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| Doncaster Airport Customs Control |
l prepared another Statement of Truth that gave all the details of my trip and previous ones ... which now included the stop and search at Hull.. lt included a statement that l could not consent to being interviewed by either of the UKBA officers who were involved in my ordeal of the 10th Dec 2010 at Doncaster Airport. Neither would l consent to any of their colleagues interviewing me as l deemed such an action a conflict of interest and unethical due to these officers still being under investigation.l would consent to being interviewed by South Yorks Police though if UKBA wanted to proceed with such an action.
We arrived back at Doncaster Airport at approx 20.30. lt was the last flight in that day. lt's only a small airport and my flight was only the 5th that day. The next would be just after midnight at 00.35. Disembarking the aircraft, we made our way to Passport Control ... the very same one that l never got by on 10th Dec.
Well what a surprise, all 3 Passport Control desks were manned ... it's usually just one. Sat there at 2 of the desks were the very 2 UKBA officers that l'd put a complaint in about. Strangely they had on hi-viz jackets that hid their ID numbers ... the 3rd UKBA officer was in normal uniform.Behind the Passport Control was a policeman and way to the side at another desk was 2 'suits' who l surmised to be UKBA. There was no doubt we were recognised ... how could they forget? We passed through Passport Control and made our way to baggage reclaim.
Whilst waiting for our luggage l noticed the 3 UKBA uniformed officers and 2 suits come from Passport Control after finishing processing the last of the passengers. They all disappeared through a staff only door, the policeman stayed in the baggage reclaim area. Eventually our luggage turned up, we were amongst the last to get our luggage. We then proceeded to the exit and Customs control.
There was no-one there! ... it was not manned!
We waited at the exit until airport security closed the exit with the powered shutter after the last of the passengers had left.
Make of it what you will. Us? ... time to book another trip somewhere ... from Doncaster Airport! :)
Oh, and today was the day l was supposed to get a reply from the vice director of UKBA Complaints, Dover ... l got nothing!
ha ha ha they ran away! luv it
ReplyDeleteI'm betting the two suits were I.A or whatever the UKBA call their in-house 'police' or at the very least they were 'supervisors'. The fact that the South Yorks Const. Super was sooo 'considerate' in his reply to you tells you that the there have been some ' high volume inter-agency discussions' ie the Super is pissed that his man was used for an illegal detention and has made his displeasure felt to the UKBA, who in turn have put the UKBA officers concerned under scrutiny....because they breached whatever regulations govern such things.
ReplyDeleteSmokey, you've done sterling work sir but the time has come to let it go. They can't afford to let you win. They'll get you one way or another and some of them won't care how they do it.
ReplyDelete"The Spartans do not inquire how many the enemy are, but where they are." AGIS II 427 B.C.
ReplyDelete"They'll get you one way or another and some of them won't care how they do it"
ReplyDeleteMaybe but its more likely that they'll 'negate' him ie give him nothing to write about. After his written complaints they will have investigated him fully and reassured themselves that he isn't smuggling. Chances are his name is now 'flagged' as 'not to be stopped' along with MP's and some journalists etc. You silence a 'trouble maker' by simply ignoring him, by not giving him any prick to kick against.
@SBC
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. The front line personnel may not have much intelligence but it would be foolish to think it's the same further up the chain of command. lf their tactics work on 99% of travellers, do as you say and simply ignore the other 1%. This policy would have the effect of making the UKBA's stats more impressive and starve SH of anything to work with. His recent experience at Doncaster suggests that they are in fact doing this.
We had expected to be stopped, and to tie them all up, allowing all other passengers to proceed unmolested. (When they arrest a difficult one, they daren't touch you, The technique is to surround you with bodies and hope that you'll push so they can charge you with assault.)
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out, nobody was stopped. The customs point was unmanned. At least three UKBA were somewhere on the premises though, getting paid for doing nothing. :-)
UKBA will also have concerns that there is somebody behind SH. Panorama? Dispatches? Now that would give UKBA cause for concern. Are we to see SH and Zaphod in a documentary shortly?
ReplyDeleteTim ... l cannot possibly comment although in the Hollywood film to be shortly produced, l am being played by Johnny Depp. lt being Hollywood, Zaphod is being played by Angelina Jolie but don't tell him ... l've yet to break it to him. :)
ReplyDeletelt certainly wont be any of this lot of spineless twats behind SH because they are scared shitless of HMRC. tobacco companies (threatened with fines), tobacco shops in Belgium (threatened with supplies being cut off), ferry companies (threatened with alteration of shop opening hours and staff working legislation). Nothing from FOREST either as they have to work under guideline restrictions from their backers >> see Tobacco companies.
ReplyDelete@anon 11.51
ReplyDeleteThat's a little harsh on FOREST anon. Simon Clark does bring smoking issues to the attention of the media. He puts a great deal of time and effort into it.
Thats bollocks Tim. What have FOREST actually done? Sweet fa thats what. We need a wolf not a sheep. lm not even sure FOREST isnt just there to appease the smoker who thinks they have an action group when infact they havent!
ReplyDelete@ Smoking Hot - Can you call me please? Max :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are doing an excellent job SH, clearly they know you and have you flagged, maybe they do think you are a journalistic investigator or 'secret shopper'.
ReplyDeleteIf they have decided to ignore you then you always have the option of upping the stakes. Next time take a coachload of buyers!
If SH was a regular investigative reporter from the media, he'd be keeping a lower profile. I don't see how Customs could buy that theory. But he's clearly something out of the ordinary. Customs are ambush predators, they want easy victories. They prey on the weak. Customs are stupid, but maybe not stupid enough to keep making the same mistake indefinitely? Or maybe they are? I expect SH is going to find out, ultimately.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, SH. We're right behind you. (A good safe distance behind, most of us!)
Customs primary weapons are control, fear and intimidation. Someone at the airport clearly knew that these weapons were no longer of any use in this situation. Rather than go into unchartered territory and exposing themselves to unknown consequences, someone made an executive decision to avoid it. There seemingly is intelligence in Customs afterall.
ReplyDeleteDavid
Stand up to the bastards and they are fucking lost
ReplyDelete