TAXI TOUTING

[churchill123]

I went to court today for taxi touting, I have a thread i put up recently but itwont let me update it. So this is to let you know i went to court today, and i was found NOT GUILTY!!!!!!!!!
I want to say a particular thank you to EDDIE51, HC4361, Fredpuli47, and andy Hughes. You guys gave great advice and above all you never judged me. thank you once again!!!!

[factor-fiction]

All explained here, onetoomany
http://www.theanswerb...w/Question942832.html

[DTCwordfan]

well i hope you press for compenation for any lawyers fees and lost work time......do not let go......

[New Judge]

Unfortunately one cannot claim expenses of this nature when acquitted following a criminal trial.

[DTCwordfan]

not through a civil case for wrongful arreest or defamation???

[boxtops]

So pleased for you churchill, hopefully you can put this behind you now.

[alternativeone]

I hope you can put Taxi Touting behind you. Also I hope you can put behind you a stolen phone you bought recently. Also I hope you can put behind you the stop and search under Terrorism Act you were so unfairly subjected to.
Good luck and stay out of trouble.

[wolf63]

Congratulations - I bet that is a weight off your mind.

Did it actually get to the stage of giving evidence etc?

Susan

[DrFilth]

i remember your post, well done, that is some good news for you for xmas.

[hc4361]

That is good news. Enjoy your Christmas.

[jno]

pleased to hear it.

[churchill123]

Thanks guys....Susan yes it did go to trial. the officer turnd up and gave evidence. I was representing myself because all the solicitors i spoke to wanted at least 600 pounds to represent me. Money which I simply did not have. I cross examined him and his story was changing like the british weather. i managed to pin him down to specific times and answers and got him to wholly contradict himself under oath. I thn went in the witness box and gave evidence. The prosecutions worst claim against me was that when i was placed under arrest i remained silent and did not protest my innocence! This made the magistrated smile and me too! I told them i could protest untill i go blue in the face it wont make any difference because i was going to the police stn so i may as well wait till i get there and make a statement on tape. That way info wont get 'lost' or misinterpreted. They retired to consider their verdict, came back 10 mins later and said i was a credible witness, and the prosecution version of events simply didnt add up. And the sheer fact that i didnt ask for any money or reward was also a major doubt abt this case. Therefore we find you NOT GUILTY!!!!! thats what happened in anutshell. its a load of my mind now. As for section 44 stop and search, 112,978 people were stopped under the guise of this act and do you know how many people actually were arrested or charged with an offence relating to this? the answer is NONE!!!! not one person......has ever been charged with a related offence for this act. Which means the police use this act to stop ppl for no reason other than their own curiosity...sounds like china, north korea to me...

[jno]

looks like you gave a seriously good account of yourself there - well done.

[New Judge]

Quite so, churchill.

I’m glad your faith in the justice system is intact. Unfortuantely I did not contribute to your original question (I was sunning myself in Turkey) but I probably would have done so had I been around. It’s pleasing to learn that the Magistrates believed your evidence and found in your favour.

As far as S44 is concerned it is an iniquitous piece of legislation and the figures you quoted (which I was aware of) are nothing short of a scandal. It was never going to have any impact in the fight against terrorism and is simply misused as a tool to bully law-abiding citizens and prevent them going about their business and pleasure without hassle. It is the pinnacle of the previous government's unjustified interferance in people's lives undertaken, disgracefully, in the name of anti-terrorism.

I believe the Coalition government has pledged to “water down” S44, but to my mind it simply needs dumping without delay.

[alternativeone]

Would this case have any bearing if you were charged with handling stolen phone as you described in another thread?

[churchill123]

thanks guys. new judge i agree totally with what you have said abt s44. It is a law unto itself and need dumping in the same bin as the poll tax!!
thanks Eddie51 i was hoping to thank you personally, i tried to reply on my original thread but for some reason unknown to me it wont allow it. But yeah, thanks once again.
I would say to anyone from this experience if something happens, no matter how bad to not panick and quite frankly not say a great deal on the street, or home, somewhere where information or evidence could get lost or interpreted wrongly in the context. I think the sheer fact i waited until i got to interview to defend myself on tape helped me, because the officer in charge would have added things and ommitted things to suit his case. I truely believe that. He even had the cheek to walk up to me before the trial and say 'alright, good luck' and winked as if to say you got no chance mate! that just encouraged me more. As for my fone i bought off gumtree, i did all the checks i possibly could. the fone had a genuine sim card, it was working fine ( for 2 days) came with a box and charger, and the person seemed genuine. I was told he got this fone from the insurance of his last fone which he lost and had since found. He wanted to sell the unwanted fone as it was spare. Never mind, next holiday i go on abroad i shall just sell it there....im sure theres plenty of takers for a i phone 4 there!

[alternativeone]

Your plan about the phone is a bit worrying. Lets hear the answer from the legal eagle to be sure to be safe.

[churchill123]

I was offered 200 quid for the fone as 'spare parts', apparently the screen and back are worth quite a lot of money. So I may just cut my losses and take 200 and put it down to experience.