Update on Unpleasant Altercation

[zerofeeling]

Original thread from July https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5366159-unpleasant-altercation-who-was-the-most-unreasonable

TL:DR - I was harassed by a off duty police officer after a minor traffic incident in an isolated area. He abused his position to look up my address details and generate an official form which he hand delivered to our house. He followed this up a couple of weeks later by making an unauthorised visit to our house. I made an official complaint via 101.

A couple of the supportive posters asked if I could update at some point so I wanted to do that, I also wanted people to know that the Police genuinely are trying to deal with their 'bad apples'.

Professional Standards have now told me that the officer involved in the incident is being taken to a Misconduct Tribunal (probably won't happen til early next year) meanwhile he's been removed from all public-facing duties. The other off duty officer who was with him has been given a disciplinary on his record.

Thanks to everyone who gave advice and supportive posts. 😊

The only argument he could possibly use was to get her details for an insurance claim, which the OP has confirmed he hasn't made.

Why else could he want her details?

Complete abuse of power and his access to personal information and to then turn up at her home? I can't imagine what he was thinking.

Well done OP. I’m glad you’re getting some kind of justice from their intimidation tactics. 👌

I got stopped for speeding by a lone male police (Garda) officer last year as I was driving out of town on a rural stretch of road.

I was dubious as I’m not a reckless driver (in my late 50’s) and I’d been overtaken a few seconds earlier by a white Transit van which he clearly wasn’t interested in stopping and didn’t offer any explanation when I asked why he’d not stopped the van driver.

When I got my ticket in the post, it actually stated a higher speed than he’d told me and it said I’d been speeding in the previous stretch of road that is in the residential section and is a lower limit. I knew then I was being set up as I’m always very careful to keep under the speed limit in a built up area.

I appealed the decision and asked them to provide photographic evidence but they refused and said I must pay or go to court. The fine had doubled in the time it took to respond.

I ended up paying the higher fine and getting points on my licence and I’m angry because I know he lied to me and on the paperwork he submitted but it was clear that his bosses would back him to the hilt.

The system here in Ireland is pretty shit and prone to abuse. I did consider going to court but DH was stressed out by the idea so I dropped it and I’m not convinced that a local judge would be any different to the police. Look at the judge who tied himself in knots to allow the abusive Army guy off who battered that brave young woman and then showed off to his mates about it. It was only due to her sheer bloody minded determination that she finally got any sort of justice. That woman is the real hero.

I’d get cctv and ring doorbell in case he wants to come back once he’s been disciplined.
Pretty shit when we have to protect ourselves from the police !

Absolutely. Just today I saw that video of two officers push their way into a home and confiscate a child's phone because they had READ something on social media. Then the lady with cancer. It's getting ridiculous.

If you feel intimidated by a police officer or are worried by their behaviour please always report it. Nothing may happen at the time but it will be recorded.
I had reason to complain about an officer in the 90s and 20 years later the police tracked me down to see whether I would make a new statement (I did) and be a witness in court if required. It wasn't because he changed his plea to guilty at the last minute and was jailed for 5 years.
I wish it had been taken more seriously at the time because perhaps then a lot of woman may have escaped harm.
He's out now and running his own business which requires him to be in people's homes. I wonder why he'd choose such a job 🤔 All legit of course.

Keep your wits about you.

OP, totally valid concern although I’d be very surprised. He probably knows he’s F’d up royally and he will know the repercussions of doing something like that. Of course some men out there get a thrill out of intimidating women but I reckon the reason he did what he did was trying to show off in front of his mate as he was ‘asserting the law 🙄’ and it all went very very pear shaped. Imagine having to tell your family why you’ve lost your job. He’s probably with his tail between his legs right now

I’m pretty sure in the last thread OP said he videoed the whole thing.

I don’t think it works like that, does it? He’d be using the access for personal reasons, he’d definitely know this was not authorised. A bit like working in the NHS and deciding to access someone’s records for your own purposes.

Exactly right. The person dealing with my case told me it's a very serious breach of the code to access the database for personal reasons/benefit, he's not going to be able to wriggle out of that.

Not that I’m saying it’s the case here, but I think it’s been abused in the past for stalking purposes.

Had similar on here when I had to deal with some crazy builders stealing my phone and threatening to punch us in our front garden. Apparently it was our fault 🤦🏻‍♀️. Fortunately the police didn’t agree and they had to undertake some anger management program. I’m pretty sure the police woman said they had some petty criminal
history as well but not quite enough to take them to court.

Anyhow well done for pursuing it and well done for ignoring the crazies on here.