Police guilty over Menezes case

[Gromit]

They broke Health and Safety rules and face an unlimited fine. The taxpayer will of course pay the unlimited fine.

British Justice has finally been seen to have been done.

The police denied all charges, but the prosecution claimed that Scotland had made a string of errors and the jury agreed.

Are you now reassured that nothing like this could happen again?

[Reverandfunk]

No in a nutshell

[warpig3]

Am I reassured - Sadly, no.

do you have a link Gromit?

[Reverandfunk]

I always remember reading the times a couple of days after the event and thinking it sounded like an execution

[Gromit]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7069796.stm

[jake-the-peg]

We need a legal way of penalising those responsible without the ludicrous situation of fining a public body.

Something like a court direction to the a police complaints body to take action against those responsible who could then face sanctions like reduction in rank or removal from position.

Having the courts fine the police is clearly absurd

[libertie]

No I'm not reassured that it won't happen again, I am however reassured that justice has been seen to be done!

[warpig3]

Thanks for the link Gromit. So there is no personal culpability on anyone apparently, not even sir Ian Blair who on the day of the shooting reported incorrect information repeatedly. I am sure Mr and Mrs De Menezes will rest easy now, not.

[Reverandfunk]

If a company is found to have seriously breached health and safety law isnt it the Chief Executive managing Director etc who is prosecuted?

Surely someone senior at the met should fall on their truncheon or be prosecuted

[legend760]

whats it got to do with scotland???

he was shot in london.

i blame the english

[warpig3]

Thats exactly what I was thinking Rev (I like the falling on the truncheon, lol)

[smudge]

Sadly no - I don't feel at all reassured Gromit.

I feel so sorry for the Menezes family. They must be so frustrated knowing that they will never see their son again, all due to the incompetence of the English Police (well some of them anyway). Very, very sad.

[amsterdammer]

Some of you guys make me want to vomit! Firstly Menezes shoud not have been in the country, he was here illegally! secondly have any of you detractors of the Police ever been in a situation that they found themselves in? I very much doubt it! How easy to sit and criticise from the comfort of your armchairs. So they made an error leading to his death, If he had stuck to the letter of the law, it would not have happened-- I back the Police on this, It should never have gone to court!!!!!

[warpig3]

So amsterdammer, someone is dead and no one is culpable, it was no ones fault, just one of those things, well I guess that is ok then!

[Gromit]

amsterdammer

The question was are you reassured. I take it you are.

[spaced]

amsterdammer does have a point in some ways. Ok, he was unfortunately killed when in reality he should be alive now, but the police reacted the way they had to under the circumstances they thought they were in.

They shot him becuase the public's safety is paramount, especially with all the bombing. I feel for the family, but it boils down to an error which under the panicking and adrenalin pumping situtation, was much harder to avoid.

He was here illegally, that I agree with, and perhaps had he not been here he would be alive now, but that doesnt mean he deserved to die.

Cuold this happen again, im not sure. I cant see the police chasing a possible terrorist conering him and then saying hold on mate let me check my picture to see if you match it. They are taught to react.

[derekpara]

No, I am not reassured that this will never happen again, after all we are all human and prone to make errors from time to time - and thay can be tragic errors as in this case.

My view is that the person who made the positive identification which led to the order to final order to be given is responsible. But what if he were not certain and a bomber had been allowed onto the underground and killed dozens of people ? What a responsibility !

It would be virtually impossible to restrain and arrest a terrorist with, say, a hand held switch.

[cambus]

This was always going to be the easy way out.
We shall now have the usual - lessons have been learned - new procedures put in place - waffle from the Met.
A salutary lesson for all those foreign nationals, if your work permit runs out, you stand the chance of being executed!

[smudge]

OK amsterdammer - so why did they follow this 'innocent' man all the way from his home, to the train station?

If they 'supposedly' knew so much about him, why didn't they apprehend him either at home, or on the street, maybe using a stun gun in the process - then question him.

If they'd have done this, they would have found that he was not a terrorist after all & he'd be alive today.

[smudge]

P.S. The fact that Menezes Visa had run out, is just an excuse!

I'm sure there are lots of visitors to this country who's visa's are invalid, but they don't deserve to be fatally shot several times!!!!

[Dassie]

No..... this is the UK, so I'm not re-assured...... just the same way as I'm not re-assured by figures today that are supposedly saying deaths from MRSA and C Diff. are down and all that other spin we are given to cover up gross inefficiencies in Government..