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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have felt very uncomfortable

35 replies

Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 08:45

My husband and I witnessed an accident recently.
Phoned the police to report it and gave statements later.

Police asked if I thought I could ID the driver if they came back with photos. I said possibly, it all happened very quickly and the driver fled the scene.

Police came by the next day with 12 pictures on a piece of paper and were very clearly pointing me towards a particular one whilst saying “of course we can’t influence your choice” Confused

Is this normal?!

Interestingly they asked to come inside rather than do it on the doorstep where our ring doorbell records. But they were happy to take our statements on the doorstep.

It made me so uncomfortable! However I want the driver held to account as he had no license or insurance and could easily have killed us or someone else.

Am I just naive?

OP posts:
AnUnoriginalUsername · 11/05/2021 08:47

They were very wrong and you should complain. Its easy to influence people's memories in those kinds of situations.

Hopdathelf · 11/05/2021 09:17

Was the driver the person they were trying to point you towards? Is it who you would have picked? To be honest, if they were trying to influence me and it didn’t work I might well let it go even though I agree it is wrong of them to do that.

Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:23

@Hopdathelf

Was the driver the person they were trying to point you towards? Is it who you would have picked? To be honest, if they were trying to influence me and it didn’t work I might well let it go even though I agree it is wrong of them to do that.
I didn’t really have enough time to study them all. I possibly would have picked them.

Actually my husband picked them and after the police left I said how uncomfortable it made me and he said he hadn’t noticed what they were doing!

OP posts:
Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:23

Yes it was the driver they were trying to point us towards.

OP posts:
MindtheBelleek · 11/05/2021 09:25

Not what you’re asking, but how were they guiding you towards a particular photo? And did you recognise it as the driver you saw or not?

MindtheBelleek · 11/05/2021 09:25

Sorry. X-post. Were they rushing you?

PlanDeRaccordement · 11/05/2021 09:28

It sounds like you were not really able to ID the driver after all. I would ensure the record states you could not ID the driver.

TLIMSISNW · 11/05/2021 09:30

Are you in the uk? That’s not how ID procedures are done in the uk.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 11/05/2021 09:32

Very tricky one. If you and/or your husband are sure that the one your husband picked was the offending driver and you then report the officers' attempt to steer your choice, the driver could potentially have grounds for charges to be dropped, which I think from your wording in op is what you have realised too.

Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:37

@TLIMSISNW

Are you in the uk? That’s not how ID procedures are done in the uk.
I am in the uk.
OP posts:
Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:37

@PlanDeRaccordement

It sounds like you were not really able to ID the driver after all. I would ensure the record states you could not ID the driver.
My husband signed the ID document, I did not.
OP posts:
TLIMSISNW · 11/05/2021 09:39

That can’t have been a formal ID procedure then.

TLIMSISNW · 11/05/2021 09:40

(I’m fairly sure anyway).

Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:41

@TLIMSISNW

That can’t have been a formal ID procedure then.
Is it different because I’m in Scotland?

My husband signed it as a witness.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:43

@MindtheBelleek

Not what you’re asking, but how were they guiding you towards a particular photo? And did you recognise it as the driver you saw or not?
Don’t really want to give that level of detail but it was very clear to me that I was being steered towards a particular person. I did feel a bit rushed.

I could confidently say who it wasn’t from the pictures shown but there were maybe 2 pictures where I thought it could have been either of them. One was the correct one.

OP posts:
TheMagicPudding · 11/05/2021 09:45

How do you know he had no licence if you or the police dont know who it is?

Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:46

@TheMagicPudding

How do you know he had no licence if you or the police dont know who it is?
The police do know who it is.

They wanted us to confirm him as the driver as witnesses. There were 2 other people in the car.

OP posts:
ThatIsMyPotato · 11/05/2021 09:50

How were they guiding you? This sounds really dodgy.

Docsmix · 11/05/2021 09:55

If you aren't sure which one it was how do you know you DH picked the right one?

2bazookas · 11/05/2021 10:38

The only time I was asked to ID a criminal, the police brought a photo album with multiple pages of mugshots. The officer remained completely neutral as I flipped through it. I had seen the man full face at close range in broad daylight and had no problem picking him out.

After I'd picked him the officer told me my neighbour had just picked the same guy.

MyFloorIsLava · 11/05/2021 10:43

That's a complete breach of guidance. You should have been shown video images of around 12 people, and the officer doing this should have had no knowledge of the suspects identity. If it goes to court your husbands ID will be thrown out, I would say.

myfuckingfreezer · 11/05/2021 10:46

Don’t really want to give that level of detail

Why?

Original poster
Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 11:03

@Docsmix

If you aren't sure which one it was how do you know you DH picked the right one?
Because they told us.
OP posts:
MargaretThursday · 11/05/2021 12:23

I would wonder as your dh didn't notice whether this is a bit of confirmation bias.
Because you thought it was that one you read into the officer's words/actions a bias that maybe wasn't there.

I'd have thought they wouldn't want it recorded on ring doorbells in case the video picked up the pictures and you then showed others/posted it on social media.

TaraR2020 · 11/05/2021 12:24

Formally complain / report it.

Its for the trial to establish / confirm guilt, leading the witnesses is serious and you have no idea how much evidence there is against him or how robust the investigation has been.

Someone's life is likely to be ruined here, they deserve to be treated fairly.

Additionally, if they do this in this case, how many other investigations have they attempted to influence?

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