Home
 
Previous | Memories | Tell a Friend | Next
 
tzunder
tzunder
26 June 2008 @ 10:47 am
Urgh  
Urgh.

The Tavern seems crippled by my new hosting company servers, but having migrated all my sites their over the last 6 months I was ready to close the old host account and save 7 bucks a month.

At work I have got ourselves in the stupid position of agreeing to deliver effectively the same course twice in two different schools, which given that we aren't even paid to teach is a very silly thing to do when we could do just one and combine the students. I suspect all I will get when I suggest this is unpopular with three Heads of School.

I am starting to get really low at how Gwenthia has stopped being fun and effectively crippled once we started doing rules, even though Pete has done some really excellent work on it. We need to discuss it at Continuum.

But most of all I am utterly drained and worried about the possibility that we are facing an intimidation campaign from the people who attacked Matthew. The paint attack on the car (rumoured to have been done by 2 friends of the original attackers) was followed by a couple of cruise-bys. I worry that as the summer goes by we'll see more of this as they try and get Matt to withdraw his testimony.

It is seriously worrying Matt, he's sleeping with a walking stick by his bed, and has utterly crushed Ann's spirit. I just don't know what we can do.. the police have alternated between organisational indifference to some real attempts to help by the local police constables. But they can't be here all the time, we need to work out some strategies and ones that don't leave Matt more traumatised.

Off to see how much it will cost to respray Matt's car shortly, then maybe we will go and look at security cameras at the Maplin store in town.
 
 
Current Mood: depressed
 
4 comments | Leave a comment
 
( Post a new comment )
Jane Williams[info]janewilliams20 on June 26th, 2008 12:16 pm (UTC)
Is Matt in a position to be able to simply move away for a bit? Even if it's only a few weeks? Go and stay with some relatives, or something?

If you're thinking seriously about security cameras, talk to Dave when we get to Continuum. This sort of thing is his job, though you probably don't need quite the same levels as British Aerospace.
Seraph: here be dragons[info]the_seraph on June 26th, 2008 01:42 pm (UTC)
Record the times of the drive-bys - liscense plates, make/model of the vehicle. Keep a log. Especially if anything beyond just driving by occurs - shouts, insults, gestures.

Report them to the police.

Look for a definative pattern (or noticible lack thereof) to the drive-bys.

Get the police to hang out near your place during the hot times if there are any with a description of the car and its occupants.

Here in the states the above actions (the drive-bys and the subsequent feeling of harrassment) constitutes suspicious activity which is enough for the police to stop, detain, and ask a few questions. While it likely won't result in an arrest of any kind, it might send a message to the other hooligans to back off and find a target that's less willing to stand up for themselves.

tzunder[info]tzunder on June 26th, 2008 03:03 pm (UTC)
Thanks. My view is much the same, build a good relationship with the local police, keep them informed and then allow them to make it clear to the laddos that they are being watched.

Seraph: pimp slap[info]the_seraph on June 26th, 2008 03:42 pm (UTC)
I mentioned looking for a pattern.

If there is one, it sort of cuts both ways. Yes, you can call ahead and say 'these are the times the blokes are causing trouble,' have someone there to witness it, have the police there/nearby ahead of time, etc. But, it also means that they can claim 'oh, this is the route we take to work. we always drive by here at this time because work is always at this time' or some such.
But, should it ever come down to a prosecutable matter, having a pre-established pattern makes it easier to claim/prove harassment.

As another tip for dealing with the police - when you get an officer that's sympathetic and understanding, get their name. Next time you call in, ask to speak to them by name. Assuming you're not dialing emergency services (not sure how the set up is there), then when the desk clerk gets a call for a specific officer instead of "i need to speak to someone" there tends to be a better response time. If the desk clerk knows who the call goes to, then it gets forwarded right away - either to that officer if they're available, to their desk, or to their supervisor. If you call in with 'i need to speak to someone' then its an open call and sadly with the work-load they have no one is going to be especially eager to jump on 'one more thing.' Sad state of affairs, but its the reality sometimes.

Alternately, if you do start keeping a log, and you do notice a pattern, you can always try and get photos. Be blatant about it. Yes, there's a chance of some sort of repercussion - criminals don't want to be caught after all - but if you're in your own yard with your own camera taking pictures of a public street, there's not much they can legally say about it. And you're creating both more evidence and a discouragement to the perpetrators.