Tuesday, May 09, 2006

This is all too familiar

MAN ARRESTED OVER 4p CABLE TIES

A software engineer was arrested, fingerprinted and forced to give a DNA sample and kept in a police cell for five hours after being accused of criminal damage valued at 4 pence. Geoffrey Hibbert, of Farnborough, Hampshire, was detained for cutting four plastic cable ties to remove a sign that he claims was put on his property without his permission. He said that the arrest was a "complete waste of taxpayers' money".

The large yellow sign, giving warning that cars parked illegally would be clamped, was attached by Tango Security, a clamping company, to a road sign that in front of Mr Hibbert's garden wall. Mr Hibbert cut it down, then rang Tango Security, telling it to collect its sign and six new cable ties which he was offering in replacement for the severed ones.

Tango Security reported Mr Hibbert to the police. He refused to accepta acaution and the matter was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service which threw out the case.

(The Times newspaper, May 6th at page 29)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

another case of the innocent being persecuted!, welcome to Blair (Hitlers) Britain

Anonymous said...

He should sue for false arrest, false imprisonment, for damages and demand the destruction of fingerprints and DNA.

Anonymous said...

This is the same part of Hampshire Constabulary that prosecuted an elderly local pensioner for holding up a 30mph speed sign to motorists in advance of a police speed check (and thereby promoting unpaid in his own time government and police policy on keeping to speed limits).

Good to know that the Farnborough police now have such adequate manpower that they have so little activity to occupy their time. Helps us to sleep well at night.

Anonymous said...

There has been another case about warning motorists since then that sets the precedent that it is legal. Sorry can't remember the case name off hand.

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