Friday, 19 November 2010

Police Sergeant Mark Andrews acquitted on appeal

On 7th September, Police Sergeant Mark Andrews was convicted at Oxford Magistrates' Court - (a Deputy Distrtict Judge (Magistrates' Courts) heard the case) - of  assault occasioning actual bodily harm - see the earlier post.  He has now been acquitted on appeal to the Crown Court - The Guardian 18th November 2010. It appears that the Police disciplinary hearing will still take place - Wiltshire Police - though the Police spokesman said that this is "whilst respecting the decision of the court today in upholding the appeal."

Interestingly, the judge presiding at the appeal in the Crown Court - (Mr Justice Bean) - is reported as having said to Andrews that "he could have done things better."  The remarks of judges ought to be published in full so that the public can see the reasoning.  It is not clear from any media reports on what basis the judge said what might be regarded as a pre-emption of any disciplinary hearing.  The judge will have sat with two magistrates as is usual in appeals to the Crown Court from the Magistrates' Courts.

At the time of the conviction, the BBC published some video of the event - see BBC.

Addendum 10th November 2012:

The High Court ordered the reinstatement of Mark Andrews - Daily Mail 10th November 2012
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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous19 November 2010 at 15:01

    Why bother with courts of law when the police simply ignore any legal judgements and just dish out their own form of corporal punshment to anyone in their custody?

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  2. ObiterJ19 November 2010 at 17:04

    We have to accept the decision of the Crown Court. There is not further appeal unless a point of law arose and, as far as I can see, it did not. "Due process" has been followed and unless one has seen / heard all the evidence we are not in a position to say we agree or disagree.

    If you go back to my September post on this case you will find a link to Inspectorate reports about this Police Force. They are interesting !

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  3. Ed (not Bystander)19 November 2010 at 21:25

    Why bother with "rational thought" when grunting any old rubbish into a comment box is so much easier?

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  4. Anonymous23 December 2010 at 22:17

    Consumer Advice: This police force may contain nuts. This Crown Court may have been produced and packaged in an environment in which nuts have been processed and may contain traces of nuts.

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  5. Anonymous17 March 2012 at 16:13

    Somerville was DRUNK in a car and refused a breath test. If allowed to drive DRUNK she could have killed children! An extremely well respected High Court judge TOTALLY QUASHED the sentence and Sgt Andrews has no criminal record. Clearly, Somerville was paralytic drunk and fell over in a state of intoxication & pissed herself. She contributed to this to successfully avoid prosecution for drunk driving. Sgt Andrews is totally exonerated and has been awarded reinstatement/dismissal compensation!

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