Latest news with #Police Scotland
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The majority of the public just want us to get on with the job of keeping them safe
The end of woke policing may be at hand thanks to a landmark High Court judgment which makes police participation in LGBT + Pride events unlawful. As a senior police officer, I had been banging that drum for many years. My professional view had always been that taking part in Pride parades - in the same way that participating in any kind of activist cause whether it be animal rights, Scottish independence or Black Lives Matter - simply does not square with the concept of an impartial police service. My own experience when raising objections to taking part in Pride events as a Police Scotland officer was that I was committing something akin to heresy by refusing to get behind such a crucial social justice movement. Could I not see the good this will do to forging better links with communities? In truth, I object neither to Pride parades nor any social justice movement. My concern was purely on the basis that a supposedly neutral and impartial police service should restrict its activities to policing rather than participating in such events. Whether dancing in uniform covered in rainbow paint or marching alongside animal rights protesters dressed like beagles, the police have no business participating in these movements. This has been a slippery slope for the police service. Ever since the new breed of chief police officers indoctrinated in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) took the helm, our police officers have not simply been permitted to take part in Pride marches but have been actively encouraged to do so. There was an expectation that senior police officers in particular would march in full police uniform at annual events. I, and a small number of senior colleagues, refused to do so for concerns that this was against our oath of impartiality, or 'without fear or favour'. I t clearly crosses the line of perceived neutrality by openly supporting a particular social justice movement in an official capacity. The High Court ruling sends a strong, clear and long overdue message to Britain's chief constables, including Police Scotland's boss, Jo Farrell. Their indulgence and support for this nonsense must now come to an end. Not only are the public sick and tired of seeing cops dancing around at marches while many communities experience police station closures, reduced policing visibility and soaring crime rates, but the law has now unequivocally spoken on the matter. It must stop! While perhaps breathtaking that it has taken a High Court ruling to confirm what for many of us was an obvious position for the police, the ruling will not sit comfortably with those senior officers within the service who have pushed this narrative for so many years. You can be sure that careers have been made on the back of the 'progressive' narrative, by pushing the DEI agenda. Many of the highly paid DEI consultants within Police Scotland will now be in crisis mode, sitting in hastily convened meetings scratching their heads and wondering how they can now signal the organisation's progressive virtues. I have no doubt, too, that this ruling will be strongly resisted in some quarters. Policing has bred a generation of social justice activists at all levels of the hierarchy, many of whom will not take well to being told 'no more marching'. For the most part, the public just want the police to get on with the job of making their communities safe. This means locking up the bad people and protecting the good people - and discharging the office of constable without fear or favour. Whilst having cops attend Pride processions may help ease the social conscience of Jo Farrell and other progressive police leaders, it achieves none of policing's core objectives of keeping the streets safe. I, for one, wholeheartedly welcome the judgment. * Dave Marshall is a former Grampian Police constable and an ex-chief superintendent at the College of Policing and the British Transport Police. He is author of The Fall of Policing, available on Amazon.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Man and dog die after van crash in Dumfries and Galloway
A man and a dog have died after a van crashed in Dumfries and Galloway. The single-vehicle collision happened on the C1s Old Military Road between Castle Douglas and Dumfries at about 8.55pm on Wednesday. Emergency services attended, but the 23-year-old male driver of the white Vauxhall Vivaro was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said his next of kin have been made aware. The force said three dogs were in the van. One was euthanised due to its injuries, while the other two were taken to a local veterinary practice for treatment. The road was closed for investigation works and reopened at about 2.50am on Thursday. Read more from Sky News: Sergeant Colin Ramage said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has died. "Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the crash, and we would urge anyone who saw what happened to come forward. "We're also keen to speak to anyone who was driving in the area around the time of the crash and may have dashcam footage, as it could assist our investigation."
Sky News
5 days ago
- Sky News
Man and dog die after van crash in Dumfries and Galloway
A man and a dog have died after a van crashed in Dumfries and Galloway. The single-vehicle collision happened on the C1s Old Military Road between Castle Douglas and Dumfries at about 8.55pm on Wednesday. Emergency services attended, but the 23-year-old male driver of the white Vauxhall Vivaro was pronounced dead at the scene. Police Scotland said his next of kin have been made aware. The force said three dogs were in the van. One was euthanised due to its injuries, while the other two were taken to a local veterinary practice for treatment. The road was closed for investigation works and reopened at about 2.50am on Thursday. Sergeant Colin Ramage said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has died. "Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the crash, and we would urge anyone who saw what happened to come forward. "We're also keen to speak to anyone who was driving in the area around the time of the crash and may have dashcam footage, as it could assist our investigation."
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
No disciplinary action after controversial police file linked gender critics to the Nazis
No one will be disciplined over a 'deeply offensive' Police Scotland document which compared feminist campaigners who oppose transgender policies to Nazis, the Mail can reveal. The force was at the centre of a storm of criticism in May after staff were told that saying ' gender binary' - the belief there are only two genders - was a 'key feature' of the Nazis' ideology. It was posted on the intranet by a police constable who did not need authorisation to do so at the time - but since then the force has tightened up the rules and requires permission to be given for 'self-authored' uploads. Police Scotland refused to name the constable who uploaded the document - who is understood to have responsibility for liaising with gay and transgender employees. But it has now emerged that no one faces disciplinary action over the incident - which came to light on the same day top brass held a private meeting with equality groups to discuss trans issues. Last night Scottish Tory equalities spokesman Tess White said: 'This deeply offensive document should never have seen the light of day, and it's frankly astonishing that a police constable was able to upload it without a single senior figure stepping in. 'People with concerns about the SNP's radical gender self-ID plans shouldn't be attacked for standing up for common sense, so it's welcome that this document was removed. 'Police Scotland's procedures may have changed, but this shocking incident rightly raised concerns about attitudes within the force on this issue.' Replying to a question under freedom of information laws, Police Scotland told the Mail 'there was no disciplinary process instigated'. It added: ''The learning that was identified… has been appropriately highlighted and further additional governance has been put in place to ensure relevant authorisation prior to the circulation and internal publication of documents. 'When required, this also includes consultation with the Police Scotland Equality and Diversity Unit.' Chief Constable Jo Farrell was 'not aware' of the material uploaded, as 'these documents are self-authored and for clarity are not overseen by the Chief Constable'. There was 'no authorisation required at the time for the addition of self-authored documents to the intranet'. The 'Nazi' document - which mirrors material from controversial LGBT group Stonewall – was placed on an intranet divisional noticeboard on May 27 and focused on 'Trans+ History Week' in May. It states: 'At a time when anti-trans rhetoric is on the rise, we can send a clear message - trans people have always been here. 'This week was founded in recognition of the anniversary of the Nazi raid on the world's first ever trans clinic in 1933. 'Books were burned as part of the Nazis' targeting of queer communities. 'Gender binary was a key feature of the Nazi racist policies. Right now, the gender critical movement has a strong voice. 'Is this movement an echo of how past hostilities arose and does it mean we have failed to understand the lessons from history?' The document echoes Stonewall material which says Trans+ History Week is a date deliberately chosen as it is the anniversary of the Nazi raid on the world's first ever trans clinic in 1933. Last month police were accused of 'pandering' to 'fringe activists' after backtracking on the comments comparing gender-critical campaigners to Nazis. Top brass insisted the internal document drawing the 'Nazi' analogy was 'immediately withdrawn' and measures had been put in place to 'ensure it does not happen again'. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland said: 'I can confirm this document was immediately withdrawn from circulation and does not represent the views of Police Scotland. 'Police Scotland drives continual cultural improvement through engagement with diverse communities to ensure we tackle discriminatory behaviours. 'Additional governance has been put in place prior to the circulation and internal publication of documents. 'When required, this also includes consultation with the Police Scotland equality and diversity unit. 'I trust this provides you with reassurance that this matter was quickly addressed and measures put in place to ensure that it does not happen again.' Last night Trina Budge of gender-critical group For Women Scotland said: 'Accountability at Police Scotland seems to be distinctly lacking. 'Publishing a document likening those of us who understand that there are only two sexes to Nazis was quite extraordinary. 'If no disciplinary action, nor even a public apology, results from this it does make us wonder how on earth women can have confidence in the police when 'sex' is shortly to be added to hate crime laws.' A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'The content does not reflect the views of Police Scotland and has been removed. 'Advice will be given around the use of language.'
BBC News
11-07-2025
- BBC News
Convicted paedophile jailed for hunting and killing animals
A convicted paedophile who filmed his dogs hunting and killing wild animals has been jailed for a year and banned from owning animals for Robb, 28, was sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after admitting a catalogue of wildlife retrieved from Robb's phones showed his two Lurcher dogs being encouraged attack deer, rabbits, hares, a fox cub, wild birds and domestic who was caught after uploading footage to social media, is already serving seven years for a series of sex attacks on children in Fife. The abuse of two girls and a boy - the youngest just eight years old - happened in the town of Leslie between 2011 and 2015 when Robb was a animal offences took place between August and November 2022 in woods and farmland in Fife and Kinross, usually at of the phone footage seen by the court showed him instructing his dogs to attack one clip a cat is filmed desperately trying to hang on to a branch and in another Robb holds up the bloodied body of a cat that had been attacked by his dogs. Police Scotland said in another video a heron is shot with a catapult and a dog ordered to attack footage showed two dogs chasing a roe deer and killing it. One dog is also seen with a hare in its other videos, the dogs can be seen with blood on their muzzles and Robb praising them for their actions. 'Shocking cruelty' Robb was reported to the police after a member of the public saw his videos on social media.A police a search of his home recovered items that included torches, a pair of binoculars and a hunting was also convicted of assaulting one of the officers during his Scotland wildlife crime officer, Con Ben Pacholek, said the crimes were some of the worst he had ever added: "Robb boasted about the prowess of his dogs and gloried in the suffering of the animals he ordered them to harm. His actions were despicable."Iain Batho, who leads on wildlife crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "Brandon Robb's actions had no purpose or motive other than to fulfil his own desire to inflict pain and suffering on innocent animals."Robb had 21 previous convictions and had served time in prison for animal was jailed in 2014 after admitting using his dog to hunt a rare piebald happened while he was awaiting sentencing for another animal crime where he stole 30 ducks from a farm in has been banned indefinitely from owning or keeping animals.
