A Fair Cop Blog
| Book update posted by Michael on 28 Feb 2008 I've received a lot of emails recently requesting updates on the progress of my book. Well, the update is pretty easy to summarise in that there is nothing to report at this time. The Friday Project has attracted attention from other publishers and this has created some disruption in the publication process. I have decided to use the extra time to embark on my first novel which will be a crime thriller. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I was really pleased to receive an invite to do an interview on the radio last week. This has been arranged to coincide with publication. As soon as I have any further information on the progress of A Fair Cop, I'll post it on here. All communications and enquiries have been and continue to be welcome. Thanks for your support. 0 Comments | Add a comment Appearance on BBC Look North posted by Michael on 14 Jan 2008 I had the pleasure of being interviewed by BBC Look North's Christa Ackroyd today following the developments with PC Mulhall's case. As always, I was treated very well by everyone at the BBC office, and I'd like to thank them all for their ongoing support. 5 Comments | Read Comments | Add a comment South Yorkshire Officers will not be prosecuted posted by Michael on 11 Jan 2008 The South Yorkshire Officers who arrested a violent female outside a Sheffield nightclub last year have been informed that they will not face criminal charges. Nicholas Long of the IPCC said that the force used did not constitute grounds to prosecute any officers involved in the arrest. I am, needless to say, delighted for these officers, who were dealing with a very difficult situation. Common sense has finally prevailed. My only frustration is with the inconsistencies shown when dealing with alleged wrong-doing by police officers. 2 Comments | Read Comments | Add a comment Happy New Year posted by Michael on 29 Dec 2007 May I pass on my best wishes to you all for the forthcoming New Year. I would especially like to thank those who have supported my cause over the last decade. 2008 will see the launch of my book and I hope to see you along the way as I promote it. I'd like to thank The Friday Project publishers for making my dream come true in 2007 by offering a contract on A Fair Cop. May 2008 bring you all health and happiness. 0 Comments | Add a comment Self-Defence - Plain and Simple? posted by Michael on 6 Dec 2007 I have been in communication with an Open University lecturer who wrote an article recently about the laws relating to self-defence. He states that these laws are plain, simple and reasonable. I said to him that issues such as perceptual distortion, non-insane automatism, fear, panic, the autonomic nervous system (known as fight or flight)and not knowing where an incident is going to end, make these laws far from plain, simple and reasonable. If the defendant fails to convince a jury that he/she acted in self-defence born out of fear, the chances are, the jury will convict. This puts an unusual burden on the defence case, which conflicts with the law as it states that the burden of proof must lie with the prosecution. In other words, the prosecution must prove the guilt of the defendant. The reality with self-defence is that responses to violent assaults will vary and so the state of mind of the defendant is crucial and the act is less relevant. How can a prosecutor prove state of mind? I was punched about the head and face and was in genuine fear for my safety. The man was growling at me and he held onto my clothing as the punches rained in. I felt a tooth break up in my mouth and I could taste blood. All the time, the punches kept coming. This blog cannot portray the level of my fear I felt at this point. When I eventually broke free I used force to defend myself from a further assault. I was frightened and my automatic responses were activated. I needed to stop this man there and then. He'd ripped the shirt from my back and I was bleeding. Can members of the jury ever know what was going through my mind? Are they sure (as they have to be) that I acted with malice with pre-determined desire to assault my assailant. In the few seconds gap, I have always maintained that I didn't have time to form a criminal intent let alone the desire. My uninjured assailant was given community service for assaulting me and I was sent to prison for the use of force on him. This is an area of law which is far from plain, simple and reasonable. With the greatest will in the world, members of the jury are not adequately equipped to make accurate judgements in such cases. Any mishandling of the evidence will ultimately lead to innocent people being convicted of offences they have not committed. 1 Comment | Read Comment | Add a comment Meeting with The Friday Project posted by Michael on 1 Dec 2007 I had the pleasure of meeting Clare Christian and Clare Weber from The Friday Project (my publisher) on Saturday 1st December. I'm really pleased with the progress of the publication process and things are definitely on schedule for a May publication. I'm delighted with the feedback A Fair Cop is getting and interest from a major book store was mentioned in our meeting. I'd also like to thank Clare and Clare for their professionalism and dedication to the cause. They are lovely people too, and treated Rach and I to a lovely brunch in Clapham. Thanks for that. More news on my book and my case to come..... 2 Comments | Read Comments | Add a comment A Fair Cop - Written and Edited posted by Michael on 8 Nov 2007 It is with great pride that I can announce today that A Fair Cop has been submitted in its final format to my editor ready for publication. The next job is to find a suitable cover design for the book. 0 Comments | Add a comment Leeds: A Secret History posted by Michael on 1 Oct 2007 Thursday 4th October 2007 sees what promises to be a great literary event at Waterstone’s, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds. The readings are scheduled to begin at 7pm and Kester Aspden, author of the controversially titled Nationality: Wog: The Hounding of David Oluwale shall give us an insight into this detailed observation about policing in Leeds in the 60’s. Other guests include Robert Endeacott, author of One Northern Soul, Tom Palmer and Ian Duhig. Call 0113 2444588 to reserve your free tickets. The event marks Leeds’s 800th anniversary. 0 Comments | Add a comment The Writers’ Workshop posted by Michael on 30 Sep 2007 I was delighted to read this entry on The Writers’ Workshop Blog today. Thanks, Harry. http://toastingnapoleon.blogspot.com/index.html 0 Comments | Add a comment Why don’t the police negotiate? posted by Michael on 11 Sep 2007 I was recently interviewed on Radio Five Live and one of the guests on the show with me was a ‘public interest’ lawyer. I explained the incident in which I was subjected to a sustained assault whilst in the course of my duty as a police officer. I told her that I was frightened, disorientated, bleeding, spitting my teeth out, unable to see properly and hurting all over my head and face. The man continued to punch me. Her response to this was, ‘You should have tried negotiating with your assailant rather than use force.’ I was convicted and sent to prison for common assault as I tried to defend myself from him despite the fact that he’d been convicted of assaulting me. I’d be interested in your thoughts… 8 Comments | Read Comments | Add a comment The Final Edit posted by Michael on 11 Sep 2007 After having had significant interest from The Friday Project publishers (www.thefridayproject.co.uk), I am happy to say that the manuscript of A Fair Cop was submitted last week for consideration. I was delighted to receive a contract from them on 7/9/07 - my 34th birthday! I’ll post any new information as it arrives and I hope that the book shall be available in 2008. 0 Comments | Add a comment BBC Radio Leeds - Interview posted by Michael on 11 Sep 2007 I had the pleasure of being invited back to the BBC today at Leeds where I was interviewed by Graham Liver. This is the first interview I’ve done that was specifically about my book, A Fair Cop. It went really well, and Graham, just like everyone I’ve met there, was really friendly and helpful to the cause. 0 Comments | Add a comment |