Ian Brownhill – Neil Wilby Media

The Day of Reckoning

The civil harassment claim originally known as Hofschröer and others -v- Hofschröer and others finally reached its conclusion on 26th July, 2016. Launched and funded by North Yorkshire Police in January 2015, under the codename Operation Hyson, it originally featured nine claimants and three defendants. One of the defendants, Peter Hofschröer, had judgment entered against him in November, 2015Continue reading “The Day of Reckoning”

And then there were two……

The long-running Operation Hyson saga is finally set to reach its conclusion on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th July, 2016 at Leeds County Court. Hyson is the codename given to a wide ranging NorthYorkshire Police-funded civil harassment claim that originally involved nine claimants against three defendants. The documents produced for the first hearing, in FebruaryContinue reading “And then there were two……”

Court set to decide between watchdog and journalist in long running ‘truth’ dispute

Another lengthy legal battle between the police watchdog and an investigative journalist is set for a public airing on Friday 8th July, 2016. A hearing in Leeds County Court, before His Honour Judge Mark Gosnell, will decide a number of issues dividing three employees of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Neil Wilby. TheContinue reading “Court set to decide between watchdog and journalist in long running ‘truth’ dispute”

‘Complete capitulation’ follows the fall of Rome

The decision of the North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Julia Mulligan, to use a blank cheque drawn on policing funds to finance a civil harassment claim is one that has already attracted a good deal of controversy. With more certain to follow as the case unravels. Efforts at unpicking both the history and theContinue reading “‘Complete capitulation’ follows the fall of Rome”

Cost of silencing police force critics now approaches £1 million

Tuesday 9th February marked the first anniversary of the initial hearing of a civil harassment claim that is known, curiously, as Hofschröer and others –v- Hofschröer and others. On the face of it, a family dispute gone wrong concerning title to a property formerly owned by a deceased father and an ailing mother. But behindContinue reading “Cost of silencing police force critics now approaches £1 million”

Liar, Liar. Pants on fire.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, or IPCC for short, is an organisation that has been extensively, and justifiably, criticised since it replaced the thoroughly discredited Police Complaints Authority in 2004. In February 2008, over a hundred lawyers who specialise in handling police complaints resigned from its advisory body, citing various criticisms of the IPCC includingContinue reading “Liar, Liar. Pants on fire.”