Forum Topic

Front page story - wheelie bin protester

So Paul does not yet know whether he is to be charged. According to the story 'the police have postponed this indefinitely as they haven't gone through the evidence' - heaven forbid, there must be an awful lot of it or more likely the police are busy with more pressing matters.When will this matter be resolved? What possible reason or justification can there be for the delay? Is there anybody else the police would like to speak to to help with their enquiries?

Anne England ● 3477d30 Comments

Vanessa, I will certainly pass on the kind offer of help to Paul. I was part of the protest. I'm still dumbfounded as to what happened that evening and the reaction of a local elected politician (and neighbour) to a light-hearted but meaningful protest. There is clearly empathy on this forum. What would help is to spread this issue to a wider audience and continue to question the motives of why this has turned into a legal issue for one single protester. Thanks.

Nick Kilby ● 3472d

I have PMd you Paul...first part of my address is "dark".regards Tony

Tony Wood ● 3473d

"Democratic Services"!?  Have they brainwashed themselves?

Philippa Bond ● 3474d

Precisely my point Bernard - in Hounslow the community seems to be considered the opposition.  Which is what makes the lip service the administration pays to community engagement such a bad joke.  One could respect them more if they just were open and honest in their view that they are the people in charge and that we should all just sod off. By assigning "community engagement" roles to elected members and officers they would appear to be actively taunting us.

Phil Andrews ● 3476d

There is something wrong about this.I don't no Paul Slattery and never heard of him, but I can only guess hes been a community activist in organizing or participating in challenging the local authority over local community issues in the past.A lot of people in Brentford and  Chiswick have taken part in such activities, such as recently in Church Street Iselworth, so they only took a similar action to the people who placed the wheelie bins outside a premises in Brentford. A very long time ago, I went on a march to save a Cancer Ward in Charing Cross Hospital and the march ended with a rally on Shepard's Bush Green with Tony Ben.I was standing next to Tony Ben when a guy came up and took a photograph of the both of us. Apparently the photographers are employed by someone in the government to take photographs of any public protesters to see if you turn up at any other protest marches or  rallies to see if you a professional protester or a left wing sympathiserSo maybe this was a chance to get back at a community protester, who has every right to peaceful protest, which 99.9% of people do. 

Bernard Allen ● 3476d

It is my belief that the attempted framing of Mr. Slattery - because that is what it is - is intended as a shot across the bows of all members of the community who might be tempted to challenge the local authority in its dealings with its subjects.  What is being said is that we can call upon outside assistance and resources on a scale which can make your life a misery - so be quiet and conform or face the consequences.There is no longer any pretence that the diminished and pathetic rump which sits on the opposite side of the Chamber at Council meetings is the real adversary.  This administration has effectively declared war on its own residents.As for Councillor Curran's competence to lead the Council, it is worth remembering that he is where he is because somebody put him there.  He didn't win the leadership of the Labour Group in a raffle, he is Leader of the Labour Group and Leader of the Council because he was chosen for that role by his fellow party members.Or to put it another way, 48 Labour councillors got together and decided that of all of them, Councillor Curran was the one whose skills and talents were best suited to the job of running this borough.  That is what should really be worrying us all.

Phil Andrews ● 3476d

have to add "possibly" to the above, as all I know about the case is from the media.

Marina Thomas ● 3476d

There are regular protests outside 10 Downing Street, and police don't get involved unless they turn violent. Surely the right to protest peacefully is at the heart of British democracy? By such heavy handed approach someone just broke several human rights:the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of speech.

Marina Thomas ● 3476d

Any bright politition??? is there such a thing? If being a 'bright politition' means listening to the very people you're meant to speak for, then i think not.

Sarah Thomas ● 3476d

Any bright polititian would have listened to the protesters' complaints (perhaps inviting two of them into his house for a chat)and promise to do something about it - which he probably wouldn't.JL

Jim Linwood ● 3476d

Anyone with half a brain and a smidgen of political nous would have shrugged this 'protest' off knowing what a hot potato it was, and then suggested a pint down the local at some point to discuss the issue, not gone into one as if it was tantamount to the Russian Revolution. Comes to something when local people can't make their point peacefully without some jumped up twit with an overweening sense of their own importance acting like a despot and wasting the time of the police.

Vanessa Smith ● 3476d

None of it adds up to me, but at the same time I'm reluctant to judge as I wasn't present when the protest took place, and I do tend to always take the view that there's two sides to every story.If I was in the Leader's position, and if I was perceived as being responsible for the implementation of something that was widely disliked, the last thing I'd want to do is to give a primary objector 'martyrdom' status.I also struggle with the notion that the police would take such a heavy handed approach, or, if I was on the receiving end of such treatment, that I'd subsequently be so 'passive'.The whole thing never has quite added up to me, either something happened at the protest that the majority of people know nothing about, or it really is quite absurd (and worrying on many levels) that things have got to this point.

Adam Beamish ● 3476d

Surely handcuffs were unnecessary. Has Paul contacted the Independent Police Complaints Commission yet?

Marina Thomas ● 3476d

Andy is an ex copper Paul and is well known and liked on W4.

Keith Iddon ● 3476d

The offer of help came from Andy Pease who can be contacted via Chiswickw4.com so if anyone knows Paul could they please pass this on?

Vanessa Smith ● 3476d

From W4 for Paul:When this news first broke, I suggested there was no case to answer.I don't know why Paul is just sitting stewing over this.He should have nipped it in the bud.If I remember correctly, he was arrested for the offence of "causing harassment to a person in their home"As Mr Curran wasn't at home, but arrived during the demo, there is no case to answer.I also beleive there was mention of the wheelie bins on Mr Currans property.Again, the bins, I beleive, were stacked on the pavement outside Mr Currans house.So again, no case to answer. (Apart from maybe obstruction of a public highway).Paul Slattery should have been all over this.Not just sitting waiting for something to happen.I suggest Paul forces the issue and brings this sorry episode to a close.I am happy to help if he wants to pm me.

Vanessa Smith ● 3476d

so even his colleagues have little or no respect for the little man.Do you think he's human enough to throw in the towel? he's clearly not the right man for the job. Or is his ego so big that he only has time to represent himself.

Sarah Thomas ● 3476d

I met one of his colleagues some weeks ago and had a mighty whinge to them, regarding Church St. and other issues locally - they referred to the Dear Leader as a "f*ckwit", who could argue with that?

Vanessa Smith ● 3476d

Having arrived in the office on a gloomy Monday and checking the Brentford Forum for anything interesting that may have happened over the weekend i settled down with my cuppa and got stuck into another instalment of the 'Wheelie Bin Saga'.I found it quite entertaing until i remembered that this is for real.My questions to anyone that may know the answer is:How is this Curran bloke allowed to continue in his post when he has clearly lost any respect any of his constituants may once of had for him? Also, is Mr Slattery still unable to attend games at Griffin Park due to this pathetic complaint/allegation against him?I tend to stay clear of local politics due to the fact that most (not all) of the people wanting to be elected are in it for a little bit of power and to boost their pathetic little egos.I knew someone that worked at the LBH offices and knew Curren. I won't put on here the words she used to describe him but it rhymes with clucking brick.I hope that Mr Slattery soon has all this nonsense dropped against him and that he is able to voice his opinion in the future without feeling like he's been bullied by Curran and his Met mates.

Sarah Thomas ● 3476d

One with a deep and atavistic loathing of ordinary citizens who dare to get above their station and involve themselves in campaigning work in their own community it would appear.Remember these residents only took the action they did as a last resort after having continually been ignored by Councillor Curran and his colleagues.When Councillor Curran brought his gang to be photographed outside my home he placed himself at the centre of the picture, grinning stupidly and clearly proud of his brave little foray onto my estate in the company of a dozen or so of his party cronies.  That he should react as he did when the boot was on the other foot is the classic behaviour of the bully and the coward.The Council Leader has made himself very unpopular amongst his own neighbours, not all of whom will be as passive and unassuming as Mr. Slattery.  I genuinely don't envy him having to face them every day as he goes about his business locally.Meantime I wonder whether Mr. Slattery has considered seeking out the help of one of his ward councillors, who I'm sure will do their duty and put the concerns of a constituent whom they were elected to represent above all else.

Phil Andrews ● 3476d

Yes. The leader of the council does need to "man-up" and end this sorry and ridiculous affair. His reputation and that of the political party he represents is diminishing by the day. Meanwhile Paul's life is in limbo and his health deteriorating. What sort of person does this to his fellow neighbour and citizen?

Nick Kilby ● 3476d

Well, single handedly 'phoning the police anyway.  John Rambo move over.

Phil Andrews ● 3477d

The alternative is that Curran is holding on so that he can eventually sell the film rights - imagine the genre this might fit. 'The Curse of The Wheelies' springs to mind, but of course it could be turned into a tale of heroism with Cllr. Curran single handedly fighting off irate peasants (sorry residents) and the forces of Law and Order having cleansed Brentford of all wrong doers starting to confiscate mobile phones to stop the rebels communicating.

Vanessa Smith ● 3477d

There will of course be the forensic evidence to consider.  Is there any DNA on any of the wheelie bins to match that of Mr. Slattery?  Even as I write teams of specialists are combing the streets of Brentford, knocking on every door within a square mile of Councillor Curran's very important home and gathering samples of hair, bone tissue and sundry bodily substances to see whether or not a match can be found.There are local parks which will need to be combed for clues, possibly a discarded map of Braemar Road which may have been drawn up in Mr. Slattery's handwriting.  Empty plastic bottles and soup cans will be need to be sent to the laboratory to establish whether they may once have been in any of the offending wheelie bins at any stage of their existence.Either that or the police are in a quandry, knowing that there is no case against Mr. Slattery to answer but also that they are dealing with a complainant so small-minded and vindictive that if they were to quit devoting valuable public time and money to this absurd charade their relationship with the Leader of the local Council will suffer as a consequence.  In all probability they are waiting for Councillor Curran to man up, and to do the decent and sensible thing and get over his very important self.  I suspect they will wait a very long time.

Phil Andrews ● 3477d

It's all cobblers, Curran is undoubtedly taking advantage of his 'elevated' position and ought to be thoroughly ashamed of himself. The Met. should have more sense and tell him to get knotted - in the most tactful way of course. He needs to be told he's just not that important and he needs to get over himself. What's to 'sift' through? Are they interviewing the Wheelies one by one or something. Dickheads.

Vanessa Smith ● 3477d

If it's taking them this long to sift through the evidence I wonder what happens when a really serious crime takes place.

Pat Kingham ● 3477d

I don't think that Guy or the other Councillors can comment on police matters. Can you at least comment on that, Guy?

Anne England ● 3477d

As Leader of the Council of course he will have the Borough Commanders number on his mobile but it is just speculation that he called in a favour

Paul Fisher ● 3477d

How do you know that he has 'mates in the Met' or given his position is that just par for the course?

Anne England ● 3477d

Perhaps the Leader of the Council is again pulling strings again with his mates in the Met or maybe Cllr Lambert could give us an explanation on why one someone in his ward or the he represents is being treated so badly?

Paul Fisher ● 3477d