Police officers tried to protect Loch Ness Monster from harpoon-wielding mob
A remarkable document written in 1938 shows the former cop was convinced of the Loch Ness Monster's existence and raised the alarm over two men attempting to capture it 'dead or alive'
A police report has revealed that officers believed the Loch Ness Monster was real 'beyond doubt' - and even tried to protect it from a harpoon-wielding mob. The remarkable document, written in 1938 by Inverness-shire chief constable William Fraser, shows he was convinced of Nessie's existence and raised the alarm over two men attempting to capture it 'dead or alive.'
Unearthed 87 years later by Kenny Welsh of The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit, Scotland, the letter details how police feared for the creature's safety as rumours of sightings fuelled public frenzy. The letter read: 'It has now come to my notice that a Mr Peter Kent and Miss Marion Stirling, both of London, are determined to catch the Monster dead or alive.
"Mr Peter Kent visited Fort Augustus on Friday, 12 August and was seen there by my Officer stationed at Fort Augustus.
It continued: 'To whom he stated that he was having a special harpoon gun made and that he was to return with some twenty experienced men on the 22 of August for the purpose of hunting the Monster down.
"That there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt, but that the Police have any power to protect it is very doubtful.
'I have, however, caused Mr Peter Kent to be warned of the desirability of having the creature left alone, but whether my warning will have the desired effect or not remains to be seen.'
Kenny discovered the fascinating police report while doing some research. 'It offers a rare glimpse into how even the police believed there might be something in the water,' Kenny said.
Nagina Ishaq, General Manager of The Loch Ness Centre told how it was fascinating to see the historical local support for Nessie's protection from potential poachers.
'The dedication to ensuring its safety is something that resonates strongly with us here at the Centre. As we continue our search, we are committed to doing so in a way that is non-invasive and respectful of the creature and its environment,' she said.
Alan McKenna, of Loch Ness Exploration, added: 'The 1938 police report is a rare moment where the mystery of Loch Ness crosses into official record. It reminds us that even authorities couldn't ignore what people claimed to see.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Murder arrest after woman found dead in flat in Derby
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 47-year-old woman was found dead in a were called to the property in Ashe Place, in Normanton, Derby, at about 11:30 BST on investigation has been launched into the cause of her death, police force said this was believed to be an isolated incident, adding a 63-year-old suspect remained in police custody. Ch Insp Lauren Woods said: "As there has been an increased police presence in the area recently we are aware that this may be causing the community concern. "We would like to provide reassurance that this incident is believed to be isolated and took place inside a property."Please feel free to approach them with any information you may have that could help our investigation."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Bungling police spark military base alert as they wrongly issue warnings of 'Lee Rigby-style' threat to British paratroopers
Thousands of Army troops and their families were alerted to a 'Lee Rigby-style' threat at their base after an administrative error by police. The elite Paras were banned from wearing uniform or any military regalia after cops warned a suspect may be planning an attack. A man's name and photograph were circulated across Colchester Garrison and soldiers were warned their partners and children could be targeted. But it emerged this afternoon that the threatening online post which prompted the alert was actually made last year. It is understood that due to an error logging the date the post was made, military officials were mistakenly informed it was a new threat. No action was taken against the man who made the post. Earlier today before the blunder was revealed, defence sources confirmed the identity and image that were being circulated. The warning to soldiers and dependents referred specifically to the fatal attack on Fusilier Lee Rigby in 2013. But the alert in Colchester, where the Paras' second and third battalions are based, was stood down yesterday when it emerged the threat was a year old. Police intercepted the suspect's messages last year. But due to an administration error, police warned the Ministry of Defence this week that Paras could face a fatal attack. The suspect's recent release from prison on an unrelated charge is understood to be why his conduct a year ago came to be re-examined. Around 3,500 troops, 750 civilian staff and their dependents live in and around the Essex base. The initial message read: 'Urgent. All, please disseminate to all your people in camp. 'We have received warning that a man has made threats against members of the Para Regt and wants to carry out a 'Lee Rigby' style attack. 'The SCC [Security Control Centre] and main gate have been informed but ensure no Para Regt/military clothing is worn outside camp and remain vigilant.' The MoD had issued a statement which said: 'The safety and wellbeing of our personnel is our top priority. We are aware of an online threat, which is being investigated by the civilian police. 'Personnel are always advised to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to the Royal Military Police.' Fusilier Rigby, a father-of-one was hacked to death in broad daylight while walking near Woolwich Barracks in south London. His attackers chose to target him because he was wearing a Help for Heroes hoodie popular with troops. Colchester's military history dates back to the late 18th century when the first barracks were built in the Essex city. Today, it is the home of 16 Air Assault Brigade and troops from the Parachute Regiment's second and third battalions are based there alongside other infantry and aviation units and supporting detachments such as logistics and medical personnel. Airborne Forces are notorious for wearing regimental clothing outside working hours, particularly distinctive maroon-coloured t-shirts and fleeces, most often worn with tight jeans and desert boots, a tradition that goes back many decades. Fusilier Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, and had served in Afghanistan. At the time of his death he was working in army recruitment. He was a trained machine-gunner and a regimental drummer. He was given a military funeral at Bury Parish Church on 12th July 2013.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Police officers played ‘snog, marry, avoid' with images of sex workers
Police in Derbyshire played a game of 'snog, marry, avoid' while using images of suspected sex workers, a tribunal was told. Shafarat Mohammed sued the force for racial discrimination and harassment after a female colleague involved him in the game, which involves naming three people and asking someone to pick which one you would like to kiss, marry and avoid. At the hearing in Nottingham, the woman officer admitted she had 'jokingly' played the game with co-workers and included PC Mohammed in their discussion. In the tribunal's ruling, the judge said that playing the game at work could breach equality legislation. Employment Judge Stephen Shore suggested that the officers may have referred to the game, which has several names, by a cruder version. PC Mohammed claimed that during the discussion in May or June 2022, he was shown images of black women and was asked what he liked about one of them. He said he was 'embarrassed' and 'offended' by the questioning and felt it was inappropriate. 'Crass and inappropriate' PC Kate Northridge, another officer at Pear Tree Station in Derby, admitted to the hearing that a group of officers played the game with photos of suspect. She said she had been the one to include PC Mohammed in the game but she had not asked him specific questions about any of the images. Speaking about snog, marry, avoid, Judge Shore said: ' The game was crass and inappropriate. It casts no one who participated in it in a good light.' The judge added that playing the game 'could constitute harassment of a sexual nature', although he acknowledged that Mohammed had not made that claim. 'We agree with [him] that the questions were inappropriate,' he said. Racial discrimination and harassment claims The tribunal heard that PC Mohammed joined the force in November 2021 and completed his training in March the next year. He resigned less than a year later, in September 2022, and then made an employment tribunal claim for racial discrimination and harassment. The tribunal found there was no racial or religious element to it as the sex workers were of varying ethnicities. They also concluded that he was not asked questions about a specific black sex worker and that his credibility was undermined by a lack of consistency between his different accounts. PC Mohammed made several allegations including that a colleague called him a 'road man', he was 'humiliated' for eating home-made food, and told he was 'sh*t'. The officer also claimed that another PC said the custody team was 'all black and ethnics', he was asked about his familiarity with alcohol, and that he had been ostracised from team events. However, the tribunal found these allegations were either entirely fabricated by PC Mohammed or were given 'a retrospective gloss of alleged discrimination' in his witness statements which often contradicted each other. PC Mohammed, a Pakistani heritage Muslim, lost his case for racial and religious discrimination and harassment.
