In spite of having charges against him dropped by the CPS at Tower Bridge on March 26, Southwark Police are continuing to retain Alexander Baron’s computer. His machine was stolen – seized in their parlance – on September 24 last year. Southwark CID also took every floppy disk they could lay their hands on. The pretext for this was that someone had distributed a pamphlet which mentioned Baron and it was assumed that he had written it! In reality it was an attempt by a corrupt detective – who is currently under investigation for perjury and perverting the course of justice – to prevent him from mounting a successful appeal against a spurious conviction for harassment. After Baron’s solicitor contacted the police at the beginning of November to request its return Baron was advised first that he could collect it, then he was told by the so-called investigating officer “I’ve found something on your computer and I have to make a decision”. Perhaps that should read “I have to make a decision about what to find on your computer”?
Subsequently Baron was charged with harassment on the pretext of, among other things, harassment by E-Mail. The E-Mails concerned had not been sent to the so-called victim but to an agent provocateur, a solicitor named Swarbrick. The harassment charge was later upgraded to the ridiculous charge of “inciting a person or persons unknown to commit grievous bodily harm with intent” and the CPS asked for two months to commit. Baron’s barrister declined an invitation to have his client assessed by a court psychologist, and, their shallow attempt to have Baron thrown into gaol for six months or a year while a case against him was fabricated, the powers of darkness threw in the towel. On March 26 the CPS decided that they couldn’t proceed but suggested they might proceed at a later date, an argument which didn’t wash then and washes even less now.
Baron was told that his computer could be collected by arrangement – and at his own expense – and meanwhile sought an undertaking that everything printed out from his disks by Big Brother be destroyed. In April his solicitor was again advised that he could arrange to collect his machine but when he contacted Southwark CID he was told that an investigation was ongoing and that it could not be returned without clearance from the CPS.
In 1993, Baron’s computer was seized and retained for six months by a bent copper working to a hidden agenda, and when it was at last returned it was trashed beyond repair. Baron was subsequently granted Legal Aid to sue the police for trespass of goods, and as things stand that case will finally be coming to court on August 9 at Central London County Court.
Currently Baron is concerned both at having his machine returned (eventually?) in similar condition as before, and as to what the police may decide to “find” on his hard disk. As it would clearly be an abuse of process to reinstate the previous charge it is Baron’s suspicion that he will now be fitted up for possessing child porn, plans of the local bank, or more topically, for supplying instructions for making nail bombs with intent.
If that is the case, if and when the case does come to court, Southwark CID will have to explain why it took them two attempts and six months to “find” the incriminating evidence.
Watch this space.
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