Dear Sheila
Re: the assault by Francis Craughwell the council’s SSK security guard and aided by Stephen Duggan the lead council’s SSK security guard,
On the 17th April 2009 I approached the glass entrance lobby outside Stopford House, Piccadilly, Stockport to follow up on the questions that were asked the previous night in the town hall’s main chamber where the full council meeting of the 16th April 2009 was held.
On my approach the two above-named security guards were standing in the doorway to the glass entrance lobby; I asked politely to go in and was met with a response – no you are not coming in. A young child, who was also standing at the doorway shouted to his mother “the police they just told him”.
I further asked if I could come in and stated the council was breaking the law. The situation became that of a Mexican stand-off. I was outside and security guards were inside glass lobby doors. After a while, without warning, Francis Craughwell struck out hard and pushed me in my chest forcing me backwards towards a flight of steps. The young child then said to his mother “they just made him”. I did not retaliate in any way only that I said I would be using the council’s pc to report the council’s breaking of the law. The standoff situation was broken when the police arrived and the security guards took them inside. A police officer then came out and because what was said by Francis Craughwell, I was placed under arrest for assault because the security guard said he had hurt his back when he was pushing me. (If reasonable force was used, how could he hurt his back? A later statement made by Mr Craughwell to the police was that his injury meant he had to take time off work. Funny that the facts show his next working day he was fit and well laughing and joking with a female council employee. Their joking about led to the security guard who is said to have an injured back, pushing the female employee causing her to over balance and lose her footing. (If a council employee security guard SSK is said to be unfit for work, how can he be also in work fit and well earning wages and sickness pay? Both could not be allowed at the same time.
I pleaded my innocence to the police officer and that it was myself that had suffered the assault. He commented that I’ll be given my chance in court to mention this. Following my arrest I was put on police bail and the case was put to be heard in court January 2010; that never happened – it never came to justice before the courts
The assault and arrest are recorded on video and Mp3.
(not yet fully recovered from this trauma it still causes distress)
Mike
(I witnessed the security guards be found by Judge Bernard Lever to have perjured themselves in court, as did the Stockport Express reporter – Jennifer Williams – Sheila)
