AIBU to be alarmed after a defendant contacted me?

[ShapeofanLonmyforehead]

I was a witness for an incident that took place near my home some months ago. It ended up going to court and although I didn’t attend in person, my statement was provided in court. I was assured it was all anonymous as the person in question is violent.

fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, this individual has written to me from prison (not yet sentenced) offering me money to write to them. The letter is hand written and contains my full name and address. I am absolutely livid that they’ve somehow got my information, I’ve rang the police who sent me a text later on to say it’s a non-reportable crime.. and the witness support agent person emailed to say she’s passed the information on to the case lead, but I’ve heard nothing back in weeks and I just want to know how in the world he got my information and why he’s been allowed to write to me with bribes.

I have two young kids at home, the last thing I want is some POS contacting me.

This is well-beyond crap. I'd be ringing my MP immediately.

Wow, it certainly makes you think twice about being a witness. The older I get, the more I believe the adage "no good deed goes unpunished".

This is really important.

I was a witness in an assault case and the police/CPS "accidentally" sent the unredacted version of my statement, complete with name, address and phone number to the defence solicitor.
Fortunately the defence solicitor picked up on it and phoned me to say they were returning it to the CPS.

I wonder if it is actually from the defendant or someone in his family that was able to write it and sign his name? Same thing, but might explain how it was able to happen.

Shows you how little the police care, if they say this is "unreportable".

I was coming on to say the same thing. Unless its for a loved one I would never be a witness where the defender is capable of violence. There is so much incompetence within the cps, police, and legal firms and this happens way to much, and then when it does the police do not protect you.

I would also advise against reporting aggressive neighbours to the council after a neighbour had petrol poured through her letterbox after making a noise complaint. The housing officer sent a letter to the offenders saying 'Debbie at number 53 has made a complaint'. I mean, how fucking stupid can you be? The police couldn't give a shit and the housing association won't move her as she doesn't meet the criteria.

This.

This is shocking, sorry OP.

It would put me off ‘doing the right thing’

Unfortunately with technology we have also had breeches like this caused by hackers and human errors.

I did a very brief reply above, but to add, the poster above is correct that he could be charged with Perverting the course of justice as it is a current case. Contact Witness Protection and the Police again, this is a serious issue.

When my ExH was in prison, he was accidentally released when he was on remand (I know!) and he came straight for me (as I knew he would), and also tried to contact adult DD (a witness). He was fortunately rearrested very soon afterwards, but was initially charged with PCJ, and this was only dropped when the CPS were negotiating his guilty plea. The fact that he did it, added time to the Injunction preventing him from contacting us, it went from 10 years to 15 years.

Not surprised tbh. I witnessed an attempted murder during Covid on the street a couple of houses from mine and as the only witness gave the police a statement and said that I would be happy to testify in court. I specified that I wanted it to be anonymous as it would be very easy to work out who I was and where I lived.

Fast forward a few months and the witness coordinator (not sure of the exact title) calls me to give details of the court date etc and I confirm that I’m still willing to go to court and reiterate the anonymity request. She replies not to worry as they’ve organised a screen for the court room. Great I say, and obviously I don’t want my name used either at which point there’s a silence and she informs me that they already have my name.

Because it was on the statement which is shared with their solicitor they have had it all along. I have a fairly generic name so if this has happened in a busy city centre I wouldn’t have been as worried but this happened outside my house There are literally a maximum of 6 houses I could live in and given the only time I saw this man in my life he was carrying a knife and trying to kill someone I decided to withdraw my willingness to testify.

Absolute joke of a system.

We're you granted a Witness Anonymity Order?
If so, complain, complain, complain. Directly to the judge that granted the order if you have to.
If no order given, there's no anonymity given in the interest of a fair trial.

This is not acceptable. Write to the Police and Crime Commissioner. Headlining it COMPLAINT with a copy to the Chief Constable. This is a serious breach of confidentiality. Also write, or better still, make an appt to see your MP when he/she holds a local surgery for their constituents and who will be able to take the matter up on your behalf. The case lead should give you the name of that person's solicitor and write a complaint letter to them also. It could have been them that gave your name and address.

Never mind emailing, OP, make phone calls, do not be fobbed off, and raise hell! This is serious.

I would contact the Office of the Police Commissioner too. Phone, don’t email. Whoever informed you that is not reportable is wrong.

No it’s a prison issue letter, with the prison header, wing number ect on it.

Someone should get in serious trouble for this, that's terrible!

I was going to say that you need to ring. Emails get buried these days.

Shocked

This. Immediately, before his sentencing hearing.

I’m sorry if this is a naive question but aren’t all prison letters vetted before they are sent out? Shouldn’t this have been stopped at that point, especially if they were offering you money?

That's appalling? How did the prison approve that letter? I would sort this out by phone, OP - don't let them fob you off.

All of this is shocking. I think as well as all the above advice then the prison also need to be contacted as surely all letters should be vetted before sending out? Which clearly didn’t happen. So many failings here on so many levels.

It makes you understand why witnesses in some areas are reluctant to come forward and get involved when they see a crime. Many years back (when bank robberies still took place) a friend of mine witnessed one from her window. She had an upstairs flat whose window overlooked a cross roads with a bank. She was a single mum and decided not to come forward, She could not have identified the robbers - they were all masked - and did not feel she had anything useful to add. I would have done the same in her place.

FFS!!! This is why people don’t come forward!!!

Has he been sentenced or is he on remand?

I’m guessing sentenced and so his excuse would be ‘to apologise’ rather than intimidate.

I can’t see how it’s not a crime.

Contact the prison and tell them that you do not want any communication from him and to ask the POM to contact you to find out how he got your details.