NORFOLK POLICE HEADQUARTERS STATION
NAME: GRAHAM CLIVE BROWNE
ADDRESS:
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 40 05051950
OCCUPATION: POLICE CONSTABLE: 254
Who states: - This statement consisting of 3 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
DATED: 020391
I am Police Constable 254 Graham Clive BROWNE, of the Norfolk Constabulary stationed at Kings Lynn.
On the morning of the 2nd March, 1991, I was on routine patrol in a police vehicle with Sgt K. SEAMAN at 0124 we had just turned from Norfolk Street into Chapel Street, Kings Lynn. We then received a message via the radio to the effect that a person was laying outside the Lattice House on the road. This location was only some 100 yards away from us and we were travelling towards it. I could see on the pavement a gathering of 3 or 4 persons close to vehicles entrance to Kings Court the council offices and immediately opposite the Lattice House. I drove up to these people as I come close I saw a male person, laying face down on the pavement with his head turned to the left, facing Kings Court, he was wearing a red and white rugby shirt, blue denim jeans and brown suede shoes. There was a considerable amount of blood about his face and head also on the pavement underneath his head, also a pool of blood in the road approximately 2' from his head. I checked for a pulse but could find none, but I could see him breathing with difficulty, coughing and gurgling noises were coming from his mouth. It was ascertained from these persons standing round that nobody knew what had happened or knew who he was but they had called an ambulance. A taxi then arrived a woman got out and called to one of the men to leave, which he did. Almost immediately a man who I know to be Michael TEAL came running from behind us he stopped and said "Oh there’s one of them where’s his fucking mate gone? He then ran off in the direction of St. Nicholas Street, he was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, the shirt was covered in splashes of blood and he had blood on his face, also with him was Rodney MOORE. Who was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers with blood on his shirt he stopped and said " It’s nothing to do with him I’m going after him" and ran off, I ran to the Police car and chased after them, I stopped and picked up MOORE outside the Labour Party Office and drove off along St. Nicholas Street towards St. Anne’s Fort. I caught up with TEAL outside the Navel Reserve Public House. I said to TEAL, "Look I need to know what’s going on you have got blood all over you and there’s a man back there very seriously injured." MOORE; replied " It’s got nothing to do with him look he's got a cut on his head." I looked and saw a small cut on his forehead in my opinion not enough to give that amount of blood on his shirt. TEAL said "I'm off after his mate." At this time the owner of the Cellar Bar Neil WILLIAMSON arrived at the Naval reserve. I said I think it would be far better if you all went back to the Cellar Bar, I'll come and see you when I've got the man off to hospital, I need to know what happened." TEAL said "Fuck off I'm going home I'm not going back there." He then ran off along St. Ann’s Street, towards the junction with John Kennedy road, during the time involved with TEAL and MOORE I gained the impression that TEAL was on edge and agitated and very satisfied over events. I returned to the scene and liaised with Sgt SEAMAN at 04 0O hours I made this statement at the scene sitting in the police vehicle
G C BROWNE SIGNED
TIME: 0400 DATE: 020391
I am grateful PC Browne made this statement at 04-00hrs as the events were still fresh in his memory. "Oh there’s one of them where’s his fucking mate gone? Is very similar to what I said in my 1st interview.
" I said something about I'm going to see his mate or something, then when Rod, I think Rod turned up in a police car, then said to them I was going to go home. The police officer must have known me cause he spoke to me by my first name. I didn't really stop to see who it was..."
So when anybody mentions me saying “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," Apart from the fact I know it was a lie, I then have to ask myself why would anyone say that? The only thing I can come up with is the Police told them I said that.
PC Browne makes another statement on the 15th of March in which he says:
Further to my statement of 2nd March, 1991, I picked up MOORE outside the Labour Party Offices in Chapel Street and continued along St. Anns Street towards St. Anns Fort where we stopped. Whilst at the scene none of the witnesses said anything about identification of assailants. When asked all denied any knowledge of what had happened, stating they had just come across him. When MOORE and TEAL ran up to the scene there was no positive identification of them by anybody at the scene to us.
DATE: 150391
Police Sergeant K Seaman who was with PC Browne made a very similar statement to the 1st one of Browne's I posted. He then makes another in which he states:
I make this statement further to the one made previously dated 2nd March, 1991, concerning the incident in Chapel St.
As previouslv stated, during the incident a man, I now know as the defendant TEAL, came running past, stopped and said, "Oh there's one of them where's his fucking mate gone." There was at that time and in response to that comment various remarks made by the people gathered around. These remarks made reference to the comment of TEAL. I formed the impression then and still believe now that these remarks were an impulsive response to his comments and not based on any prior knowledge of TEAL'S alleged activities.
At no time did anyone point out TEAL (or M00RE) as being responsible based on events that they had earlier witnessed.
K P SEAMAN SIGNED
DATED 190391
I was grateful to the statements made by both Browne and Seaman. Even when things were getting what I would call dirty they stuck to the truth. It just goes to show there are some honest Coppers out there. Thank you.
Wednesday 13 February 2008
Jason Colmans Retraction
This is the 2nd statement of Jason Colman. In essence what he is saying, no I’ll let you decide. In any case this was made on the 7th March; it is what is called a retraction. What is disgusting is the CPS namely philip charnley relied on his 1st statement for at least 2 weeks after. Therefore misleading the court as they didn’t have a single piece of evidence against us. Their argument was they believed they could persuade Colman to retract the 2nd statement. Let me just mention the bit were he says this,
“When, on Page 6 I heard the man I describe as Micky TEAL say, “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," I remember something being said, but now I can't remember exactly what was said.”
I know, what he said was a lie but you might think he’s changing his mind out of fear of me or something. Well remember earlier when I said I was grateful to 2 policemen. I will post their statements next to show what they said I said. You see the “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," sounds to me like those words were put in Colman’s mouth by the “angry detective” who it transpires was Inspector langham-fitt, (the copper that said I would be charged regardless of the identity parades) He made this statement to two senior police officers and the prosecutor namely Superintendant Fraser, Chief Inspector Coyle and philip charnley. So even at this early stage they were made aware that the conduct of one of their officers had been brought into question. Did they care? Of course not. Like I said earlier charnley chose not to disclose this statement to the court and it only came to light when Colman himself read in the paper the prosecution was still using his original statement. He then went to a defence Solicitor and informed him of the retraction.
NORFOLK POLICE HEADQUARTERS STATION
NAME: JASON SIMON COLMAN
ADDRESS:
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 20 03111970
OCCUPATION: TECHNICIAN
Who states: This statement consisting of 5 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have willfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
DATED: 070391 J COLMAN (SIGNED)
Following an incident in St. Nicholas Street, King's Lynn, early hours last Saturday morning, when three men pursuing another man run past me round the comer up to the Lattice House pub, I made a statement to the police. Since that time I have been on three identification parades. Tonight, Thursday, 7th March, 1991, I have voluntarily visited King's Lynn Police Station because I am deeply concerned and upset about things I have said in my original statement. Since witnessing events that night I have been deeply upset and anxious, unable to sleep or eat properly. My worry and anxiety was worse after the identification parades because I was really frightened having to face the people on the line up, and they saw me. This was made worse by having to give my name and address in front of them, and having to say a number afterwards. My life has been in turmoil since, especially as I have had to sit an examination, my City & Guilds, Part 3, yesterday and I know I have made a right mess of that.
Some things in my original statement are not right and I've got to put the record straight. I named two of the men who ran past me as Carl SXXXXXXN and Micky TEAL. This is not correct. I could not name the people who I saw. It's no good me saying it was SXXXXXX and TEAL because I am unable to say who it was. It could have been then, it could well have not been them, I just didn't see enough of them to say. I feel even worse because someone has been killed, and I've named SXXXXXX and TEAL and I can't be sure that it was them I saw. I just cannot say either way with any real belief. The pressure on me has just built up over the last few days, but this is how I think and feel now. When I was first interviewed by the police on the Sunday afternoon, by two CID men in King's Lynn Police Station, I told them all that I knew about what happened, but not the names, because I did not know who they were. These two CID men were "as nice as pie" although I felt shaken and nervous. I've got to say, in all honesty, that I knew that the man who had been attacked had died. On that Sunday the police had come to me, I hadn't come forward, but on the night, while we stood with the dead man. Mark did ask the policeman if he wanted our names and addresses. I can't remember if that policeman asked me if I had witnessed what had happened, or not. When I spoke with the two CID men at the police station, and before I made a statement, they left the room. Another person without a uniform came in, slammed the door and appeared to be slightly angry. He asked me if I knew the people who ran by me. I said, "No." He asked me again, he asked me two to three times and in one sentence he said, "Do you know the people who ran by?" His tone and manner upset me, but he didn't threaten me in any way. He was being more forceful, I suppose because he thought I knew the names of the 2 people. I didn’t know the people. He said either, “Was it" or "It was" the name "Carl SXXXXXX or "Micky TEAL." At this time I was nervous and felt a lot or pressure over me and said "Yes." I said this to relieve the pressure I felt. I can't remember if he said anything else. He left the room and seconds later, one or two of the original CID men came back in. I then talked and made my statement and I put the names in the statement. Rather than relieve the pressure on me by naming SXXXXXX and TEAL, I felt even more pressure, When I came to the police station I wanted to say something to get back to feeling myself again and to put things right. I came to the police station tonight because I just couldn't stand it anymore. At this point tonight, at 8.40 pm, I have been shown a witness statement dated 3rd March, 1991, which I identify as the one made by me to the CID officers. My signature is upon this statement. I have read this statement carefully. Having read my statement, I wish to alter and clarify certain things as I remember now. The man who I have not named as one of the three chasing the man who was assaulted, and I describe as a doorman, I cannot say whether he was a doorman or not. However, the description I give in my original statement I am happy that this is correct to the best of my memory. The other two men I refer to as SXXXXXX and TEAL, I cannot say who, in fact, they were, as I have already stated before. Having read the statement now, I cannot remember points because of the way I have been feeling for the last four or five days. I am happy with the description I have already given of one of them. The points I find difficult to remember now are:
1. Seeing the blood on the shirt of the man who ran by me in St. Nicholas Street.
2. What my friends were wearing.
3. When, on Page 6 I heard the man I describe as Micky TEAL say, “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," I remember something being said, but now I can't remember exactly what was said.
4. When I refer to a scuffle at 12.45 am in the Cellar Bar, I can't remember Micky TEAL as being the person who took someone out of the Bar.
There are no other points that I have any problems remembering and I am satisfied with the rest of the statement. I feel very sorry for naming names when I didn't know them. I also feel sorry about picking Carl SXXXXXX out on the identification parade. I picked him out because I knew him, not because I could definitely say I saw him in St. Nicholas Street that night. I want to say that I have felt no pressure at all from any other policeman it was just on this one occasion only when I made my original statement. I shouldn't have named those names because I didn't know who those men I saw in St. Nicholas Street were. I feel better now that I have put the record straight, and what I have said now is God's honest truth.
Statement commenced 7.20 pm, completed 10 pm.
DATE: 070391
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE: J COLMAN
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: P FRASER K COYLE
“When, on Page 6 I heard the man I describe as Micky TEAL say, “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," I remember something being said, but now I can't remember exactly what was said.”
I know, what he said was a lie but you might think he’s changing his mind out of fear of me or something. Well remember earlier when I said I was grateful to 2 policemen. I will post their statements next to show what they said I said. You see the “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," sounds to me like those words were put in Colman’s mouth by the “angry detective” who it transpires was Inspector langham-fitt, (the copper that said I would be charged regardless of the identity parades) He made this statement to two senior police officers and the prosecutor namely Superintendant Fraser, Chief Inspector Coyle and philip charnley. So even at this early stage they were made aware that the conduct of one of their officers had been brought into question. Did they care? Of course not. Like I said earlier charnley chose not to disclose this statement to the court and it only came to light when Colman himself read in the paper the prosecution was still using his original statement. He then went to a defence Solicitor and informed him of the retraction.
NORFOLK POLICE HEADQUARTERS STATION
NAME: JASON SIMON COLMAN
ADDRESS:
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 20 03111970
OCCUPATION: TECHNICIAN
Who states: This statement consisting of 5 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have willfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
DATED: 070391 J COLMAN (SIGNED)
Following an incident in St. Nicholas Street, King's Lynn, early hours last Saturday morning, when three men pursuing another man run past me round the comer up to the Lattice House pub, I made a statement to the police. Since that time I have been on three identification parades. Tonight, Thursday, 7th March, 1991, I have voluntarily visited King's Lynn Police Station because I am deeply concerned and upset about things I have said in my original statement. Since witnessing events that night I have been deeply upset and anxious, unable to sleep or eat properly. My worry and anxiety was worse after the identification parades because I was really frightened having to face the people on the line up, and they saw me. This was made worse by having to give my name and address in front of them, and having to say a number afterwards. My life has been in turmoil since, especially as I have had to sit an examination, my City & Guilds, Part 3, yesterday and I know I have made a right mess of that.
Some things in my original statement are not right and I've got to put the record straight. I named two of the men who ran past me as Carl SXXXXXXN and Micky TEAL. This is not correct. I could not name the people who I saw. It's no good me saying it was SXXXXXX and TEAL because I am unable to say who it was. It could have been then, it could well have not been them, I just didn't see enough of them to say. I feel even worse because someone has been killed, and I've named SXXXXXX and TEAL and I can't be sure that it was them I saw. I just cannot say either way with any real belief. The pressure on me has just built up over the last few days, but this is how I think and feel now. When I was first interviewed by the police on the Sunday afternoon, by two CID men in King's Lynn Police Station, I told them all that I knew about what happened, but not the names, because I did not know who they were. These two CID men were "as nice as pie" although I felt shaken and nervous. I've got to say, in all honesty, that I knew that the man who had been attacked had died. On that Sunday the police had come to me, I hadn't come forward, but on the night, while we stood with the dead man. Mark did ask the policeman if he wanted our names and addresses. I can't remember if that policeman asked me if I had witnessed what had happened, or not. When I spoke with the two CID men at the police station, and before I made a statement, they left the room. Another person without a uniform came in, slammed the door and appeared to be slightly angry. He asked me if I knew the people who ran by me. I said, "No." He asked me again, he asked me two to three times and in one sentence he said, "Do you know the people who ran by?" His tone and manner upset me, but he didn't threaten me in any way. He was being more forceful, I suppose because he thought I knew the names of the 2 people. I didn’t know the people. He said either, “Was it" or "It was" the name "Carl SXXXXXX or "Micky TEAL." At this time I was nervous and felt a lot or pressure over me and said "Yes." I said this to relieve the pressure I felt. I can't remember if he said anything else. He left the room and seconds later, one or two of the original CID men came back in. I then talked and made my statement and I put the names in the statement. Rather than relieve the pressure on me by naming SXXXXXX and TEAL, I felt even more pressure, When I came to the police station I wanted to say something to get back to feeling myself again and to put things right. I came to the police station tonight because I just couldn't stand it anymore. At this point tonight, at 8.40 pm, I have been shown a witness statement dated 3rd March, 1991, which I identify as the one made by me to the CID officers. My signature is upon this statement. I have read this statement carefully. Having read my statement, I wish to alter and clarify certain things as I remember now. The man who I have not named as one of the three chasing the man who was assaulted, and I describe as a doorman, I cannot say whether he was a doorman or not. However, the description I give in my original statement I am happy that this is correct to the best of my memory. The other two men I refer to as SXXXXXX and TEAL, I cannot say who, in fact, they were, as I have already stated before. Having read the statement now, I cannot remember points because of the way I have been feeling for the last four or five days. I am happy with the description I have already given of one of them. The points I find difficult to remember now are:
1. Seeing the blood on the shirt of the man who ran by me in St. Nicholas Street.
2. What my friends were wearing.
3. When, on Page 6 I heard the man I describe as Micky TEAL say, “We’ve had him, we want the other cunt," I remember something being said, but now I can't remember exactly what was said.
4. When I refer to a scuffle at 12.45 am in the Cellar Bar, I can't remember Micky TEAL as being the person who took someone out of the Bar.
There are no other points that I have any problems remembering and I am satisfied with the rest of the statement. I feel very sorry for naming names when I didn't know them. I also feel sorry about picking Carl SXXXXXX out on the identification parade. I picked him out because I knew him, not because I could definitely say I saw him in St. Nicholas Street that night. I want to say that I have felt no pressure at all from any other policeman it was just on this one occasion only when I made my original statement. I shouldn't have named those names because I didn't know who those men I saw in St. Nicholas Street were. I feel better now that I have put the record straight, and what I have said now is God's honest truth.
Statement commenced 7.20 pm, completed 10 pm.
DATE: 070391
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE: J COLMAN
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: P FRASER K COYLE
A little bit more
With the £100 fine came a posting to RAF Marham, a little village in the middle of nowhere. King’s Lynn was about 13 miles away a market town I’d never heard of. Within 3 months I had met the girl that would become my wife, Sally Thomson. I would often stay at Sally’s house at weekends. Usually when I went to work on a Monday morning I would hear stories from my mates about how they got jumped in King’s Lynn on the Saturday night whilst waiting for the bus back to camp. They’d all go into town on the RAF bus get pissed and while they waited for the transport back to base a local gang called the Wildcats would jump them. This was a regular feature on a Saturday night, so I came up with the idea of instead of them getting pissed and then getting jumped. I would go into town with them and they could point the gang out to me and we’d have the fight early on before everyone was too legless to do anything. The evening went very well and none of us ended up with the usual black eyes and sore heads. One nil to me. Unfortunately they scored an equaliser the following week. I was out with my girlfriend and my mate and was jumped by the Wildcats outside the Globe hotel. I don’t know how many there was but we gave a pretty good account of ourselves, he ended up with a broken jaw, I needed stitches in my head. Let the battle commence. I then took it upon myself to seek out the pussy cats usually with a pair of rice flails in hand. Culminating in my first appearance in the Magistrates Court, one of the cats had been following me around the town. He ended up going through the bread shop window opposite Sainsbury’s. I remember the Station Warrant Officer ringing me and saying “if you’ve got anything in your room you shouldn’t have got rid of it”. Out went the trungeon the pick axe handle and of course the Rice Flails, just before the Police van arrived to take me on a journey into town. Along with my £100 fine for carrying an offensive weapon, which I pleaded guilty too, I also got something else that the Police wouldn’t forget a reputation. I wasn’t going to be messed with. Isaac Newton said “for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction”. Well Isaac Newton hadn’t heard of me. peter newton certainly had the copper investigating the murder, I don’t know if they were related if they were it was Isaac who had all the brains. peter was a member of the Keystone Cops (King’s Lynn) branch. Over the next few years I would be in Crown Court a number of times with a couple of appearances at the Magistrates. With every not guilty verdict I was just making things worse for myself. Because each time the Police would try that bit harder to secure a guilty verdict. Two cases stand out in particular. The first involved a group of RAF Policemen who were playing up at Manhattans. I and another doorman had asked them to leave which they were doing but very slowly they were arguing their case like most people do, then another doorman came up the stairs (he shall remain nameless) he said “either get down the stairs or I’ll knock you down”, one lad in particular kept remonstrating and the next thing he was knocked out cold. There was no need for it but hey it happened. The shock came later when he named me as the assailant. I was hardly going to punch an RAF Policeman, especially when I was still a serving member of the RAF myself. As I wouldn’t name the person responsible I found myself making another Crown Court appearance. Fortunately for me the other doorman went to my Solicitors and said that although he wouldn’t give evidence in my defence he admitted he was responsible for the assault. Three days into my trial this information was conveyed to the Judge “in chambers” and the trial was stopped. The judge made a comment that if the CPS were to continue with the prosecution he wouldn’t be able to hear it. So imagine my surprise when in fact they did continue with the case and low and behold it was the same Judge. It didn’t go down too well with him when after a couple of days it was my turn to give evidence and I reminded him of what he had said at the first trial. He called for an adjournment so he could read the transcripts of the previous trial. After several hours I was proved correct and again he had to stop the trial. The comments he made this time probably prevented the CPS from pursuing the case. I didn’t hear anymore about it.
The next case I was involved in also occurred at Manhattan’s. Let me give you a brief outline. One night a mate came up to me and asked if I could get a £10 wrap of speed for a friend of his. I went and asked someone who I knew took it. He gave it to me and I passed it on to my friend, who I presume passed it on to his friend, I didn’t think anymore of it. Shock horror nearly 3 months later I’m up the club and it’s the 1st time I’d been up there when I wasn’t working and a load of Policeman come up to me and arrest me for supplying drugs. I didn’t know what they were talking about. It soon sank in they are talking about this 1 £10 wrap. I soon find myself in court with about 8 other people. This was in the day when Philip Charnley prosecuted “high profile” cases (not anymore hey Phil). Anyway unbeknown to me and presumably the other 8 the USAF Police were trying to find out where their servicemen were getting drugs from. They set up an operation where they would use agent provocateurs to buy drugs in the club. Hence my arrest for the wrap. We were all found guilty and got varying punishments. I told the others I wouldn’t be appealing, I didn’t want to encourage any of them to as I thought collectively it would spoil my chances. But I did in fact appeal; the case went to Norwich Crown Court some months later. There was a lot of trouble bringing 2 of the Yanks back to England from the States. I was informed that should I lose my appeal, costs would be awarded against me which would run into thousands. Fortunately the Judge conceded that the USAF Policeman although acting in good faith could have been mistaken due to the lighting conditions the overcrowding etc. I won my appeal and the Police got another smack in the face courtesy of yours truly. Are you now beginning to understand why the Police had it in for me?
The next case I was involved in also occurred at Manhattan’s. Let me give you a brief outline. One night a mate came up to me and asked if I could get a £10 wrap of speed for a friend of his. I went and asked someone who I knew took it. He gave it to me and I passed it on to my friend, who I presume passed it on to his friend, I didn’t think anymore of it. Shock horror nearly 3 months later I’m up the club and it’s the 1st time I’d been up there when I wasn’t working and a load of Policeman come up to me and arrest me for supplying drugs. I didn’t know what they were talking about. It soon sank in they are talking about this 1 £10 wrap. I soon find myself in court with about 8 other people. This was in the day when Philip Charnley prosecuted “high profile” cases (not anymore hey Phil). Anyway unbeknown to me and presumably the other 8 the USAF Police were trying to find out where their servicemen were getting drugs from. They set up an operation where they would use agent provocateurs to buy drugs in the club. Hence my arrest for the wrap. We were all found guilty and got varying punishments. I told the others I wouldn’t be appealing, I didn’t want to encourage any of them to as I thought collectively it would spoil my chances. But I did in fact appeal; the case went to Norwich Crown Court some months later. There was a lot of trouble bringing 2 of the Yanks back to England from the States. I was informed that should I lose my appeal, costs would be awarded against me which would run into thousands. Fortunately the Judge conceded that the USAF Policeman although acting in good faith could have been mistaken due to the lighting conditions the overcrowding etc. I won my appeal and the Police got another smack in the face courtesy of yours truly. Are you now beginning to understand why the Police had it in for me?
Tuesday 12 February 2008
A little bit of me
How did I become charged with murder? Of course some of it will be to do with the night of Friday the 1st of March 1991, but it probably started on the 2nd of September 1974. My 1st day of secondary school. Remember how I said I went to 8 or 9 different schools because of my dad’s job, well this was the day I started at Western Comprehensive School, Grimsby. I was 12 years old and can only remember having had 1 fight up until that time; it was 5 years earlier when I was 7. If I learnt anything at all at that school it was how to fight, or how to lose to be more precise. One name will stay with me forever, Wayne Clarke. Here I was a skinny little 12 year old with a strong Hull accent I soon learnt what it felt like being the odd one out. Wayne Clark didn’t like it that was for sure. The trouble was for the 1st 4 years at that school Wayne always had his older brothers to help him out should I start getting the better of him. Unfortunately for Wayne his brothers were not the sort that would be staying on to do sixth form so he had to do his last year without his minders. I got my revenge at every opportunity not just fighting either, although I did enjoy fighting with him without his brothers sticking the boot in. Wayne’s girlfriend who he’d been seeing for a couple of years asked me to go baby sitting with her. He rang her up and we continued messing around while he was on the phone. You know what they say Wayne? He who laughs last....
My education in fighting continued when I joined the Royal Air Force. My first posting was to RAF Uxbridge home to the Queen’s Colour Squadron RAF Regiment. I was now a skinny little 16 year old working at Headquarters Military Air Traffic Operations, home of the 2 prettiest girls on the camp, who unfortunately for me were both dating Rock Apes. For those that don’t know, Rock Apes is the term used to describe members of the RAF Regiment (the fighting force of the RAF) everyone else in the Air Force are called Penguins So I wasn’t helping myself much when I had a T Shirt printed that declared “Penguins Shit On Rocks”. The T Shirt served as an open invitation to Rock Apes to fight with me and there were plenty who accepted my invitation. The boy friends of the girls I worked with Cathy and Linda certainly did on numerous occasions, usually together at the NAAFI disco. It was at Uxbridge that I had my first run in with the Police not the civil but the military Police. It was here that my attitude towards them changed. I was 17 and had invited a girl who I had gone out with a couple of times to a party at work. She worked in the communications centre which was a small office in the HQ MATO building. It had strict access; a small hatch of 6x6 inches would open when you rang the bell to the door. Anyway I decided to go and see where she was and when the hatch opened I was greeted with a smack in the face from a pole with a hook on the end the kind used to open windows. The hatch was then slammed in my face. I just had time to see who the clever bastard who did it was. Bob or Andy Rae I can’t remember which one now but it was one of a pair of identical twins who at that time boxed for the camp. Unknown to me they were part of a gang on the camp that were extorting money and electrical items ( TVs, Stereos etc) out of young musicians (The Central Band of the Royal Air Force was also based at RAF Uxbridge) I’m not really painting a good picture of the RAF am I? I probably missed my true vocation in life I think I should of gone into advertising because I had a T Shirt printed saying “The End Is Nigh For Bob And Andy” and wore it at every opportunity. I didn’t intend to just get even with them, to me even means equal and they weren’t my equal and I wanted everyone to know it. The fight with one of the twins led to my court martial it probably wouldn’t have gone that far but like I said earlier the SIB (Special Investigations Branch) were already investigating more serious crimes on the camp, involving the twins. I was placed into an RAF detention centre at RAF Northolt. The 2 investigating officers were both in their late 40s and were the RAF equivalent to detectives. They would come and question me not only about the fight but also about the other shit. I had just turned 18 and still remember it very well. If I didn’t give them the answer they wanted they would either throw something at me or slap me around the face. I remember saying to a young RAF policeman while I was crying during the interview that he should try not to end up like these 2. That got me another smack in the mouth. My meals would arrive at the appropriate meal times but I wouldn’t get them till they were stone cold usually they had patches of water on with little bubbles where someone had kindly spat in it. Mmm nice. I’ll tell you how good it was there, someone in the next cell had slashed his wrists thinking it might be his way out not death I mean he would go to hospital. It didn’t happen someone came and stitched him up he was then handcuffed to a radiator. Those 2 weeks were hell on earth for me my parents didn’t even know I was there. If my treatment there wasn’t bad enough it was at my courts martial that gave me a greater insight as to how the Police operate. I was charged and found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to section 70(1) of the Air Force Act. I had punched one of the twins and broke his nose. I wasn’t surprised at the guilty verdict I pleaded guilty after all. What was surprising was the sentence; I was fined one hundred pounds. Nobody could believe such a lenient punishment was handed out at a District Courts Martial. It was unheard of; DCMs cost thousands of pounds and involve hundreds if not thousands of man hours to arrange a lot of very senior officers, members of the press are invited so why did I only get what on the face of it seemed like a slap on the wrist? Because the 2 members of the SIB who investigated the assault made statements both dated early January and both went on to talk about things that happened in the bloody February. An impossible thing for them to do. It wasn’t some little error on their part, it was fabrication; I remember my Solicitor Gilbert Blades cross examining one of the Policemen about it and the Policeman dropped all his papers as his hands were shaking that much. I wanted to jump up and scream yes we’ve got ya, of course I didn’t it was a Courts Martial after all. On the 4th of July 1980 I got a hundred pound fine, a criminal record and a very important insight into how the Police operate.
The photos me on my 18th birthday at the Yankee Bar RAF Uxbridge.( butter wouldn't melt).
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