The Clown of Pevensey Bay
Well-known member
POLICE WATCHDOG UPHOLDS PEACE ACTIVIST'S COMPLAINT
By Tom Pugh, PA
An elderly peace activist who was stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act
while wearing an anti-Tony Blair T-shirt during a Labour Party conference has
had a complaint upheld by the police watchdog.
John Catt, 83, was stopped on his way to join a protest outside the party
conference in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2005 for the release of former
Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Deghayes.
Mr Catt, who was 80 at the time, was wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan
"Bush, Blair, Sharon to be tried for war crimes, torture and human rights
abuse, the leaders of rogue states".
On the back, the T-shirt read "Guantanamo Bay torture, support the hunger
strikers, save Omar and all the others, contact your PM now".
Mr Catt was also carrying a sketchpad and pens in a carrier bag to sketch the
protest.
The incident followed the ejection of veteran activist Walter Wolfgang from the
party conference after he shouted "nonsense" during a speech by then foreign
secretary Jack Straw defending Britain's presence in Iraq.
Three years on, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has upheld
a complaint by Mr Catt that Sussex Police acted unlawfully in using the
Terrorism Act to stop him.
The force said it would act upon the IPCC's findings and the guidance would be
used when briefing officers for next year's Labour party conference in
Brighton.
It is understood the IPCC did not find that the officer had failed to act with
"honesty and integrity or with fairness and impartiality" and that Mr Catt was
stopped for a "minimal period" of time and no items were taken from him.
The officer is said to have believed in good faith that the stop and search was
lawful but had demonstrated a "poor understanding" of the limitations of stop
and search under the Act.
In a statement, Sussex Police said: "We have received the findings of the IPCC
and they will be acted upon.
"In particular, this guidance will be taken into account in the briefing of
officers for next year's Labour Party Conference in Brighton."
Mr Catt said he was threatened with arrest if he refused to answer any of the
police's questions.
Mr Catt, who lives in Brighton, made a formal complaint against Sussex Police
for exceeding their powers under the Act and infringing his civil liberties.
He said he appealed to the IPCC after Sussex Police refused to record his
complaint.
In its ruling, the IPCC letter to Mr Catt said: "The stop and search was
conducted more for a public order policing purpose rather than a purpose
relating to terrorism.
"Using the stop and search powers in the Terrorism Act for public order
purposes is not consistent with the intentions of the Act and in contravention
of Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Codes of Practice."
It added that there was not enough evidence to suggest Mr Catt had been
targeted.
It recommended Sussex Police reviewed its training and briefing material
relating to stop and searches under section 44 of the Act to ensure clear advice
was given to all officers about the limits of stop and search powers.
The officer concerned is also recommended to receive operational advice. Mr
Catt's daughter, Linda, said today that her father was still awaiting an apology
from the force.
Mr Catt said: "Although I am by and large satisfied with the IPCC's ruling, I
am left in no doubt that Sussex Police will continue to misuse the Terrorism Act
against law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protest at next
year's Labour party conference in Brighton."
mfl
271430 AUG 08
By Tom Pugh, PA
An elderly peace activist who was stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act
while wearing an anti-Tony Blair T-shirt during a Labour Party conference has
had a complaint upheld by the police watchdog.
John Catt, 83, was stopped on his way to join a protest outside the party
conference in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2005 for the release of former
Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Deghayes.
Mr Catt, who was 80 at the time, was wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan
"Bush, Blair, Sharon to be tried for war crimes, torture and human rights
abuse, the leaders of rogue states".
On the back, the T-shirt read "Guantanamo Bay torture, support the hunger
strikers, save Omar and all the others, contact your PM now".
Mr Catt was also carrying a sketchpad and pens in a carrier bag to sketch the
protest.
The incident followed the ejection of veteran activist Walter Wolfgang from the
party conference after he shouted "nonsense" during a speech by then foreign
secretary Jack Straw defending Britain's presence in Iraq.
Three years on, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has upheld
a complaint by Mr Catt that Sussex Police acted unlawfully in using the
Terrorism Act to stop him.
The force said it would act upon the IPCC's findings and the guidance would be
used when briefing officers for next year's Labour party conference in
Brighton.
It is understood the IPCC did not find that the officer had failed to act with
"honesty and integrity or with fairness and impartiality" and that Mr Catt was
stopped for a "minimal period" of time and no items were taken from him.
The officer is said to have believed in good faith that the stop and search was
lawful but had demonstrated a "poor understanding" of the limitations of stop
and search under the Act.
In a statement, Sussex Police said: "We have received the findings of the IPCC
and they will be acted upon.
"In particular, this guidance will be taken into account in the briefing of
officers for next year's Labour Party Conference in Brighton."
Mr Catt said he was threatened with arrest if he refused to answer any of the
police's questions.
Mr Catt, who lives in Brighton, made a formal complaint against Sussex Police
for exceeding their powers under the Act and infringing his civil liberties.
He said he appealed to the IPCC after Sussex Police refused to record his
complaint.
In its ruling, the IPCC letter to Mr Catt said: "The stop and search was
conducted more for a public order policing purpose rather than a purpose
relating to terrorism.
"Using the stop and search powers in the Terrorism Act for public order
purposes is not consistent with the intentions of the Act and in contravention
of Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Codes of Practice."
It added that there was not enough evidence to suggest Mr Catt had been
targeted.
It recommended Sussex Police reviewed its training and briefing material
relating to stop and searches under section 44 of the Act to ensure clear advice
was given to all officers about the limits of stop and search powers.
The officer concerned is also recommended to receive operational advice. Mr
Catt's daughter, Linda, said today that her father was still awaiting an apology
from the force.
Mr Catt said: "Although I am by and large satisfied with the IPCC's ruling, I
am left in no doubt that Sussex Police will continue to misuse the Terrorism Act
against law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protest at next
year's Labour party conference in Brighton."
mfl
271430 AUG 08
