Armed Arrests
Dear Cheshire Constabulary
on the 20th August 2013 in response to my having published facts proving Cheshire West Conservative Councillor for Davenahm and Moulton Helen Weltman, other Cheshire West and Chester Council officers, and Members of the Davenham Parish Council, committing serious criminal offences, five plain clothed Cheshire Police Detectives arrived at my home and arrested me with out charge . My home was searched and many items removed including all of my computers, private address books, diaries and mobile telephones, I was imprisoned then later conditionally bailed. Several Months later, the Crown Prosecution Service having assessed all that I had written of Councillor Helen Weltman a part time employee of Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale Graham Evans, and other of her colleagues, Cheshire Constabulary returned all of my private possessions advising me the matter was closed.
Throughout the past 12 Months I made numerous Freedom of Information requests to your Force asking to be provided copies of all documents pertaining to my arrest in August 2013, as was my right, including copy of councilor Helen Weltman's statement, but alas each and every request was refused. Recently as part of my on going civil action against the Chief Constable for unlawful arrest and imprisonment, your Force had no alternative but to provide my solicitors all that same information it refused myself, - I confirm I now own all that information, - I now understand why your Force did all it could to prevent me having that information.
I note from the Constabularies Form 200529 'Premises Searched Record ' the answer to question 6 "OFFICER IN CHARGE ARMED" was yes. There can be no doubt had I resisted arrest that day it is highly likely I would have been shot and possibly killed.
Please confirm how many times since 1965 your Force had ordered armed officers to arrest members of the public on suspicion of sending malicious correspondence.
Yours faithfully,
ROBERT PICKTHALL
Dear Cheshire Constabulary,
disappointingly I note still you have not acknowledged my request - I wonder if you might kindly do so in order I may be certain you have received it.
Yours faithfully,
ROBERT PICKTHALL
Dear Mr Pickthall,
I refer to your recent request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as set out below:
Please confirm how many times since 1965 your Force had ordered armed
officers to arrest members of the public on suspicion of sending malicious
correspondence.
In accordance with section 1(1) (a) of the Act, our response is as
follows:
There is no information held.
If I can be any further assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact me.
If you are not satisfied with the decision applied in this case I enclose
for your attention a copy of the Constabulary's appeal procedures.
Regards
John Gannon
Information Compliance
Professional Standards Department
Tel: 01606 364176
Dear Freedom of Information/Mr Gannon
Sir please confirm the total number of occasions your Force deployed armed officers to deal with incidents 1965 - November 2014.
Yours sincerely,
ROBERT PICKTHALL
Dear Mr Pickthall,
I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence received 01/12/2014 which is
being dealt with as a request for information in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I am in the process of dealing with your request and will respond in due
course and in any case by 31/12/2014. Please contact us by e-mail at
[Cheshire Constabulary request email] if you have any further enquiries.
Regards
Hayley Latham
Information Compliance
Professional Standards Department
Tel: 01606 366556
Dear Mr Pickthall
I refer to your recent request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as set out below:
Sir please confirm the total number of occasions your Force deployed
armed officers to deal with incidents 1965 - November 2014.
In accordance with section 1(1) (a) of the Act, our response is as
follows:
Information prior to 2002 is no longer held.
Information from 2002 to date is accessible to you by other means and is
therefore exempt information in accordance with section 21 of the Freedom
of Information Act 2000. Please see the following web link to the Home
Office who publish the information annually via .gov website
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics...
Figures for April 2014 to November 2014 are intended for future
publication and are therefore exempt in accordance with section 22 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Home Office collect and publish these figures annually, whilst there
is public interest in transparency and openness, hence the publication of
such figures. There is no public interest in bringing forward part year
figures necessitating the diversion of staff from scheduled, equally
useful, assembly of public information.
If I can be any further assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact me.
If you are not satisfied with the decision applied in this case I enclose
for your attention a copy of the Constabulary's appeal procedures.
Regards
John Gannon
Information Compliance
Professional Standards Department
Tel: 01606 364176
Dear Freedom of Information/ Mr Gannon
thank you for in forming me there are no records held before 2002. I wish to revise my original request accordingly and to read from 2002 - 2014.
Yours sincerely,
ROBERT PICKTHALL
Dear Mr Pickthall,
Re your email. I think you may have either failed to read my response our you have misunderstood it.
For the avoidance of doubt the link to the information you requested is provided within my original response.
Regards
John Gannon
Information Compliance
Professional Standards Department
Tel: 01606 364176
____________________________
Cheshire Constabulary HQ
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7 2UA.
Dear Freedom of Information/Mr Gannon
thank you for your further advice. With respect Mr Gannon would it not just of been simpler to admit your Force has never deployed armed officers to arrest any member of the public suspected of publishing and or sending malicious correspondence - why would it when such an offence is regarded by all Constabularies to be little more than a misdemeanor - unless of course the suspect publishes evidence proving the chief constable committing serious criminal offences - as was my own situation.
Yours sincerely,
ROBERT PICKTHALL
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