Dysfunctional Public Prosecuter may have legal Altzheimer's

Here she is again, my least favourite woman, and sorry for spoiling your breakfast:

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you - no, no, please take her! - Ms. Alison Saunders, the Mis-Director of Public Pratfalls, sorry, sorry, the Director of Public Prosecutions.  She has, er, graced these distinguished columns before - ask 'JK', he'll find the links in an instant - but once again the lady earns her place here by reversing the usual rules of clowning in which the jester is hit in the face with a custard pie by actually throwing herself into the custard pie!

Yesterday her department dropped all prosecutions against Lord Janner who stands accused of regular 'kiddie-fiddling'.  Janner was, in his day, a senior Labour party apparatchik who ended up as Lord Janner and despite three investigations into his behaviour no charges were ever brought to court.  The last investigation looked as though it was going to go before a jury but in stepped, or clumped, our renowned DPP, Ms. Saunders, who called the whole thing off because Janner is, apparently, suffering with Alzheimer's.  However, The Mail reports that this poor, sick man managed to claim over £100,000 in expenses after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.   

In the following year, up to April 2010, he attended 136 days at the Lords out of a maximum 142 and claimed £10,986 subsistence, £11,625 office costs and £589 mileage. 

In the year to April 2011 he turned up 126 days out of 137, and claimed expenses totalling £34,014. In the year to April 2012, Janner attended 143 days out of a maximum of 156. He also managed to claim a hefty £28,800 in expenses.  

In the following year, up to April 2013, he turned up 136 days out of 144, and claimed expenses totalling £24,600. 

In April, May and June 2013 he attended every one of the 30 days the Lords sat, claiming a total of £6,450 in expenses. In July he was absent just one out of 20 days, claiming £2,850 for the remaining 19. 

Crikey!  He was more energetic than me and I haven't got Alzheimer's - at least, I don't think I have although I'm a bit forgetful these days , er, where was I?  Oh yes, Lord Janner who is now the no doubt grateful recipient of Ms. Saunders' decision that he will face no charges in court on the grounds that he is incapable of understanding the procedures.  Fair enough, if true, but The Mail reports a similar legal action: 

David Massingham, 77, was deemed not fit to stand trial on historic child abuse allegations because of his mental health but he was charged with 12 offences. He denied molesting two boys more than 30 years ago. 

A finding of fact hearing was held before a jury at Teesside Crown Court in February last year. The jury decided Massingham, of Middlesbrough, had committed the acts. 

He was not found to be guilty, or not guilty, but a judge ordered he be detained indefinitely in hospital.  

Peter Saunders [no relation], of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said the case proved what the authorities could have done over Janner. He said: ‘At the very least for the sake of victim survivors they should get that opportunity, to tell their truth before that kind of trial.’ 

A procedure exists to deal with criminal suspects thought to have mental illness. 

In serious cases where a judge rules a suspect is not fit to stand trial a jury can hear the evidence in the suspect’s absence and decide if the individual committed the crimes.

Lord Janner remains completely innocent and will do so until he dies because Ms. Saunders, in her legal wisdom, will not allow a jury to decide.  Of course, it is completely coincidental that her predecessor as DPP when the Janner case would have been under consideration was Mr. Keir Starmer, currently standing for parliament as a Labour party candidate.  Whodathunkit?

 

 

Comments

[Peter Whale]

One law for us no law for them same as the tax law on expences, no tax for them but benefit in kind for me and it's all my hard earned money.Bollocks to them vote UKIP.

[JK]

Uhmm David?

Excuse my "perhaps missing something" ... (oh dear I'm probably gonna be the poster-boy for separated by our common language) or somesuch.

However.

It seems to me "over here" - there's a word missing in yall's jurisprudence for a while. Apologies for rambling but I have to ask, did y'all excise from your previously esteemed OED the word

Alleged?
__________

But. To make up for my earlier slight sleight sending your pictures of Hillary ... that picture you're constantly posting of Ms. Alison Saunders.

Focus your mind David - comfort yourself in the knowledge you'll never have Alzheimer's - knowing ... with just a short closing of your eyes David conjuring in your mind's eye the picture you're always posting as if rendered by one of those artists - a favorite in your case.

Okay David. Concentrate. Get firmly in your mind Ms. Alison Saunders.

Got her David? Firmly? Really solidly?

Okay then

http://www.bartcop.com/batshit-eats-corndog.jpg

[David Duff]

JK, that constitutes both a thought crime and cruel and unusual punishment!

Peter, by all means vote UKIP if you're in a constituency where the Tory stands no chance but, please, think hard before you let in one of the 'loony-toons'!

[Whitewall]

It seems the political class everywhere bathes in the same dirty water.

JK, we can't have our host allowing that image of Ms. Saunders to take root in his mind. He just might leave home without his trousers on the way to church.

[jimmy glesga]

There are many who have escaped justice and unless we can find the perfect solution! then we have to live with it. I do have some sympathy for David on this matter as some nasty baskets have walked in Scotland due to clever lawyers who use the medical profession for opinions. I wonder if Mr Janner knows if his expenses were in his bank account. Aye.

[david morris]

Yeah but no but.........

Shurely the "Alzheimers defence" was bust open by the miraculous recovery of one Saunders E*

I think we should be told.

*Saunders was charged and convicted on 27 August 1990 of counts of conspiracy to contravene section 13(1)(a)(i) of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958, false accounting and theft, in relation to dishonest conduct in the Guinness share support operation. His diagnosis of A contributed to a reduction of sentence from 5 to 2.5 years. Because of his apparent illness, Saunders was released from Ford Open Prison on 28 June 1991 having served only ten months of his sentence. After his release, he recovered from the symptoms which had led to the diagnosis.

kind regards

[Andra]

We had a similar case to the Saunders one in Oz some time ago.
There was a character called Allan Bond (who I rather think was a Pommy to start with) who rose from being a lowly used-car salesmen (or somesuch) to becoming a billionaire and "winning" the America's Cup.
Alas, things went awry and Mr Bond was facing some rather nasty court proceedings when he became demented and didn't know where he was or who he was.
After all the court proceedings were dismissed he found a miracle cure, became "sane" again and went back to making millions.
Ah, the wonders of modern science.

[jimmy glesga]

David Morris & Andra. All down to lawyers with help from the expert medical profession.

[Steve]

Carly Fiorina Full Speech: New Hampshire Republican Leadership Summit 2015

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2015/04/carly-fiorina-full-speech-new-hampshire.html

ps. Link Exchange with CC?

[David Duff]

Thanks, David and Andra, for the reminders of 'les temps perdue'!

Steve, alas, Ms. Fiorina may have to wait. We're in the middle of an election 'over here' and I need another speech from a pol like hole in the head! Not sure what "Link Exchange with CC" means.

[Penseivat]

Even though Janner will not be tried in a criminal court, surely there is nothing to stop civil action by his victims seeking compensation from his estate?

[jimmy glesga]

P. They would have provide evidence. Janner could not as he is not getting his expenses being disabled by a horrendous illness although I wonder if his family will inherit his pension funded by the British taxpayer!

[Penseivat]

At least one person has waived anonymity regarding this and as a civil case requires less of a burden of proof, working on the basis of the balance of probability, I can see no reason why civil suits can't be made. Mind you, the only winners in this would be the lawyers.

[jimmy glesga]

According to BBC Radio 2 today Janner sent a signed letter to the Lords just over a month ago saying he wnted to remain Peer.