lectro Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 An investigation into the alleged use of a covert listening device, found in an interview room at Police Headquarters in Douglas, has finished. Home Affairs Minister, Phil Braidwood (pictured), received a copy of the report at lunchtime today (Wednesday), and has made a statement to Tynwald about the findings of the Cheshire Constabulary. It concludes the device was installed in 1979, the same year the building was completed, and was used to listen to conversations until 1999. Its use was widespread and routine. However, Mr Braidwood said there were no procedures in place to regulate the use of such equipment, and it is unclear who installed the device. He said there was no evidence that conversations between advocates and clients were listened into, and so no officers would be subject to legal proceedings. Mr Braidwood assured members that adequate regulations were now in place. From Manx Radio Website What a sort of place is the Isle of Man turning into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blixo Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Turning into??? Are you really suprised by this outcome?? What was it Nixon said "There will be no whitewash in the White House" Shame the same can't be said of the Keys... note: must check my shares in Dulux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 From my understanding, policemen listening in to their colleagues interrogating suspects is common practice and not illegal. That's what the 'bug' was there for. (You see it all the time in films) Listening to suspects private conversations with their lawyers is illegal - so they switch the device off when this happens. The allegations were that on some occasions they listened in to these private conversations - which was denied by all and no proof was found. It seems to be a lot of fuss about not a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speckled Frost Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 There wasn't a lot of fuss until they tried to entrap a local solicitor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 There wasn't a lot of fuss until they tried to entrap a local solicitor <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oooh, I didn't know about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blixo Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 But isn't there a difference between the use of a tape recorder in an interview & the use of a "listening device" ? anyone?? I mean do they still do that whole tape recorder thing anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
access55 Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 They cannot use covert listening as evidence without approval - so you could say "yeh it was me" to your mate but if they had no permsiion for listening covertly then it is a form of entrapment and as such un-admissable as evidence. The question should be "was any of the information gathered by the covert spying ever admissed as evidence?" And if so - mis-trial end of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blixo Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 They cannot use covert listening as evidence without approval - so you could say "yeh it was me" to your mate but if they had no permsiion for listening covertly then it is a form of entrapment and as such un-admissable as evidence. The question should be "was any of the information gathered by the covert spying ever admissed as evidence?" And if so - mis-trial end of. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I suppose the use of a covert listening device could also have an effect on the line of questioning being used on the suspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upstream Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I really do wonder what all the fuss and hoo-haa was about in the first place. .....now, where's my copy of Animal Farm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidderwook Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I mean do they still do that whole tape recorder thing anymore? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> They most certainly do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonto Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Parts of the article I read in todays Inde newspaper made me smile/cringe/vomit: the bit where it said that some of the policemen intervviewed were 'extremely anxious' - I bet they were! Worried someone was listening in, who shouldn't have been? What a shocker for an innocent person to have their rights violated in such a manner!! the bit where it said something about the complete lack of ethical concern by many of the officers the bit where it said it had been set up for training purposes - oh yes, pull the other one officer, give the man a raise who thought that gem up. Do they seriously expect any rational person to believe that they turned it off just because an advocate was in the room with his client? Why have the device otherwise if you cant use any of the 'evidence' gathered there? Do they think we all came up the Clyde on a banana boat or what? And yes they do have listening devices in the movies and on tv - but in real life the rooms are set up specially for it and you have to get warrants to use them - they don't have concealed microphones leading to a 'faulty' headset in a storeroom for heaven's sake!! What pathetic idiot thought that was a good idea and that noone would ever know or tell tales out of school...!? And I'm so glad the previous chief constable didn't know anything about it - that makes it alright then. Phew, what a relief for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 but in real life the rooms are set up specially for it and you have to get warrants to use them These days maybe, but not in the 70s and 80s which is when this is supposed to have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upstream Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 Monkey man, for a happy-go-lucky forum being of the last few years, you're displaying an awful lot of nervousness. No need our kid, no need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 I've run out of medication. I should be back to normal by lunchtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speckled Frost Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 Exactly when did normal ever come into your life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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