On the 22nd July this year it would appear that a British Transport Police inspector logged onto a website by the name of uniformdating.com, where he made an assignation with a lady to whom uniforms are a turn-on. At 3pm the following day, they met on the platform at Gatwick Airport station, where said inspector took a twenty minute break from his duties (He was the senior officer on duty apparently.) and taking her into an office on the platform comprehensively pleasured her.
The conscientious officer thoughtfully left on both his lapel radio and his mobile phone, though I imagine he may have taken a moment or two to gather his thoughts had a train crash or a suicide bomber had happened along while he was busy.
Last week his trial duly took place for criminal misconduct, the jury swiftly acquitted him and the judge then criticised the CPS for ever bringing the case in the first place. Now setting aside a) that this is about the shortest interval between offence (captured on CCTV, so I suppose someone will be watching for it to appear on YouTube) and Crown Court trial that I can ever remember, and b) that I know only the account given in the press, an finally c) that I do not know what constitute the elements of the offence of criminal misconduct*, I can't help wondering how he would have fared in front of a bench of magistrates.
* The CPS do know the elements and doubtless took the view that they could be made out. The judge let the jury proceed to consider a verdict; presumably had he had doubts about the elements he would have directed an acquittal.
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1 comment:
I entirely agree. This was a ridiculous overreaction to an incident that should have been dealt with by a grade-A bollocking from a senior officer, and a deduction of pay to encourage him to restrict his sexual activity to off-duty hours.
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