Alison Lowe – Neil Wilby Media

Racism rears its head again in West Yorkshire Police

The spectre of alleged institutional racism, that has hung over West Yorkshire Police for decades, has returned to haunt them after a High Court judge found the force had defamed a black Royal Marine. This is the first occasion upon which a police force has been found to have committed the highest level of defamation,Continue reading “Racism rears its head again in West Yorkshire Police”

‘My head’s a shed’

It is now more than twenty four years since a seven year old boy was murdered in a horrific arson attack in Marsh, Huddersfield. Believed to be the longest running unsolved child murder investigation in the country. Joe McCafferty died whilst enjoying a sleepover at his aunt’s home in Haywood Avenue at the start ofContinue reading “‘My head’s a shed’”

Watchdog has neither bark nor bite

The perennial shortcomings of the so-called ‘police watchdog’, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), are very well rehearsed in the local regional and national media and, of course, elsewhere on this website, writes Neil Wilby. Not least in an excoriating piece published just two days ago, and headlined ‘All for nothing’, the full textContinue reading “Watchdog has neither bark nor bite”

Bereaved family re-launch justice campaign for murdered boy

At around 5am on Saturday 3rd May, 1997, petrol was poured through the letterbox of a stone built terraced house in Haywood Avenue, Marsh, Huddersfield. From evidence found at the scene, it took a number of attempts to light the accelerant but, having done so, the flames took hold very quickly and created intense heatContinue reading “Bereaved family re-launch justice campaign for murdered boy”

Operation Barium too hard to swallow?

On 7th July, 2009 I wrote to Sir Norman Bettison, then Chief Constable of my local police force. He was offered intelligence over the misconduct of a number of his junior officers and a newspaperman’s instinct that all was not well within West Yorkshire Police. Shortly afterwards, I received a telephone call from his staff officerContinue reading “Operation Barium too hard to swallow?”