they gave identical accounts of consent with elements I was able to independently corroborate).

Yes, I serve a written disclosure notice on the d/p in custody (ensure they can read it, tell them not to comment on it prior to me handing it to them) and have done for maybe 5 years. More often than not the d/p will mention it in interview and I have never had a negative experience in doing so (and by negative I mean in the best interests of determining the truth, not some pro-prosecution agenda). Tier 3 teaches to serve it on tape, but my personal issue with that is that (represented or not) if the d/p is in an interview room they will think they are being interviewed and respond accordingly.

I'm based in thames valley, but have recently traded my shiney CID trousers for uniformed stripes.

Mr MC why are you surprised that coppers have advised the OP to get legal advice?

I'm a Tier 3 Advanced Suspect interviewer - I'm with crankboy - the pre-interview disclosure that you mention without a brief being present would be considered highly irregular in my force. I see numerous pitfalls there?? I've done written and taped disclosures for a range of offences up to and including murder.

Mr MC - I'm really surprised by your comments. Disclosure is part of a transparent fair interview process. Obviously there maybe things that you keep back to test the evidence. Good interaction with the legal rep can help things along. I think I'd enjoy a pint down the pub too chew this over as well!

MC posting now! Very interesting discussion Deluded as Mr MC is Tier 3 trained as well and that is what is taught in our force re: disclosure and that is what is widely practiced, having also interviewed for a variety of offences up to and including murder! You can still have good interaction with the legal rep but the point is the DP has time to read the disclosure themselves, legal rep will get identical copy on arrival.

Anyway back to OP, did you go? what was the result?

Reckon he's on the run, probably going to be on one of those chavchaser programs that sky / ch5 like so much

LOL @ Piedi!!!

Sorry to be a bore. I phoned the guy up. We did it all over the phone. He just wanted to hear what happened from me.
I advised him that I have no idea what the complainer is on about. That was good enough for the copper and nothing more is to be done.
I'm going for a celebration bike ride today. Phew!

Disappointed. You said you were gone stick it to the filth and no copper would get you alive.

monksie - Member
Sorry to be a bore. I phoned the guy up. We did it all over the phone. He just wanted to hear what happened from me.
I advised him that I have no idea what the complainer is on about. That was good enough for the copper and nothing more is to be done.
I'm going for a celebration bike ride today. Phew!

That's great news 😀

That's rubbish. What are we all supposed to get over excited and worked up about now?

Very selfish of you 😉

I think thats just the copper tipping you the wink that you can go and lynch the grubby scrote and they'll turn a blind eye. Go warm up the baseball bat.

Yeah Stoner I am afraid to say I don't think so!!! Don't be doing that as you will then end up spending a night in the cells, not pleasant.

whats the world coming to when you cant rely on the fuzz to leave the cell door unlocked for a wee while.... 😉

I advised him that I have no idea what the complainer is on about. That was good enough for the copper and nothing more is to be done.

Great work by the cops there, imagine if they applied that to every crime. Did you do it?, Nope! ok thanks for your time. The prisons would be empty

[img] [/img]

That was good enough for the copper and nothing more is to be done.

Shame. I was hoping that you would be banged up so I could buy your FA Cup Final ticket from you for a pittance!

Bruneep I think there'll be a bit moer than that! Ie it is one word against the other, no CCTV, no witness etc etc and hence can't progress. Also, goest to show OP that it really wasn't that bad now was it!!! Not all coppers are unreasonable!

Well that was an anti-climax.

At least you can take these off now....

[img] [/img]

Yay. glad for you monksie.

Just keep your 'hair on' next time something like this happens.

BOOM!
[b]He's been arrested![/b].
Silly man made a further complaint to the police that I have again threatened him. Supposed to have done it at 3:40pm, Saturday 14th May 2011 (yesterday afternoon).
Sadly for him, corroberated by 13 other people (all of whom were in our mini bus), copius photographic evidence, programme, reserved car park ticket proving beyond any doubt what so ever, [b]I WAS AT WEMBLEY YESTERDAY AFTEROON WATCHING THE FA CUP FINAL![/B]
I can't say much at this point but police are more than happy that I didn't do it on the previously disputed occasion and I absolutely didn't do it yeterday!
Hair is very definitely kept on through out this full sorry saga!
For once (well, quite oftenly actually), in the never a dull day that is my life, something has gone very, very well.
My ride today was cancelled.....I took my wife and daughter out for a massive big Sunday lunch, cinema, shopping trip and I got some £100 road shoes to celebrate!
I've had loads of cuddles from my wife and daughter. I kept saying I hadn't done it. I might have a mental hinderance but I'm not a nutter 🙂
Looks like the idiot is in [b]huge[/b] trouble
Happy, happy, happy!
I love everyone.
Does anybody fancy a massive Peaks mtb or road ride tomorrow? I'm absolutely buzzing.
Xx

brilliant news now go get him with some bombers they will never believe his account/. Escalte to owning with a get out of free jail card

All you need now is for the bloke to be put on the register 🙂

Good news! What junkyard said crossed my mind too. Lying to the police should seem him with s good wrist slapping.

my advice was sarcasm please dont follow it

that is brilliant! this guy sounds like an absolute balloon.

I don't necessarily believe in karma, but...