A French soldier patrolling a business area of western Paris was stabbed in the neck on Saturday by a man who quickly fled the scene and was still being sought, a police source said. Police officers stand near the cordoned off spot where a French soldier was stabbed in the … Continue reading →
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The murder of soldier Lee Rigby has provoked a backlash of anti-Muslim anger across the UK, including the attacking of mosques, racial abuse and comments on social media. Habeeb Ali, from the Muslim Council of Coventry, hands out flowers at the site were Lee Rigby was murdered Reports of attacks … Continue reading →
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 If you’re ever talking about performance and you hear any of these phrases coming out of your mouth…
- “…compared to this time last year / last month / last week / the average / the target / the other department, team or person”.
- “…in the green / in the red”.
- “…month-to-date / year-to-date.”
Or focus on…
- Mistakes, failures, perceived deficiencies or other bad stuff.
- The past.
Or…
- Ask how many units per day are required to keep performance ‘on track’.
- Insist that people focus their efforts on getting something done before the end of the month / quarter / year / other performance period.
- Demand improvement without offering a method.
…then STOP what you are doing, do an immediate facepalm and drop a coin into a performance swear box, like the one below:
(If you don’t have a performance swear box, you can easily make one using an empty baked beans tin with a handwritten label on it).
The reason the performance swear box is a good idea is because all of those phrases are irrelevant to understanding or improving performance, and in some...
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 Some time ago after a session sitting on appeals at the crown court enjoying a brief post sitting exchange with the judge she referred to me with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face as being almost as severe as Attila the Hun. I`m still not sure how to receive that remark which was quickly followed by some pleasantries before my fellow J.P. and I left the building. I was reminded of that afternoon on reading of this case reported in the Shropshire Star.
Newspapers can only report in the manner they consider suits their readers. We can be thankful that there are still media like the Star. It is essential that such free unencumbered press reports remain available for ordinary people to read about the criminality that goes on around their neighbourhoods. But when commenting on such reports any blogger must take care and remember that sentencing after a guilty plea and a pre sentencing report encompasses much more than will be reported. Contents of the PSR are confidential and not made...
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German brewers concerned about water purity plead case to Merkel By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco The extraction of oil and gas by means of hydraulic fracturing – aka “fracking” – has ignited a firestorm of controvery over its possible risks, but a new report hands a powerful weapon to its … Continue reading →
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The Army Benevolent Fund and Mole Valley District Council are working with Headley Court the rehabilitation centre for injured military personnel to facilitate a march through Dorking by members of staff (I am not sure at this stage if any patients will be involved). The date – 28 June. I … Continue reading →
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 Anyone interested enough to read this blog will no doubt be aware of the legal profession’s unity in the face of the cuts in legal aid euphemistically described by their originator as reforms. As a non lawyer sitting on the sidelines this blogger can but only sympathise with those likely to be affected both financially and professionally. The arrogance of the Justice Secretary in pushing through these measures can be summed up by this quote, “I don’t believe that most people who find themselves in our criminal justice system are great connoisseurs of legal skills”. This is in reference to the removal of a defendant`s right to a lawyer of his choice. A successful legal aid applicant and there will be a lot fewer of these in future, will have a state appointed lawyer to defend him. And this is where I think that magistrates occupying the middle chair need to prepare themselves to be more interventionist in their dealings with the likely increase in poorly prepared and lesser experienced advocates who will be appearing in our...
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Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Prime Minister, The Rt. Hon. David Cameron, MP, speaking in Downing Street on Thursday morning, said there was "absolutely no justification" for the murder of this young soldier which is believed to have been carried out by Islamist extremists.
"What happened yesterday in Woolwich has sickened us all. On our televisions last night and in our newspapers this morning we have all seen images that are deeply shocking. The people who did this were trying to divide us. They should know something like this will only bring us together and make us stronger," he said.
US president Barack Obama condemned the "horrific" attack and promised to "stand resolute" with the UK in the face of terrorism.
In a statement, the president said: "I condemn in the strongest terms the appalling attack against a British service member in Woolwich on 22 May. The United States stands resolute with the United Kingdom, our ally and friend, against violent extremism and terror.
"There can...
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…not the Islamic one…I mean the government…most Muslims I know are lovely, friendly types that wouldn’t hurt a fly… the things that murdered our soldier are no more good Muslims than Adolph Eichmann was a good Methodist.
My prediction that the police or the security services would be blamed is I suppose, completely predictable…as is my ongoing one that nothing will change…
They will just leave the media to get bored and move on to Kim Kardashian or Suri Cruise’s latest dress/shoes/hair etc and put out some twaddle that this was an ‘isolated incident’ that was dealt with and that we don’t need more armed police etc…
Remember, we are dealing with a mindset that took YEARS of hand-wringing to give us body armour…and still haven’t given us TASER… despite the evidence that TASER is a major leap forward in officer and suspect safety.
A mindset that stopped pilots in the Great War from wearing parachutes because it was ‘bad for morale’…
I love ‘Call me Dave’s’ comment that we must not have a ‘knee jerk...
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Dramatic footage has emerged of the moment two terrorists were shot as they charged police officers called to the scene after a soldier was hacked to death in the street. The two men can be seen brandishing weapons in broad daylight as they confronted officers following the brutal killing of … Continue reading →
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In the photograph from left to right Sarah Parrish Surrey Police Chaplain, Christen Ducket representing CASPER, the Chief Constable Lynne Owens, Jim Mundell Chairman Surrey NARPO, Fred Smith Secretary SPRCA, Tony Forward Welfare co-ordinator NARPO and SPRCA, Kevin Morris Chairman SPRCA. On Tuesday 21st May the Chief Constable was presented … Continue reading →
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‘Once a Fusilier always a Fusilier’ British soldier killed in Woolwich attack named as Drummer Lee Rigby +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Full Statement from Ministry of Defence in response to death of Drummer Lee Rigby It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce that the soldier killed in yesterday’s … Continue reading →
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The Help For Heroes website temporarily crashed within hours of the Woolwich killing as a campaign got under way to show solidarity with the victim by donating to the military charity.
 The Help For Heroes website temporarily crashed within hours of the Woolwich killing.
The charity said the site had been innnundated with traffic after news broke that the victim, believed to be a serving soldier, had been wearing one of its T-shirts.
As news of the killing quickly spread on social media, there were calls for people to visit the site to donate, or buy T-shirts or other merchandise as a show of support.
The site’s shop quickly crashed and parts were still out of action on Thursday morning. A spokesman said: “Last night with the website, there was clearly a lot of interest.”
The charity, which raises money to provide better care for members of the Armed Forces wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan is now braced for a surge in donations, though said figures for the increase would take...
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| My old school now |
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| Outside my old school |
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| Thin Blue Line |
O, TO be in England
Now that April 's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!
And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossom'd pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—
That 's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
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 There has been only limited reporting of a trial at Stafford Crown Court which collapsed two years ago six months after it opened. The case involved alleged abuse of child victims by men of Pakistani origin. For those who subscribe to The Times there is a full report. Indeed the disgraceful conduct of many of the barristers during cross examination of the vulnerable victims will no doubt be commented upon during a Ch4 programme “The Hunt for Britain`s Sex Gangs” being broadcast tonight at 9.00p.m.
Not having seen the programme I would hazard a guess that the presiding judge HH Judge Robin Onions will come in for some criticism which, on the surface, appears to be warranted owing to his offering little protection to the victims from very aggressive cross examination; so aggressive that it bordered on being improper and beyond the bounds of being reasonable and justified in the interests of the defendants or in the interests of justice. Keep a watchful eye open whether or when The Office for Judicial Complaints investigates.
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