The Political Thread

[Trout]

Just tell the magistrate what happened with the lawyer and they'll give you more time to get sorted out, Shark. I've seen it happen a thousand times. It's OK.

Good luck!

[Dode C]

Like many of us here Sharky, I can offer you zilch advice in matters legal, but one would assume that the Magistrate wouldn't let the case continue until proper legal representation is sorted. All the best on this one mate and hope you can take heart from the messages of support on the board.

[The Legendary Shark]

Well - got there at 9am, the trial started at 3pm and we only got through half of it. That solicitor finally turned out to be okay (but I had to keep on top of him - he nearly missed loads). Trial Part II begins next Tuesday.
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Don't think I should say much about what went on but I sense it's going well.
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Oh - and guess what the police are unable to provide due to a hard drive failure? (The magistrates were not impressed - especially as this missingness only came to light today...)

[Professor Bear]

You're allowed to talk about events in the courtroom, Sharky, as this is supposedly the whole point of having an open and fair system of law applied publicly and equally to all - it says here - with nothing to hide, hence the hubbub of the last few weeks when the government tried to hold a secret trial.

As to what the police failed to produce, I want to say "evidence that does not exist or which contradicts a fictional narrative created in collusion with corrupt local officials", but that would be ridiculous* so I'll say "enough gum for everyone else."


* The CPS is required to supply their evidence to the defence 14 days before the trial begins, not at its leisure in the course of the trial.

[ZenArcade]

I agree with the above, this all sounds as dodgy as a nine bob note. The issues of discovery and transparancy seem to be light on the ground. Z

[TordelBack]

Oh - and guess what the police are unable to provide due to a hard drive failure? (The magistrates were not impressed - especially as this missingness only came to light today...)

Imagine a fist raised in triumph in front of a black flag.

[Professor Bear]

Self-made man IDS is the focus of a Nick Cohen Gruniad op-ed and the more observant reader may sense an undercurrent of negativity: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/28/iain-duncan-smith-stubborn-fool-not-statesman?CMP=twt_gu

Personally, I don't see what the problem is with giving hundreds of millions of pounds to Tory donors.  We'd only have spent it on sick people otherwise.

[The Legendary Shark]

Well, court today.
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Of the 5 officers involved in the incident, only two were called as witnesses and their testimonies did not match.
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The cctv footage of the incident was unavailable due to a "failed hard drive".
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I'm 47 years old and have never been in trouble with the police or courts before, which the law considers indicates that I have a "good name".
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Because of all this, they were unable to find me guilty of assault.
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So they found me guilty of "reckless assault" instead - which means that if I'd complied meekly with the three or four police pinning me down then nobody would have touched anybody and there wouldn't be a problem.
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1 year conditional discharge, no fine but I have to pay "legal costs" of £350 plus £15 for the "victims' fund".
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What about my split lip and the bruises all over my back? An absolute travesty of a sham of a farce.

[Richmond Clements]

TLS earlier today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3uGDEPvzA

[Professor Bear]

I am not sure what to say to that, Sharky, as around here we are not quite so easy going about police corruption.

Fuck 'em.

[Frank]

My advice is just to pay up, and promptly. There's simply no conceivable way you can possibly evade the long arm of the law on this one, Shark:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/courts-write-11m-unpaid-fines-2688335

[Professor Bear]

If it was me, they'd be fucking whistling for that money from now until the sun turned dark in the dead and strangled sky and whatever foul lizard beasts that claimed the ashes of our world crawled upon its surface and shat foul acids from their lizardy asses onto our very corpses, and even then, my corpse would still be clutching that cash because the lizards can fucking whistle for it, too.

[ZenArcade]

If you think you have a case, quickly move an appeal. I wouln't be happy walking away with a criminal record! Z

[The Legendary Shark]

No legal aid for appeals - no money, no access.
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I'm feeling pretty sick at the moment.
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But tomorrow, I guess I'll just have to carry on. There's still the initial unlawful arrest thing for me to consider. They took their shot and really only landed a glancing blow.
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Now it's my turn.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I'm with the law on this, fancy attacking the poor police, they have families too you know. The sooner you are locked up and off the streets then I will feel much safer.