Fight outside Browns Friday 26th 2330(ish)

Did anyone else witness the 2 on one 'fight' outside Browns at the corner of the peace gardens on Friday night?

The police took statements, but despite being given the car registration that the 2 left in, they didn't seem to be that bothered about following it up, since the victim (who was being kicked in the head on the ground and stamped on) had legged it by that point.

Did anyone else witness the 2 on one 'fight' outside Browns at the corner of the peace gardens on Friday night?

 

The police took statements, but despite being given the car registration that the 2 left in, they didn't seem to be that bothered about following it up, since the victim (who was being kicked in the head on the ground and stamped on) had legged it by that point.

I hate these unnecessary police bashing statements. They attended an incident. They took witness statements. What more did you expect them to do there and then? Go running off looking for a car that could be miles away?

How do you know they didn't follow it up? They will have circulated the registration. No doubt CCTV would have been told.

How do you know the police didn't go to the registered owners address the following day and make further enquiries?

Why do people expect an instantaneous result. These things take time. And if the so called 'victim' couldn't even be bothered to stick around, things will take even longer.

Perhaps you should ask me for details before assuming I'm 'bashing' without reason.

I didn't expect them to do more there and then (although the entire city centre is covered in CCTV and the victim probably should have been taken to hospital if he could be located).

The officer said though, that since there was no complaint from the victim, they probably wouldn't proceed, despite having the car registration which would (almost certainly) lead them directly to the person committing ABH/GBH, with multiple eye witnesses and probably CCTV to confirm that.

My comment is based on what the officer said, perhaps he was wrong and he will actually follow it up, after having said that he wouldn't.

I certainly wasn't expecting an instantaneous result, and they actually arrived very quickly, which was quite impressive.

The victim was almost certainly concussed, having been kicked in the head several times whilst on the floor. He got up and left, looking very drunk, he didn't look the least bit drunk before the attack though. So he almost certainly wasn't thinking straight and was just trying to get to safety.

Why do you say "so called victim"? How else do you describe someone punched to the floor and then kicked and stamped on by two people?

I hate these unnecessary police bashing statements. They attended an incident. They took witness statements. What more did you expect them to do there and then? Go running off looking for a car that could be miles away?

 

How do you know they didn't follow it up? They will have circulated the registration. No doubt CCTV would have been told.

 

How do you know the police didn't go to the registered owners address the following day and make further enquiries?

 

Why do people expect an instantaneous result. These things take time. And if the so called 'victim' couldn't even be bothered to stick around, things will take even longer.

Quite right, there is far too much Police bashing. Strange how everyone knows how to do the cops jobs better than they do!

BTW Its rougher in the City Centre since the council got rid of the patrolling security men.

I didn't claim to know how to do the officers job (although investigating reported crime is the basis of it).

He specifically said that they wouldn't follow the assault up as the victim hadn't made a complaint. That doesn't seem right.

The police would need to find out the name of the 'victim', then locate him to ascertain if he wanted to make a complaint. Whilst they were doing that I am sure they would discover who the car was registered to and potentially locate the owner who may or may not have been driving at the time.

You would be surprised that despite the level of CCTV coverage the number of incidents that are not caught on camera.

No, they wouldn't. We don't have a system in the UK that requires a victim to "press" the charge.

It is possible that it wasn't the owner driving, but I suspect unlikely. The witnesses would be able to confirm whether it was or wasn't the owner quite easily though.

The 20 people that saw it happen would have to do if it wasn't actually captured on CCTV.

Wrong. Please explain how without a complainant you can substantiate a charge of assault in these circumstances. It is more than likely a public order offence but when you let me know I will forward your reply to the DPP who will be delighted to learn of this new legal development.

Wrong. Please explain how without a complainant you can substantiate a charge of assault in these circumstances. It is more than likely a public order offence but when you let me know I will forward your reply to the DPP who will be delighted to learn of this new legal development.

What about when the victim is unable to make a complaint, I sure that the crimes are still investigated.

Wrong. Please explain how without a complainant you can substantiate a charge of assault in these circumstances. It is more than likely a public order offence but when you let me know I will forward your reply to the DPP who will be delighted to learn of this new legal development.

The multiple witnesses who reported it and gave statements.

It's difficult to describe stamping on someones head, whilst they are on the ground, as anything other than assault, and it's most likely more serious than that.

From the relevant charging guidelines

As a starting point, where there is no injury or injuries which are not serious, the offence charged should generally be Common Assault. Where there is serious injury and the likely sentence is clearly more than six months' imprisonment the offence charged should generally be ABH. And where there is really serious injury the offence charged should generally be GBH.

So a charge of assault doesn't even NEED an injury, so the victim really isn't necessary to bring that charge.

Perhaps you should ask me for details before assuming I'm 'bashing' without reason.

 

I didn't expect them to do more there and then (although the entire city centre is covered in CCTV and the victim probably should have been taken to hospital if he could be located).

The officer said though, that since there was no complaint from the victim, they probably wouldn't proceed, despite having the car registration which would (almost certainly) lead them directly to the person committing ABH/GBH, with multiple eye witnesses and probably CCTV to confirm that.

 

My comment is based on what the officer said, perhaps he was wrong and he will actually follow it up, after having said that he wouldn't.

 

I certainly wasn't expecting an instantaneous result, and they actually arrived very quickly, which was quite impressive.

 

The victim was almost certainly concussed, having been kicked in the head several times whilst on the floor. He got up and left, looking very drunk, he didn't look the least bit drunk before the attack though. So he almost certainly wasn't thinking straight and was just trying to get to safety.

 

Why do you say "so called victim"? How else do you describe someone punched to the floor and then kicked and stamped on by two people?

I said 'so called victim' for two reasons mainly. First, in your original post you said that he had 'legged it' prior to the police attending.

Secondly, drunken brawls between lads are normally difficult to pin point blame. They're all as bad as each other once the beer starts flowing.

Genuine question though. If there were 20 witnesses that saw this lad take a severe pummelling, why did no one take care of him after? Sit him down, talk to him?

As it was he was allowed to just wonder away and then people point blame at the police for not finding him?

Where there is no complaint there would in all likelihood be a public order offence charged - probably affray. If you want to prove an unlawful assault there are a few hurdles to overcome which may be difficult in the absence of a victim/complaint in these circumstances.

i think you have confused the guidance given to crown prosecutors as to the appropriate charge to bring as opposed to the necessary ingredients to prove the offence.

With your description of events I would charge those involved with affray.