Freemasonry

[Man of Harveys]

No case over car incidents
A former policeman accused of assaulting a photographer has been told by lawyers he has no case to answer.

David Freeman, longterm partner of Lewes District Council leader Ann de Vecchi, was pictured jumping into a car and lunging at freelance snapper Eddie Mitchell in December.

Mr Mitchell, 40, said Mr Freeman attacked him after he had called at the couple's home with a reporter from The Argus.

He said Mr Freeman threatened the reporter and then assaulted him in his car, damaging the vehicle and punching him in the face.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced it would not bring any charges against Mr Freeman, who served with Sussex Police for 25 years, in February. Mr Mitchell said he had since appealed to the head of the CPS to take the matter further but was again rebuffed yesterday.

Mr Mitchell was left with a small cut under his eye and bruises, photographed by police, after the alleged incident.

He said: "I've taken it to the top level of the CPS, their directors in London, but they have again decided that no action be taken. I'm disgusted.

"I'm amazed they think it is fine for a man to act in this way, climbing into a private motor vehicle and attacking someone just for taking pictures.

"It was only because of the aggressive way he was treating the journalist that I was taking photographs in the first place."

The alleged assault occurred when the reporter and Mr Mitchell called to speak to Coun de Vecchi about the council's decision to challenge plans for the Brighton and Hove Albion stadium in Falmer.

Mr Freeman is said to have answered the door, claiming he did not know if Coun de Vecchi was home or not.

Mr Mitchell said the retired policeman then threatened the reporter and ran at the photographer's car, opening the door, jumping inside and punching him.

He is now putting together a case for a civil action, claiming damages for assault or negligence. Mr Mitchell said: "I can understand why this decision would have been made if there wasn't any photographic evidence as it would have been a matter of his word against ours.

"But the pictures tell the whole story. So I'm taking it through the civil courts and we'll see what happens there."

A spokesman for the CPS said the service was not making any comment on the case at this time. Mr Freeman was Chief Superintendent of the North Downs division from 1987 till his retirement in 1990. He then acted as treasurer of the Sixth Lewes Sea Scouts.

Mr Freeman was unavailable to comment on the CPS decision.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I trust Roz will get the same fair treatment from the CPS...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Smacks of calling in old police contacts to avoid trouble.

Ex Copper vs 'Pap' - No contest.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Any of the coppers who post on here have anything to say about this? I think it's a total f***ing disgrace, dodgy as hell.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I've been urged by the CPS to investigate far lesser assaults than that to the nth degree, so it makes you wonder how they arrived at that decision...

 

[Bwian]

Any of the coppers who post on here have anything to say about this? I think it's a total f***ing disgrace, dodgy as hell.

Totally agree...if it was a football 'hooligan' they'd be in court within a couple of days.

No wonder the public has no time or respect for the police.

 

[Bwian]

I trust Roz will get the same fair treatment from the CPS...

Look who is at the centre of both incidents-seems that what DeVagi wants, DeVagi gets. Especially with a thug of an ex-plod rattling her bones in the privacy of their own home pulling strings at the CPS (that's a disgusting mental image too BTW )

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

there is something whiffy here.

 

[Robot Chicken]

What has this got to do with Freemasonry

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Totally agree...if it was a football 'hooligan' they'd be in court within a couple of days.

No wonder the public has no time or respect for the police.

It's not the police who make the decision, they just have to gather evidence when a complaint comes in, and put the file together

It's the CPS who decide whether someone will be prosecuted or not, in all but the most simple of cases.

For the record, I don't know of any colleagues who are freemasons. Doubtless they exist somewhere, probably amongst the older and longer serving officers in the force. But I've never met anyone who's one.

 

[aftershavedave]

private prosecution is in order here surely...

 

[The Large One]

private prosecution is in order here surely...

The story says... He is now putting together a case for a civil action, claiming damages for assault or negligence.

I am not convinced about the 'freemasonry' angle, but I cannot believe for a second that there is no direct or indirect link or involvement between 'partner of Leader of Lewes District Council', 'former Chief Superindentent' and 'no action by CPS'.

Note to LDC lawyers and CPS: this whole case sucks

 

[Man of Harveys]

It's not the police who make the decision, they just have to gather evidence when a complaint comes in, and put the file together

Fair enough but presumably the police can gather this information and put this file together with widely differing degrees of enthusiasm depending upon case? "Erm, message from the sarge, don't exactly bust a gut with this one - keep it a bit hush hush", etc. I'm genuinely curious if that's the case.

Something stinks very badly with this - I can't see how, even when the poor bloke has photos and a witness of the whole thing taking place, that the guy isn't getting done for assault. Dubious and confidence-destroying at the same time.

 

[jonogulls]

It's sad that things like this happen. It's no real wonder that people's respect for the police is rapidly diminishing. The senior echelons (sic) seem to be as corrupt as Soviet Russia.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Fair enough but presumably the police can gather this information and put this file together with widely differing degrees of enthusiasm depending upon case? "Erm, message from the sarge, don't exactly bust a gut with this one - keep it a bit hush hush", etc. I'm genuinely curious if that's the case.

Something stinks very badly with this - I can't see how, even when the poor bloke has photos and a witness of the whole thing taking place, that the guy isn't getting done for assault. Dubious and confidence-destroying at the same time.

I agree, it's very strange, not to mention annoying, although I guess we've only heard the photographer's side of the argument.

The way it works is that the CPS review the file, and if they think there's additional evidence required, then they instruct the police to go and get it as far as possible.

I could tell you about plenty of absolutely crappy, pointless jobs that the CPS have asked me to go and dig out countless witnesses for, even when the end result would be a conditional discharge in court, or something else totally disproportionate to the effort that's gone into it.

So I see what you're saying, but as the CPS aren't the ones who have to do the work, they're usually the ones leaning heavily on the police to get more evidence, get more statements, photos, and so on. And we can't get out of that by not bothering- were it to end up in court, our arses are on the line if we haven't done what was asked (and you don't want to be in court facing up to a cocky defence solicitor if you haven't done your job properly).

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The way it works is that the CPS review the file, and if they think there's additional evidence required, then they instruct the police to go and get it as far as possible.

Edna -

In collecting evidence (either in the initial stages of an investigation or at the stage when the CPS have instructed the police to seek "additional evidence") is it normal for no conversations whatsoever to take place with the alleged perpetrator of a crime?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

As far as the suggestion that "freemasonry" might be relevant, I'm with TLO on this - far from convinced.

But that is more worrying, in a way. Funny handshakes would EXPLAIN why no action is being taken.

In the absence of funny handshakes, the explanation is far more difficult to uncover. What on earth could it be?

 

[Man of Harveys]

As far as the suggestion that "freemasonry" might be relevant, I'm with TLO on this - far from convinced.

Same here to be honest, I was just being daft and glib. I agree, the fact that some authorities roll their trouser legs up, wear an apron and kiss each others grand wizard or whatever it is, would somehow seem to be less bizarre and corrupt than this appears on the face of it.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Edna -

In collecting evidence (either in the initial stages of an investigation or at the stage when the CPS have instructed the police to seek "additional evidence") is it normal for no conversations whatsoever to take place with the alleged perpetrator of a crime?

Absolutely not.

I guess the first stage would be to record the complaint and gather any evidence provided by the aggrieved, along with other supporting evidence from whatever source.

But eventually (and the timescale on this is can vary hugely) you'd have to speak to the alleged offender to see what their side of the story is- they might have a perfectly legitimate defence for example (say someone alleged they'd been robbed, but it turns out from speaking to the person they accused that the aggrieved's partner gave that person permission to take whatever it was)

This would normally be done either by arresting them and interviewing them on tape under PACE guidelines. Or by interviewing the person voluntarily, recording the conversation on paper.

They would never go to court without giving the suspect a chance to state their case, otherwise you would go to the potentially great expense of a trial only to find the so called offender had a perfectly good reason for doing what they did. Or that they didn't even do it in the first place. Etc.

 

[bailey]

Is Mr Mitchell able to gain access to the CPS file under the DPA or FOI Act or are police investigations exempted?