to think the police need to be occupied by more serious crimes

[LittleTurtle]

Ok, so a while ago, a very close ex colleauge of mine told me that he was on his way, drunk from a party and saw a 'hooker' and curiosly asked her 'how much for a blow job' This is a popular hooker street. The girls said ' No I'm not a hooker, he ashamedly, profusely apolosised. So he walked on and three policemen, undercover came to him and handcuffed him for lewd behaviour etc. The took him to the police station and said he had a caution and took his fingerprints etc. though they say said his parents would no tnow about etc now is he is worried that he is a sex offender.

What worries me the most was that at the time he told me, I got a hit and run while 8 months pregnant. I crossed at a lights and some angry guy came rushing towards me even though the rules cleary state to not harrass someone already crossing lights. I was too shocked to take the full number plates and had a partial and a sign on his car. I then filled in a police report and was told because I did not have the full registration they could do nothing. But the next lights had a camera and I gave them the exact time I got hit and what time they coud see him in the previous and next camera. .

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

I have doubts that it was a "sting" operation; aren't they considered "incitement" to commit a crime in the UK? (IE, that the person arrested would not have committed the crime of trying to buy sex in a public place had he not been "enticed" by an attractive undercover police officer.)

Stings are very American, where most forms of prostitution are illegal in most states. Here, it is legal to work as a prostitute (but not to solicit for business in a public place, the interwebz don't count) and it is legal to engage the services of a prostitute (but not to seek them out in a public place.)

If the street where the Op's friend was arrested was well-known as a redlight district, it's obvious that other women who are not "looking for business" will have been approached, as many posters have said they themselves have experienced. So not a Big Surprise they might have a crackdown from time to time.

Such police initiatives are generally politically-driven, nothing to do with policing outcomes/catching The Real Baddies.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Your friend had a lucky escape, if someone walked up to me and asked me how much for a blow job my shoe would end up up his nose

[sashh]

If he received a caution then he has not been charged with anything. He therefore is not a registered or convicted sex offender.

Actually you can only receive a caution if you admit guilt and it is conviction. It will appear on an enhanced CRB check.

OP

Your attitude stinks.

Petty crime, prostitution and antisocial behaviour make people's lives hell, and that's just the people who live in an area these things happen.

The people actually involved, particularly prostitution, are living in hell.

[FloraFox]

OP since you are making this about what is a waste of police time and what is not, it seems entirely sensible that there might be four policemen occasionally carrying out an operation on a well known "hooker street" to catch criminals like your colleague. I'm pretty sure they are not there every night and criminals like your colleague would normally get away with their criminal behaviour.

I'm sorry you were also the victim of a crime (as was the woman who was the subject of lewd behaviour from your colleague, the criminal). You were crossing a random street, I'm sure you can understand why there would not be a policemen stationed at every crossing. There was very little evidence for the police to take it further. This is very unfortunate and if this had happened when you were walking down "hooker street" you might have got lucky and a policeman might have been there to take action. More likely is that there would not have been a policeman there but another criminal, like your colleague, who might have asked you how much for a blow job.

[TroublesomeEx]

I'm sorry, but I don't believe he asked how much a blowjob would be out of curiosity.

I don't believe it was the first time he'd done it either.

[TroublesomeEx]

Oh and being a sex pest is a serious crime.