Atomic Systems

One despairs of British justice!

In a small village an unoccupied bungalow had a burglar alarm fitted. It sounded for 20 minutes every 2 hours night and day for 2 months. The owners could not be contacted.
In despair two parish councillors cut the wires and stopped the alarm .
Their reward was to be prosecuted (with a possible penalty of 3 months jail) Nine times they were supposed to appear before the court and each time the prosecution delayed. Eventually, the case was dropped and they got police cautions- which gives them some sort of criminal record.
Why were they prosecuted in the first place? There is no statement that the owner of the alarm was to be prosecuted for a public nuisance.
Once again it is the victims whom feel the weight of then law and not the villains.

Tony

Tonysmedley wrote:One despairs of British justice!

In a small village an unoccupied bungalow had a burglar alarm fitted. It sounded for 20 minutes every 2 hours night and day for 2 months. The owners could not be contacted.
In despair two parish councillors cut the wires and stopped the alarm .
Their reward was to be prosecuted (with a possible penalty of 3 months jail) Nine times they were supposed to appear before the court and each time the prosecution delayed. Eventually, the case was dropped and they got police cautions- which gives them some sort of criminal record.
Why were they prosecuted in the first place? There is no statement that the owner of the alarm was to be prosecuted for a public nuisance.
Once again it is the victims whom feel the weight of then law and not the villains.

Tony

Criminal Damage for cutting the wires, a criminal offence.

Up to the local council to deal with a noise nuisance, Police have no powers in relation to noise, they can come round and ask it be turned down....................and you can politely tell them to "do one"

If the case was dropped why were they given cautions?
Were they acting on behalf of the council or as private individuals?

Please do not turn this into an analysis of legal niceties. The fact is that the noise could not be stopped by "legal" means and the parish councillors acting individually or as a council stopped it by the only practical means.
Arguments such as those suggested reinforce the view that common sense is extremely rare (which is one reason why the legal profession flourishes and government is full of lawyers)

Tony

I'm amazed they lasted two months !

I'd have been up the ladder with a lump hammer after two days maximum!

Perhaps the bungalow was one of those phantom second homes that our politicians like to claim for.

Tonysmedley wrote:Please do not turn this into an analysis of legal niceties. The fact is that the noise could not be stopped by "legal" means and the parish councillors acting individually or as a council stopped it by the only practical means.

With respsect Tony - that is rubbish. Noise nuisance including burgular alarms is not (as far as I recall from my involvement) a Parish Council responsibility but the wider council could have done something about it if the complaint reached the right area.

The two individuals broke the law and eventually accepted a caution. I have read varying press reports on this and they all have a different slant but taking the law into your own hands is never acceptable.

Kindest regards

John

All that is needed is a warrant : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gl ... e-12354422

Motto: If you're going to do something for the 'greater good' don't tell anyone about it. I'm amazed it lasted 2 months!!!