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[hoover]

I remember a lot of debate about this case, seems a lifetime ago!

http://news.sky.com/story/962458/pc-not-guilty-of-g20-protest-death

A PC has been cleared of killing newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests - as details of the officer's controversial disciplinary record emerged.

Simon Harwood, 45, sobbed after he was found not guilty of manslaughter at London's Southwark Crown Court.

Members of Mr Tomlinson's family also wept in the public gallery as the verdict was given, as did Mr Harwood's wife.

The family said that the verdict "really hurts" adding: "It's not the end, we are not giving up for justice for Ian."

The jury of seven women and five men took 18 hours and 45 minutes to clear him.

The police watchdog the IPCC has said that Harwood will face Metropolitan Police internal disciplinary proceedings later in the year over the incident.

After the verdict journalists were able to reveal for the first time details of Harwood's controversial disciplinary record.

A series of allegations were made against him in a period of 12 years, but details were ruled inadmissible as part of the trial.

The officer faced a number of complaints about his behaviour, one of which prompted a chief to say his conduct had "fallen well below that expected of a police officer".

Harwood cried in the dock when he was cleared, and walked out to an embrace from his wife Helen.

[Sez]

I'll probably Piss a lot of people off here but i'm glad he was found not guilty. Riot police have it hard, in this riot they were too harsh, the riots last summer they were too soft?! what do you people want?! he wasn't an innocent walking home like they keep saying, he was drunk and had been goading the officers for hours and following them around... tensions running high, adrenaline going I'd of probably showed him with a baton, he wasn't to know he was going to have a heart attack a few minutes later.

[hoover]

I'll probably Piss a lot of people off here but i'm glad he was found not guilty. Riot police have it hard, in this riot they were too harsh, the riots last summer they were too soft?! what do you people want?! he wasn't an innocent walking home like they keep saying, he was drunk and had been goading the officers for hours and following them around... tensions running high, adrenaline going I'd of probably showed him with a baton, he wasn't to know he was going to have a heart attack a few minutes later.

I tend to agree with you in general Sez, we put these guys on the ground in an atmosphere fuelled with violence, as it goes the courts suppressed information about his prior disciplinary record, which was poor, so as not to influence the jury. He seems to be a proper bully boy!

[Sez]

I tend to agree with you in general Sez, we put these guys on the ground in an atmosphere fuelled with violence, as it goes the courts suppressed information about his prior disciplinary record, which was poor, so as not to influence the jury. He seems to be a proper bully boy!

Thats the case for all people faced with prosecution in court. When my other half was in court after he got assaulted they didn't tell the jury about this guys previous convictions for assault so they didn't sway the jury

[jimjack]

@ Hoover: 'a lifetime ago' 

[Aaron]

Fact is, he was not seen laying a hand on that copper and was moving away from them, that copper had no reason for acting the fat rocks he thought he was.

If he can't handle pressure and has been known to be a complete dick head before then he deserves the sentance imo, the fact they supressed it is a joke as it was your fella's trial Sez.

No doubt he will probably get his job back now along with the cushy pension.

[hoover]

Fact is, he was not seen laying a hand on that copper and was moving away from them, that copper had no reason for acting the fat rocks he thought he was.

If he can't handle pressure and has been known to be a complete dick head before then he deserves the sentance imo, the fact they supressed it is a joke as it was your fella's trial Sez.

No doubt he will probably get his job back now along with the cushy pension.

Like Sez said it is normal practice not to influence a jury with previous accusations/convictions. I agree to an extent that maybe he shouldn't have been there, seems a dodgy type, but then again for the specialist unit he was in maybe they need someone who was gonna get stuck in, Tomlinson was dicking around and acting a twat, I reckon if I was there I might have twatted him

[Tito]

A few doormen I used to know joined the Police and then the TAG. A few of them have told me they really enjoy public disorder kicking off as its a rush of adrenalin. They mostly cover the football matches around the North West and have given a few scroats a sly hiding. A lot of officers in the TAG are former soldiers and doormen who all have personality disorders.
I have been to loads of football matches where they have been deployed and literally stopped a situation in seconds. I do remember one incident many years ago when Wigan played Preston at home and the away fans went over the canal bridge on Miry Lane which had about 2000 people in that area going home after the game and it kicked off on the bridge with young kids and families getting caught in the melee the Police started. I was halfway over the bridge when the Police charged it and hit everything that moved and even a kid of 16 with downs syndrome was hit over the head and his old man was crying and screaming at the police to leave him alone. I remember making a complaint of police brutality to the football intelligence officer and even he was shocked as the TAG was not under his command and told me he was going to report there officer in charge as he was disgusted by what he saw. I remember about 5 minutes of it happening the Police rather stupidly left 2 police vans unattended outside the brickmakers pub around the corner and about 50 kids of 16 or younger absolutely trashed them in revenge. The windows, number plates and lights were smashed and the tyres slashed.

[Bonters]

This kind of thing strikes at the heart of the problems of modern day policing.  We expect officers to be willing and able to don riot gear and go into some pretty hairy situations one minute, and then employ some astute intelligence the next in investigating offences and presenting evidence in a form acceptable to our rigorous justice system.  The two are simply not compatible, and there are numerous shades of grey in between.  They are basically the jack-of-all-trades and master of none, often struggling to do a professional job on the front line whilst the higher ranks sit in their cosy offices and ivory towers planning the next spin doctor press release and fooking about with budgets and meetings.  The Police service was decimated by the Blair years and is now largely an organisation which exists only for it's own benefit.  It is easy to criticise this officer, and I certainly don't unduly defend him, but the organisation as a whole is a shambles now.  I'm not sure that anyone can save it in it's current form.  Don't forget, you read it here first!  

[Aaron]

Like Sez said it is normal practice not to influence a jury with previous accusations/convictions. I agree to an extent that maybe he shouldn't have been there, seems a dodgy type, but then again for the specialist unit he was in maybe they need someone who was gonna get stuck in, Tomlinson was dicking around and acting a twat, I reckon if I was there I might have twatted him

You might have hit him Hoover, and if on camera you would of had the book thrown at you. The bullying prick gets off like far too many police officers do, being a copper is a job not a right to act a twat as this guy is.


Hopefully one day someone gets even with him for all the shit he has given people due to a poxy badge on his chest.

[tomstrong]

You might have hit him Hoover, and if on camera you would of had the book thrown at you. The bullying prick gets off like far too many police officers do, being a copper is a job not a right to act a twat as this guy is.


Hopefully one day someone gets even with him for all the shit he has given people due to a poxy badge on his chest.

Totally agree Aaron, this prick should at the very least lose his job. I know a few policeman and are very close friends of mine and I tell you something they love nothing better than roughing people up given even a slight chance!

Being a policeman seems to give you more rights than the general public, whilst their there to serve and protect us!

On the whole they do an amazing job and 99.9% are brilliant, but like anything you always get a few that like to push their weight around.. Those I detest and give the police a bad name!

[Sez]

Like Sez said it is normal practice not to influence a jury with previous accusations/convictions. I agree to an extent that maybe he shouldn't have been there, seems a dodgy type, but then again for the specialist unit he was in maybe they need someone who was gonna get stuck in, Tomlinson was dicking around and acting a twat, I reckon if I was there I might have twatted him

This. Riot trained people are not fairies, or shy from being hurt they need to get stuck in and protect themselves and innocents. That  ian guy had been goading him round the streets of london... might he of been a fitter person then it would of just been a shove, picked himself up and staggered off but he was on alcoholic... theres the glue, the officer wasnt to know that which would of contributed to the blood clot that caused his death. I'm not saying what the officer did was right but i also dont think he should of been charged. It will now be dealt with by the police force.

[Bolton Dave]

Pity the busy wasn't working for G4 security - he would have missed the bloke and saved all the expense of trial

[jimjack]

Pity the busy wasn't working for G4 security - he would have missed the bloke and saved all the expense of trial

Wouldnt have turned up in the first place...

[Aaron]

This. Riot trained people are not fairies, or shy from being hurt they need to get stuck in and protect themselves and innocents. That  ian guy had been goading him round the streets of london... might he of been a fitter person then it would of just been a shove, picked himself up and staggered off but he was on alcoholic... theres the glue, the officer wasnt to know that which would of contributed to the blood clot that caused his death. I'm not saying what the officer did was right but i also dont think he should of been charged. It will now be dealt with by the police force.

The fact is sez he had no need to lay hands on the guy, that more than any other reason is what caused all this. I would imagine a key part of there training is to remain calm and make rational decisions in hostile situations, on numerous occasions bully here was found wanting of that ability.

The officer was not to know he was an alcoholic, much like he was not know the impact of any physical contact he could have with someone thus he should not throw his weight around for no reason.

We could sit around here and justify his actions, then we leave the door open for the other simple minded coppers to act the same when the going gets tough.

Now all his pals get to make a decision on his punnishment, more than likely culminating in a slap on the wrist and retirement at fifty with a full pension, numerous parts of which I find a complete farce tbh.