November 11th, 2009
Compensation has been awarded to a woman who was glassed in the face after her attacker was identified via social networking site Facebook.
Jennifer Wilson was attacked in the Walkabout pub in Watford in March earlier this year.
Ashleigh Holliman, 22, of Croxley Green, pleaded guilty to charges of actual bodily harm over the incident, in which the prosecution said Miss Wilson had been doing nothing wrong.
Holliman, who works as a hairdresser, had been identified in relation with the crime after police officers tracked her down on Facebook, reports the Watford Observer.
Ms Wilson was left with a scar on her face after the assault and was awarded £2,400 by St Albans Crown Court.
Holliman will also have to undertake 120 hours of community service in addition to paying the compensation.
Earlier this week, a man was awarded £1,000 in compensation after he was attacked at a railway station in Wales.
Matthew Hale was punched to the ground and stamped on by Joshua Preece, 19, of Bridgend.
Tags: Actual Bodily Harm, Attacker, Crown Court, Hairdresser, Holliman, Jennifer Wilson, Joshua, Matthew Hale, Miss Wilson, Ms Wilson, Police Officers, Preece, Prosecution, Railway Station, Scar, Social Networking Site, St Albans, Wales, Walkabout Pub, Watford Observer
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October 19th, 2009
A Bournemouth family is suing Dorset Police after a promising young schoolboy was left with devastating injuries by a police patrol car.
Greg Love, 13, was knocked off his bike by a police vehicle responding to a disturbance in a shop in December 2006.
His head injuries were so severe that he has been left unable to walk, speak or move anything other than his arm.
The family has taken legal action against the police, alleging that the car’s siren had not been working and that it had been travelling at 50mph in a 30mph limit.
Commenting on the claim for compensation, Chris Love, Greg’s father, told the Daily Express: "There’s great sadness. We’re reminded about it daily – wondering about what Greg would be doing each day. All we’re doing this for is to secure the future for Greg."
During pursuits and emergency calls, police officers can break some traffic laws if they have to. However, they are legally obliged to drive carefully and, if they make a mistake, they can be prosecuted.
Tags: Bournemouth, Break, Daily Express, Dorset Police, Head Injuries, Love, Mistake, Police Car, Police Officers, Police Patrol Car, Police Vehicle, Quot, Sadness, Schoolboy, Siren, Traffic Laws
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August 21st, 2009
A family is considering taking legal action against South Yorkshire Police after it took officers five hours to find the victim of a car crash.
Gary Shore, 21, lost control of his car in Rotherham on November 3rd last year and a bus driver saw it overturned in trees at 09:20 GMT.
However, despite sending a community support officer along the same road, Mr Shore was not found until his car was again reported to police via a 999 call at 14:45 GMT.
The victim had suffered a brain injury and is now paralysed.
A report from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) identified a number of failings by South Yorkshire Police and the organisation ordered the force to make improvements.
"Whilst Mr Shore’s vehicle was not readily visible from the road, more could have been done to locate it at the time of the first report made to the police," admitted a police spokesperson.
Mr Shore’s family is now considering making a claim for compensation.
The IPCC was established in 2004 to ensure that complaints against police are dealt with effectively.
Tags: Brain Injury, Bus Driver, Car Crash, Complaints Against Police, Gmt, Improvements, Independent Police Complaints Commission, Ipcc, Police Complaints, Police Officers, Police Spokesperson, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Police, Trees, Yorkshire
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October 7th, 2008
A family are to seek damages from Kent police after it was ruled that a speeding police car was responsible for a young woman’s death.
Rachel Cheesewright, 29, was killed in 2005 when she pulled out of a junction and her vehicle was hit by a police car travelling at over 100 miles per hour.
The original investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) ruled that the death was accidental and that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against the police officers.
However, following a three-year fight, Ms Cheesewright’s parents and fiancé have achieved justice as a judge ruled that the speeding police officer was "100 per cent at fault" for Ms Cheesewright’s death.
A compensation payout will be given as a result, which will ensure the financial security of Ms Cheesewright’s 11-year-old daughter, Kent News reports.
Kent police are expected to appeal the decision but would not make any further comments on the case.
During pursuits and emergency calls, police officers can break some traffic laws if they have to. But they are legally obliged to drive carefully and, if they make a mistake, they can be prosecuted.
Tags: Break, Damages, Face, Fight Ms, Financial Security, Independent Police Complaints Commission, Insufficient Evidence, Kent News, Kent Police, Miles Per Hour, Mistake, News Reports, Parents, Police Car, Police Complaints, Police Officer, Police Officers, Quot, Traffic Laws, Young Woman
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