Latest news with #criminalDamage
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Taxpayer foots huge bill to prosecute 66-year-old grandmother for accidentally smashing the leg off a neighbour's garden gnome... that she'd already tried to pay for
A neighbourly feud involving a damaged garden gnome resulted in a 15-month legal ordeal for a law-abiding grandmother. Lorraine Hutton branded the draconian saga 'an enormous waste of time and public money', after being accused of deliberately damaging the 18-inch ceramic ornament. Mrs Hutton, 66, admitted she had accidentally broken off one of the gnome's legs while moving it from a communal pathway outside her flat in Bournemouth, and said she had already apologised to its owner, Lilijana Cekauskiene. She also said she posted £20 through her neighbour's letterbox to cover the damage. But Mrs Hutton was horrified when Mrs Cekauskiene reported the damage to Dorset Police and accused her of breaking the gnome 'provocatively'. The 66-year-old was then ordered to attend a police station for interview and formally charged with criminal damage. A convoluted court saga followed, which is thought to have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds – including £4,000 to pay for Mrs Hutton's legal aid, £1,000 for her psychiatric evaluation, a £55-per-hour Lithuanian interpreter for Mrs Cekauskiene and magistrates' court costs, which can be upwards of £1,000 a day. Fifteen months and three court dates later, and Mrs Hutton has been formally exonerated of any crime – and she criticised the police and the Criminal Prosecution Service (CPS) for wasting taxpayers' cash by allowing the case to go to court. 'This has just been an enormous waste of time and public money,' she said. 'We have been to court three or four times for this case. I have never been in trouble with the police in my life, not even a parking ticket, and for people of my generation to have to go to court is embarrassing. 'I'm 66 and disabled. I don't see how it was in the public interest to take it to court.' Official statistics show that Bournemouth had the worst crime rate in the south-west of England in 2024. Crimes involving possessing an offensive weapon were up 22.9 per cent and shoplifting offences rose by 5.5 per cent. Meanwhile, in 2022/23, 77 per cent of burglaries went unresolved. But Wessex CPS, which brought the case against Mrs Hutton, insisted it was in the public interest. A spokesman said: 'In this case, we decided that there was sufficient evidence and that it was in the public interest to proceed.' A spokesman for Dorset Police added: 'We will always carry out an investigation into reported criminal damage incidents irrespective of the type of damage alleged to have been caused. A case is then submitted to the CPS, who will then decide whether or not to bring a case before the courts.'
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Belfast: PSNI defend arrests of Pro-Palestine protestors at Barclays
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has defended its actions after two women, one of whom is a pensioner, were arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest in Pentel, 72, a long-standing campaigner and member of Jews for Palestine Ireland, and another woman in her 50s were detained by police outside a Barclays Bank branch in Castle Place on Saturday. Both were arrested on suspicion of criminal had been placed on an Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said having looked at body-cam footage of the incident, determined that the officer's actions were "lawful and proportionate". "I am limited in what I can say about this incident as due process must be allowed to run its course," he said in a statement to BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show."However, due to the degree of interest in this case, I want to reassure the public that, having reviewed footage of the incident (including from body worn camera,) I am satisfied that our officers acted with courtesy and professionalism." Officer actions 'proportionate' ACC Henderson said the officers were reacting to an emergency call from a city centre business."Their actions were lawful and proportionate to the situation they discovered," he of the women were released later on Saturday, pending a report to the Public Prosecution Henderson said the right to both freedom of speech and assembly are "fundamental human rights"."However, they must be balanced with the need to uphold the rights of others, protect public health and safety, minimise disruption to normal life and by the need to prevent and detect crime." Following the arrests, a number of pro-Palestinian protesters held a further demonstration outside Musgrave Street PSNI of Barclays have been targeted around the UK by pro-Palestinian groups, who want the bank to stop investing in certain companies. 'No offence committed' There has been mass condemnation of the arrests, with Ms Pentel's solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh saying she was detained after "peacefully protesting"."She has committed no offence and should not be criminalised for exercising her right to peaceful protest against these ongoing atrocities," he said in a statement."Our client will robustly contest any attempt to criminalise her if a decision is made to prosecute. "We will also be advising her in relation to the lawfulness of her arrest."Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International UK, told The Nolan Show that the right to protest is "fundamental to our democracy"."That includes making the point with your body – standing in the street or even with placing a sticker - those symbolic acts," he added."It's in the public interest that police protect those rights." Mr Corrigan said peaceful protest is protected by law "even when it disruptive or causes a minor nuisance to people but that is not a reason to criminalise people"."When you arrest people for a sticker you lose all sense of balance."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pensioner arrested during pro-Palestinian protest
Two women, including a pensioner, have been arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest in Belfast city centre. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they were called to the demonstration in Castle Place on Saturday morning. The women, one aged in her 70s and another in her 50s, were detained on suspicion of criminal damage, according to a PSNI spokeswoman. Following the arrests, a number of pro-Palestinian protesters held a further demonstration outside Musgrave Street PSNI station.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Belfast: Pensioner arrested during pro-Palestinian protest
Two women, including a pensioner, have been arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest in Belfast city Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they were called to the demonstration in Castle Place on Saturday morning. The women, one aged in her 70s and another in her 50s, were detained on suspicion of criminal damage, according to a PSNI spokeswoman. Following the arrests, a number of pro-Palestinian protesters held a further demonstration outside Musgrave Street PSNI station.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
Restaurant shuts temporarily after windows smashed
The owner of an African food restaurant in Londonderry said she has had to close for a week following a weekend were smashed at Sandy's African food hub in the Spencer Road area of the Waterside on Saturday. Sandra Agoha, who opened the family restaurant two years ago, said the incident will not put her out of business. The police are treating it as criminal damage and have appealed for witnesses to come forward. 'My family don't need this' Ms Agoha told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme she felt "threatened" after the incident. "I don't have any idea who may be behind this or what has motivated them," she said."I'm not sure what could happen next. There is a possibility this could be a warning sign."Whoever did this, my message to you is – this is not nice, I am working to support the community the best I can, my family do not need this."Ms Agoha said she was determined to reopen once repairs are also thanked her customers for their "overwhelming support"."The community has really put their arms around me, offering support and love. We must remain united now as one community – one city."My spirit cannot be broken by this, I will continue to do what I do best and that is serving authentic African food to the people of this great city."This is a huge challenge, but we will overcome it. "
