Martin McGartland

18 February 2015

Dear Independent Police Complaints Commission,

Dear Mr McGartland

Re: Siân Budge Senior Casework Manager Independent Police Complaints Commission - Martin McGartland, Northumbria police corruption

I received an email from Siân Budge on 20 January 2015. She included the following within her email;

"With regards to your request that your complaint be ‘called in’ by the IPCC - that the Force told the media that the shooting on 17 June 1999 was carried out by local drugs gangs and had nothing to do with the IRA. You allege that the police have consistently denied this, but witness statements from staff at the North news and Pictures Agency and the London Evening Standard indicate that this information came from the police. You allege that the Police have never accepted that they were behind the smearing of you and continue to cover this up despite the overwhelming evidence and that this amounts to serious corruption. You state that the matters are clearly serious corruption when 2 separate press officers have deliberately and wilfully conspired with others to smear you as you were fighting for your life. That they gave clear information that they knew was not true when they told journalists, within an hour of your shooting, that it had nothing to do with the IRA and that it was a local dispute between rival drug gangs involved in a feud and that you were a member of such a gang.

I will liaise with the Commissioner regarding your request. I understand that the Force have declined to refer the matter. I would like to point out that whilst the Commissioner may decide to ask the Force to refer the above complaints to the IPCC that does not mean that the IPCC will decide to independently investigate the complaints you make. ‘Calling in ‘ the complaint means the Force must refer the matter to us to determine the mode of investigation – this could be a local investigation by the Force, a supervised investigation or a managed/ independent investigation. I will make contact with the Commissioner and forward your evidence as supplied initially, the statements provided by Justin Davenport, Jane Morton and Kevin Donald and your complaint made at the time of the non recording appeal – upheld by Mrs Pollard. As soon as I am able to provide you with an update, I will do so."

I have written to Siân Budge a number of times since and she has not replied to any of my emails.

Under the FOIA 2000 I am requesting the following;

1. Did Siân Budge, as she said she would, contact the Commissioner.

2. Regards 1 above, when did Siân Budge first make contact with the Commissioner, please supply date.

3. What is the name of the Commissioner she contacted.

I am not requesting any information that could be regarded as my personal information, i.e. I'm simply wanting to know (a) If she contacted the Commissioner. (b) If so, when, what date. (c) Name of the Commissioner she contacted. This request should be dealt with as a FOI request.

Both the FOIA and DPA expect the names of individuals, such as Commissioners, to be made public.

If, in the meantime, Siân Budge replies to my past emails, - because of this FOI request - I can confirm that I would still expect this request to be answer here, on the what-do-they-know website.

Yours faithfully,

Martin McGartland

Re: Siân Budge Senior Casework Manager Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) - Martin McGartland, Northumbria police corruption

20 March 2015

Dear !FOI Requests,

By Law this request should have been answered by no later than 19 March 2015.

Please can I have a reply to my FOI request.

Yours sincerely,

Martin McGartland

From: Martin McGartland

18 February 2015
Martin McGartland

18 February 2015

Dear Independent Police Complaints Commission,

Dear Mr McGartland

Re: Siân Budge Senior Casework Manager Independent Police Complaints Commission - Martin McGartland, Northumbria police corruption

I received an email from Siân Budge on 20 January 2015. She included the following within her email; "With regards to your request that your complaint be ‘called in’ by the IPCC - that the Force told the media that the shooting on 17 June 1999 was carried out by local drugs gangs and had nothing to do with the IRA. You allege that the police have consistently denied this, but witness statements from staff at the North news and Pictures Agency and the London Evening Standard indicate that this information came from the police. You allege that the Police have never accepted that they were behind the smearing of you and continue to cover this up despite the overwhelming evidence and that this amounts to serious corruption. You state that the matters are clearly serious corruption when 2 separate press officers have deliberately and wilfully conspired with others to smear you as you were fighting for your life. That they gave clear information that they knew was not true when they told journalists, within an hour of your shooting, that it had nothing to do with the IRA and that it was a local dispute between rival drug gangs involved in a feud and that you were a member of such a gang. I will liaise with the Commissioner regarding your request. I understand that the Force have declined to refer the matter. I would like to point out that whilst the Commissioner may decide to ask the Force to refer the above complaints to the IPCC that does not mean that the IPCC will decide to independently investigate the complaints you make. ‘Calling in ‘ the complaint means the Force must refer the matter to us to determine the mode of investigation – this could be a local investigation by the Force, a supervised investigation or a managed/ independent investigation. I will make contact with the Commissioner and forward your evidence as supplied initially, the statements provided by Justin Davenport, Jane Morton and Kevin Donald and your complaint made at the time of the non recording appeal – upheld by Mrs Pollard. As soon as I am able to provide you with an update, I will do so."

I have written to Siân Budge a number of times since and she has not replied to any of my emails.

Under the FOIA 2000 I am requesting the following;

1. Did Siân Budge, as she said she would, contact the Commissioner.

2. Regards 1 above, when did Siân Budge first make contact with the Commissioner, please supply date.

3. What is the name of the Commissioner she contacted. I am not requesting any information that could be regarded as my personal information, i.e. I'm simply wanting to know
(a) If she contacted the Commissioner.
(b) If so, when, what date.
(c) Name of
the Commissioner she contacted. This request should be dealt with as a FOI request. Both the FOIA and DPA expect the names of individuals, such as Commissioners, to be made public. If, in the meantime, Siân Budge replies to my past emails, - because of this FOI request - I can confirm that I would still expect this request to be answer here, on the what-do-they-know website.

Yours faithfully,

Martin McGartland