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Police refusing to investigate

107 replies

ReformedWaywardTeen · 30/05/2023 09:52

I'm going to try and keep this brief but it's difficult due to context

Until 2021 we were friends with the owner of a local business along with a big group of other adults. Over time, business owner became more and more bullying to me personally. It was very obvious that he was obsessed with my DH.
DH is straight. Never gave the guy any reason to believe otherwise. We have been together for over 25 years. The catalyst to say "enough" for me was his behaviour at our wedding reception where he was rude to guests and where he was heard saying DH should have married better as he's better looking than me.
During our honeymoon we were told he was slagging me, telling people he was jealous of me (which he had said to me more than once whilst he was drunk). We decided to take a break from him but he was then slagging our teens off, saying they are weird and freaks. This is a man nearing 60. He has been known to abuse booze and drugs, not something any of the rest of us have much to do with. To be honest we all originally felt sorry for him and would cook him meals. He didn't seem to have anyone and said he had been dumped by a former group for being gay.

Anyway, over two years we've had people connected to him look at me like scum. We've had false complaints made against us to tax officers, and about our son having Disability allowances as he does have some quite serious illnesses. Throughout all the nastiness, we've kept quiet. We blocked him across social media although we were told that he was still being abusive about me pretty regularly until all our mates also blocked him.

On Friday, DH was bringing DS home from school and drove past the male. He jumped up, screaming his head off, the car windows were open and he was calling them both wankers and cunts and throwing fists. He was clearly drunk. Two acquaintances of ours saw this and told him to sit down. DH drove home.

He was angry though and rang the male, calling him some choice names. He did not threaten him. He had simply had enough and DS was so upset, he cannot deal with loud noise or aggression.

On Saturday morning, DH went to get some shopping and the police turned up. The officers were incredibly rude to me. They didn't even refer to my husband by his name or Mr surname, just spat his surname at me and asked is he in? He's never been in trouble with police in his life but they acted like he was some frequent offender.

I asked what was it about and the officer sneered at me that "he's an adult allegedly" so I shut the door. I heard the officer say through the door he would be back to arrest me later if my husband wasn't back!

I immediately called DH who drove to the local police station. He was made to sit there for over an hour and then the lady on the desk seeing no one had spoken to him since she had when he arrived phoned the officers. DH mentioned to her that he was provoked, that the behaviour of the male complainant was dangerous and threatening and that where he was has CCTV and he had two witnesses to the behaviour too (as the acquaintances had offered to give a statement if we wanted to raise a complaint).

The officers refused to speak to DH saying they would call Tuesday (today).

Instead, the rude one turned up at our door at 7pm on Sunday. Again he had an attitude. My husband even asked him how can we trust him when he refers to him so rudely the day before?

He had not looked into DHs side. He had not spoken to our witnesses. He had not asked for CCTV but was demanding DH come to the station and sign a community resolution and pay a compensation amount to the Man!

He refused to agree to do that. I got angry as I said the officer was failing to show due diligence and look into the facts of a case. I'm aware the guy involved has friends in the local police, and feel my husband is being blamed fully for being provoked after two years of aggressive behaviour and lies.
DH is accused of threatening him and of using homophobic slurs. There is no recording of this phone call and considering we have family members who are gay, we are the last people to be homophobic, but this is a tale he has told before to garner sympathy. He also once said a couple in a bar had called him a gay slur but they had simply asked him to not rock their table as he knocked a drink over. It's his default sympathy card.

When DH said he would not agree to sign anything or admit fault, he would like to take it further, the officer said "is that a threat". It clearly wasn't but he was sneering.

He then said he would need to get back to DH as he isn't satisfied with "our attitude".

The thing is, in the time we have stopped speaking to the complainant, along with 90% of our group, we met a couple who knew him before us and were used by him in a similar way. This was one of the couples he accused of homophobia. They said they stopped speaking to him because they became aware of an inappropriate relationship between the man and a 15 year old. The police had failed to look into it as the child was in care but they said as parents they didn't want him near their child.

Because the officer was so defensive of the complainant, DH said to him that this isn't the first time the police have turned a blind eye to his behaviour, mentioning the boy.

He is now worried that they can charge him for saying that to the officer

We've also looked into the community resolution and the police don't even come to your home they call and see if you agree to it and take things further if needed. So why come out twice?

I've contacted the independent body for police complaints but I understand that can take months.

We have heard nothing more but DH said he is worried he will go to prison- he's been doom scrolling on Google and I doubt that would happen but frankly, I think the officer knows the complainant and no doubt the CCTV the man has will be deleted.

Can anyone offer advice? We can't afford a solicitor. Surely they can't just decide without speaking to witnesses that DH is at fault. I did get angry at the officer but he was being so one sided and aggressive he didn't want to hear what DH had to say and had clearly decided from his first attending our home that DH is at fault.He was shouting over both of us and showed no professionalism. He would not hear that DH was provoked and that there was more evidence for that than what this liar was saying. Surely you can't bring any form of case or community resolution with neither evidence not investigation into the full events and provocation?

Can we have the officer removed and how?

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 31/05/2023 11:04

ReformedWaywardTeen · 30/05/2023 18:51

Oh he won't be admitting anything, theres literally nothing to admit to. He did call him a vile, bullying, sick little prick, but that was the sum total. No threats were made, DH said he knew what vile crap he had been saying for years and he had gone too far by screaming abuse at DS who is a child and nothing to do with it, he said to him to get a life and leave us alone, it's been two years. Literally not one threat. No homophobia (why would he, our DD is openly gay, one of my best friends walked me down the aisle at the wedding he attended and is gay too). He was angry granted and he raised his voice but that was it. It was over and done with in a matter of minutes.

How do you know what your DH said on the phone call he made to this person? It’s surely his word against the other person? Perhaps there were other people with the man when your DH phoned who heard something different?
If your DH did say something that could have been interpreted as homophobic then it needs addressing. The fact that you are friends with someone else who happens to be gay holds absolutely no weight. It’s a bit like saying someone can’t be racist because they’ve got a friend from India.

You should step away, let your DH deal with this matter in his own time.

Soontobe60 · 31/05/2023 11:06

QuintanaRoo · 31/05/2023 06:40

Sounds like you could do with some form of restraining order against the bloke. Not sure how easy they are to get.

you’ve done the right thing in making a complaint to the police. My advice would be to record every interaction with the police moving forward, so if they turn up again at your home being rude get your phone out and get recording.

I’d also separately ask the police to investigate the harassment and abuse you’ve had from this man.

Why would he get a restraining order? It was the DH who phoned the man, not vice versa.

OnGoldenPond · 31/05/2023 11:16

I would advise you to speak to a local firm of solicitors with a criminal law department and sound them out to be available for you to call in if DH is arrested. He can use his phone call to call them in or you can call them and ask them to attend the police station if you are there when he is arrested. Being represented when being interviewed under caution is covered by legal aid irrespective of income and the solicitor will be able to arrange this.

If he is asked to come in to the station as a voluntary attender you need to arrange for the solicitor to come in with him. Under no circumstances should he walk into that station without a solicitor, not even for an informal chat with the desk sergeant. Don't rely on duty solicitors, he could end up being arrested and held in a cell for hours while the duty solicitor is found, even if he is a voluntary attender. He would then be stuck with an arrest record which can cause problems including travelling to the US.

You need to be very careful here as, if the officer who came to the house is a friend of this guy he has the power to cause your DH a lot of problems and he will be believed if there is no independent witness present.

ReformedWaywardTeen · 31/05/2023 11:28

Soontobe60 · 31/05/2023 11:04

How do you know what your DH said on the phone call he made to this person? It’s surely his word against the other person? Perhaps there were other people with the man when your DH phoned who heard something different?
If your DH did say something that could have been interpreted as homophobic then it needs addressing. The fact that you are friends with someone else who happens to be gay holds absolutely no weight. It’s a bit like saying someone can’t be racist because they’ve got a friend from India.

You should step away, let your DH deal with this matter in his own time.

I've just reread what you posted

I know what DH said because he said it, standing in our home.
I know exactly what DH said.

Also, we don't just "know someone" who is gay, if you read the thread, our DD is openly gay. Slightly different to someone who uses the old "I can't possibly be homophobic cos I one met a gay person"

OP posts:
ReformedWaywardTeen · 31/05/2023 11:41

Soontobe60 · 31/05/2023 11:06

Why would he get a restraining order? It was the DH who phoned the man, not vice versa.

And again, had you read the thread, DH phoned after the aggressive actions of the man when he drove past him. He was screaming, drunk at DS who was sat in the front passenger seat and DH, calling them cunts and a pair of wankers. DS is 14. With SEN and disabilities hence getting a lift home.
It came after two years of no contact from us but constantly hearing of abusiveness, having things written about me online (including calling me benefits Britain because we receive a disability allowance for DS which is singularly spent on DS, and stating I don't have two braincells to rub together in my fat arse body). I personally have been reported by this man for not looking after our DS, I had tax office called on me for fraud, the disability allowance people told I made up DS' illnesses. I've had both my children called freaks and weirdos.

Trust me. This man is the one at fault. I know sometimes we all read things on MN that we think "sure you are" and have seen people comment "chinny reckon". I know questioning police officers is also an emotive subject. I've been guilty of thinking an OP is being sparing with the full facts

However, all this started because sadly for this male, he fancied my DH and when it became increasingly clear he wasn't interested, which to be honest should have been clear from the start what with us having children and a very long relationship, he decided to turn this unhappiness on me.
It's all my fault usually that my DH is straight. He was set on divide and conquer and all he's succeeded in doing is not getting to see DH again, and having 90% of our wider friendship group have nothing to do with him either. He has been left with about 3 people who talk to him (and to us) and two ladies who he has since met and seem to be happy to accept I'm the one at fault.

It's fine if someone finds DH attractive. It's not fine to be dangerously obsessive. Which is very much what this was. And why we've not reported because we didn't want to rile him.

Our hand has been forced. DH is well aware he was an absolute fool to phone him as obviously, we have no proof he didn't say what he's accused of, other than he's told the police and another person totally different stories, neither of which is true.

I have told DH how bloody angry I am that he bit. I intend why. But I'm damned if I'm letting that man cause anymore aggravation.

He wil get off on it if DH was made to publicly apologize. DH has nothing to apologize for. And frankly, for those suggesting to watch out for the officer seeing this, I think he has been allowed intentionally or otherwise the time to delete CCTV which proves DH was provoked. However, he cannot delete the witnesses who have now said categorically their attitude of being neutral is done and they want nothing more to do with him.

Please understand I didn't want any of this. I had faith in the police and they've failed.
I don't even want to leave the house in case the police come back when DD is home revising. We were due to go away and have cancelled.

I hope that answers.

But I have asked MNHQ to close the thread. The advice received has been well accepted and used. But it's been highjacked by posters with an agenda and the tone of some is frankly threatening. Nothing here is outing I've been cautious of that.

OP posts:
LoonyLois · 31/05/2023 12:56

Good luck @ReformedWaywardTeen I’ve had some heavy handed dealings with the police and it’s quite scary dealing with it. Hope you manage to get it sorted

BSB30 · 31/05/2023 12:58

@ReformedWaywardTeen I have personally taken the Police on and quoted the law to them. Once I did that, I left them no choice but to act. They also discriminated against my daughters disability. If you want to chat about it, feel free to PM me.

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