The law these days...

[flashpig]

What would be the outcome if someone stole a policeman's helmet these days?

Just reading Jeeves and Wooster again, and Bertie keeps mentioning this sort of stuff. They all seem very calm about getting arrested in those books.

[WoWo]

Given that there was block in the paper who got a fine and three points on his license for accidently splashing a Police women which in his lorry I wouldn't be suprised if they locked you up for a very long time.

[gary baldy]

Funily enough just been reading about Ms Dynamite. Be interested to know if i (not a well known artiste and not able to afford a good lawyer) bopped a bobby on the nose (twice - she did it last January aswell) would get away so lightly.
If you dont see my well informed and often hilarious posts in the future you'll know ive been hitting coppers (for research you understand).

[NORMANTHEDOG]

As the police dont seem to want to catch real criminals these days.i think you would definately get arrested and i expect you would be treated worse then a murderer.

[Lonnie]

Got to agree with the posts above, an easy target, and brownie points.

[brachiopod]

What's a "real criminal " ?

[brachiopod]

Knocking A Policeman's Helmet Off
- An Historical Guide to When, Where and What You Can Expect.

How to interpret your guide;
Date and Place Policeman's Helmet Knocked Off
Expected Result of knocking helmet off
Popular Interpretation as Reported by The Media

1972 - Back Street Boozer - Anywhere
Clip round the ear, kick in the b*ll*cks, and "Don't do it again!!"
The Media says; Nothing.

April 1979 - Southall, London - Protest against a National Front Meeting held in one of the Country's largest Asian Communities
Boots into the body, truncheon blows to the head, hospilisation, death.
The Media says; Left Wing Mob Interrupts Legitimate Meeting

1985 - Salisbury Plain - Battle of the Beanfield
A good kicking, home destroyed and family abused, drugs planted, charged with resisting arrest.
The Media says; Dole Scrounging Hippies Cause Chaos

1990 - Trafalgar Square - 'Poll Tax Riots'
Rough arrest, good kicking in the back of the van, charged with disorderly conduct.
The Media says says; Anarchist Thugs Run Riot

1992 - A Field Somewhere in Hertfordshire
Drugs confiscated and asked to turn the music down.
The Media says; Ravers Ruin Our Nice Rural Retreats

[brachiopod]

2001 - The M4 - Having just been caught speeding
3 points on License, �60 fine
The Media says; An Invasion Of Our Civil Liberties!


2003 - Trafalgar Square (again) - Countryside Alliance March
Detained briefly and then released, (Well, of course, *cough*, Lord X is a good friend of the Chief Constable)
The Media says; A Justified And Heartfelt Reaction To The Threat On Their Rural Livliehoods.

October 2005 - Parliament Square, London
Arrest, and charged under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act for holding an illegal demonstration.
The Media says (1)*; Why Are These Immigrants Biting The Hand That Feeds Them?
The Media says (2)*; Why Has This Lovely, White, Middle Class Lady been Arrested?
* Terms & Conditions apply - depending if you are white or not.


November 2005 - 11.30pm Outside a Town centre Pub, Anywhere
Arrested, detained, released, smack on wrist, same old faces, same as last week, why do we bother.
The Media says; "Binge Drinkers Cause Chaos"


December 2005 - 11.30pm Outside a Town centre Pub, Anywhere
Arrested, detained, released, smack on wrist, same old faces, same as last week, oops, someone's suddenly counting now.
The Media says; "24 Hour Binge Drinkers Cause Chaos"

[Grunty]

If WoWo thinks careless driving is OK, it can't be much worse if you steal public property, thus keeping the tax collectors in business.

[GuavaHalf]

WoWo - the person that was fined for splashing a policewoman did it deliberately and then returned to have a laugh at the results. A bit differemt from your version of events.

[WoWo]

Can you show me your sources? I may well be wrong as I went by the facts reported in the paper.

What about this scenario, your driving down a road and there is some water to the left, but there are cars on the right side of the road, your in a lorry so you can't go round the puddle. Whats more careless driving into on comming traffic or going through a puddle which may or may not spalsh somebody.

But thats not the point, where in my post did I say careless driving was OK?

[WoWo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4392092.stm

[JudgeJ]

Just a few points worth mentioning (though we do seem to have strayed from the original question somewhat). In the case cited by wo-wo:

1. The CPS saw fit to prosecute. They do not undertake prosecutions lightly. They have to be sure that there is a reasonable chance (i.e. enough evidence) to secure a conviction.

2. Despite saying he had not intended to splash the officer, the defendant pleaded guilty. If he had taken legal advice before doing so his solicitor would have explained the law to him and summarised his position regarding the offence. If he had not taken advice, in a case such as this the legal advisor (�the clerk�) in the magistrates� court would ensure that his plea was made with full regard of the law and not just for convenience. The essential elements of the offence would have been outlined to him. One of those elements is that the action has to have been committed either intentionally, recklessly, or without regard for the potential outcome.

3. Beware of the sensationalism with which some newspapers treat supposedly trivial traffic matters.

[flashpig]

I've been splashed when walking a few times.

Sometimes I've felt it has been intentional, or at least could've been avoided.

Personally, I've wanted to see those people lose control of their steering, crash into a tree and have their car catch fire so that their bodies are bured as little brown lumps that look a bit like barbecued chicken

So it makes me feel slightly chuffed that someone has got a fine and points on their licence.

[WoWo]

Personally I think there are more than enough real problems in the world to waste police, cps and court time convicting people for getting people's trousers wet.

A slapped wrist and word from a copper would have been more than enough.

I'll leave it at that.

[flashpig]

It wasn't a major waste of time. She didn't hunt him down and spend weeks on it like Columbo, he came back for a chuckle, and she caught him, and he got punished. She probably would have gone home, grumbled for an hour or two to her boyfriend or flatmate or mum, and forgotten about it otherwise.

It isn't a major thing, but it is annoying, and I'm glad she did it as the opportunity came up.

[WoWo]

I think you will find, he left the scene and didn't go back. Then a few weeks later the Police turned up at his door.

If as I asked you can point me to your source I'd be interested to read it.

[WoWo]

Just to clarify I'm not being funny, I do honestly want to read where you're getting the information from.

[undercovers]

i'm confuzzled - did the water knock her helmet off then he went back to steal it?

[ermintrude35]

...if you dared to steal a policeman's helmet theses days ...you would probably end up being shot in the back and branded a terrorist ....