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Arrested And Charged: A True Nightmare

Arrested & Charged: A True Nightmare

We are living through an absolute nightmare and, until now,  have been unable to talk to anyone about it.  I have been charged with a serious crime to which I have pleaded not guilty. Here is some background information to the situation.

Some years ago, I left some humorous comments on various internet forums. Later, I wrote about this in a published article which poked fun at the way people use the internet. And then the following occurred.

Early one morning in June 2009, four plain clothes police officers entered our home armed with a search warrant.  Initially I thought it was to something to do with the lifelike, but plastic, cannabis plant in our front garden. Though unwell, I was arrested and and locked in a police cell where, heavily sedated by anti-epileptic drugs and and a pain-killing injection taken earlier, I fell asleep. The police had reassured us that there would be a doctor on duty, but there was none. During my absence, the police ransacked the house and removed various items ranging from some secondhand computers waiting to be scrapped to several jazz guitar CD’s.  God only knows what they wanted with the CDs.

I was questioned for several hours and it soon dawned on me that one of the websites was under suspicion. I assured them that anyone with the brains of a doughnut could see that any comments I had left were intended to be humorous.  I did not live with my ma in a trailer park, have a secret den or any relatives called Jolene.  Of more importance,  I reassured them that I had not observed any obscene images of young people under 18, exchanged them or communicated with anyone who wished to do so.  The only internet images that I had used when illustrating educational games and other publications were entirely respectable.  I was then informed that, as nothing had been found in our home and my case was low priority, I would have to wait up to a year for an inspection of the confiscated items.  Incidentally, doughnut is not a good word to use when being questioned by the cops.

We told the police that we were going on holiday that night. Upon our return, we were shocked to discover that, in our absence and without any warning, the officers had told one of our three sons of the arrest.

Our requests for an official list of seized items and access to medical records were continually ignored until a local politician stepped in on our behalf.  He was given an assurance by the police that, because I have a chronic neurological disorder which will require surgery,  the search would be given priority. This promise was never kept.

In January, we complained about the behaviour of the police to the authorities and asked for their help in speeding up the investigation. Within two days,  I was asked to attend a meeting at a police station.  Some meeting! To my surprise, I was given a thorough search, cautioned, taken to an interrogation room and told that images at the least offensive level had been found on the computer equipment. Only four of these images were shown to me. They were quite trivial but I was adamant that I had not seen them before. I detected a veiled threat to increase the number of images found, but I ignored it. I was legally advised that if I made an admission of guilt, I would be offered a police caution with no criminal record or publicity, but I utterly refused to do so.

A couple of days later, I received an email from the cops stating that my elderly widowed sister, who lives with, and cares for, her chronically-ill daughter and granddaughter, would be advised of the situation.  It was just an idle threat; a truly wicked vendetta. But now we live in considerable fear of the police who have warned us that they could come back, and we have taken steps to increase the security on our home. With publicity, there may be other unwelcome visitors too.

In ten hours of custody, I was shown a total of six trivial images, none of which I recognized. In March. having failed to obtain an admission of guilt, the police informed me that I would be charged with possessing (but not downloading) illegal images. The punishment, if found guilty, would be a number of hours of community service and a fine of a week’s pay. I’m 70 so for pay read pension. When I appeared at the magistrates court, I pleaded not guilty and asked for the case to be sent to the Crown Court where it will be judged alongside those of murderers and violent criminals. This is my right and my request was granted.  I’ve always wanted to say ‘Not Guilty, Your Honor!’ but not in these circumstances.

We have spent many long nights clinging together, sobbing, and wondering why the police have behaved in such a heavy-handed and ruthless manner.  I have never, or would ever, put any child at risk.  To the best of our knowledge, there was not a single inappropriate image of someone under 18 (or over 18) to be found on these old computers. This investigation and the court hearings will cost us and the tax payer thousands. Nevertheless, we are determined to use whatever savings we have to fight this case.  Please think of us in your prayers.

Thank you.

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Jorge al Najjar Classical Guitar The Good The Bad And The Ugly

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