Are photographs needed for an ABH case?

[TiesThatBindMe]

Or is police testimony as to injuries sufficient?

OP take your own pictures and go to your nearest UCC to get your injuries documented as they are today!
This is what my sister had to do as a DV victim.

I have taken photos on my phone myself. Will see what new investigating officer has to say. Eye is still a glaring purple colour.

He had asked me at the time whether the most severe injury was to my eye and I told him that it was. I feel he should have at least taken a photo of my eye.

gamerwidow What is a UCC?

Urgent care centre

Getting to a GP will take 2 weeks

Explain that you need an emergency appointment, or go to a walk-in centre.

There is no such thing as a walk-in centre here. You won't get an emergency appointment to have injuries documented.

At this stage I'll leave it to the 'expertise' of my police force.

If he visited you at home: it'd be common practice for him to have been wearing a body cam and the images of your injuries would be taken from that - at least where I am.

Do phone the force handling it and enquire, though.

I'm sorry this has happened to you; though

And that ^ was based on my own injuries this year, in March - they didn't photograph with a camera to avoid distress; used the body cam footage as standard instead.

This is copied and pasted from his email.

Dear Miss xyz,
Apologies for not replying to you sooner - your crime reference number is above in the subject line.
I note your concerns re the photographing of your injuries however I do recall explaining as I was by myself that day it wouldn’t be right for me to take pictures of them. I will if needed write a statement of the injuries that I have noted in the crime report.
This report has now been passed to the Borough of xyz Police who will be in contact in due course.
Kind Regards,

I don't think he had a body camera.

Yes - I suspect as he was on hise own it would have been putting himself in a compromising position to take photos of you when you were vulnerable.

It is a good thing you took pictures.

I would respond telling him that you have taken photos on your phone which can be forwarded to thew CPS should they require them.

Hope you are feeling better now after such an ordeal.

Basically, fuck off, someone else is dealing with you now.

How on earth could taking a photo of a black eye put either him or me in a compromised position?

A compromised position is when I'm in court and they want to see evidence of injury!

FWiw, this guy said it was ABH due to the injuries sustained. Surely he needed evidence of the injuries. Otherwise it's just Common Assault.

Obvious thing would be to go to the police station not clog up the a&e or go. Presumably you could then be chaparoned while they look at the injuries?

RedHelen. I've posted his response to me! I doubt I would be entertained at a police station even if I knew where there was one! The onus should not be on me as a bloomin victim to build a case! That's what police are for.

It's very disappointing and upsetting when you've been assaulted and the police don't seem to care.
I know my sister has found it hard to accept when they dropped the charges against her ex even though he strangled her to the point she lost consciousness because of a lack of evidence.
I know the police officers involved probably did care very much but they are hamstrung by cuts and a CPS that will only proceed with cut and dry cases.

Police officer here. In my force, body worn video is standard and is switched on when dealing with assaults. If he wasn't wearing one, he is able to make a statement describing the injuries he could see. If the facial injury is the most severe that's the one that counts. I've stood in court and described injuries on many occasions before BWV was a thing and when I couldn't get anybody to bring the camera (we had one per shift!) down to me. We weren't allowed to take photos on our personal mobiles.

Be aware though, when it comes to charging CPS often drop down one level of assault in order to stand more chance of a conviction. So it may well be themat it ends up a common assault anyway (not saying I agree with that).

Thank you coldilox
I just have to wait on them now

Hope it leads to a conviction.

Did your photos have the time and date on them?

I feel as though they've not dealt with this like they should of.

I was assaulted by ex ( was partner at time) in July. At the time i didn't want to make a statement but the policeman made a note of my injury's and a few days later I received a crime reference in the post for assault.

I took pictures of my face and bruises with the times and dates on. It took me 3 weeks to build up the courage to make a statement but my pictures were used as evidence because they had the time and date and I also had a crime reference which stated I'd been assaulted. He's at court on Wednesday for it. I'd speak to your local police station and see if anything g else can be done about it