Solicitor Help with Harassment

[greyfur]

I have written quite a few posts regarding harassment from neighbours and others in the community. I wondered if anyone could tell me if a solicitor can make the Police help with harassment, even when a GP has asked them to help and they will not speak to those who are doing the harassing. I believe a solicitor can write a letter of complaint to the police station involved, but I don't think this would help. Your advice and opinions welcome, please.

[atticus]

They might be able to help; but are you aware that harassment can also give rise to an actionable civil claim for an injunction and possibly damages? A solicitor can assist you with that.

[greyfur]

Many thanks Atticus for your reply. I have done a little research on your suggestion as I am unfamiliar with it. I am not sure if this would work as it appears an injunction is usually applied to just one or two individuals and this concerns many, many people; please tell me if I am wrong. Also, wouldn't they need concrete evidence, as in video footage, recorded conversations, etc? The victim gave the police details of who they thought could be responsible for some of the harassment, but they refuse to investigate and therefore progress cannot be made.

[atticus]

Even the police would want evidence!

[DE DOGS]

Even the police would want evidence!

Of course, my recommendation is to have CCTV Cameras installed, which would show all the harassment and evidence for the Police to act, nowadays they are not too expensive, but make sure the pictures are clear and show the culprits.

[greyfur]

Thanks for replies. The main problem is that the victim and their home is being kept under constant surveillance by neighbours and others. On one occasion, forty nine vehicles drove by in the space of one and a half hours, and all the occupants looked into the house towards its windows. It seemed as if someone had organised this. The house is not on a main road. On another occasion, all the curtains were opened very early on two mornings. It appeared a man living in an adjoining road, heard about this and appeared outside, standing, and staring into the windows. The police say they need evidence and suggested cameras, but they have also said that they cannot do anything about people looking at the house. Photographs of two culprits were handed into the police station, but nothing was heard about this, so perhaps the police were standing by what they said. So wouldn't cameras be a waste of time and money? The victim did use a dummy camera at one time and it made no difference. I wonder if someone who just dislikes the occupant of the home is organising some kind of group stalking with others, but the police will not investigate. The victim contacted a charity who helps with victims of abuse and they said that this is exactly what this is: "Group stalking, bullying and harassment." Further advice and opinions gladly welcomed.

[atticus]

This charity that helps: could it help?

You are slowly feeding information into this thread. What exactly is going on? Why? Who is thought to be behind it?

[islandgirl]

There were a whole series of threads previously about this issue - I will try to find them when I have time

[atticus]

Thanks - I have just read this thread: https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...ity-harassment. I understand that there are others.

I am left wondering whether there is anything that can be said that has not already been said.

[greyfur]

Yes, I have written other threads about this problem, as I mentioned above. As it is continuing, I thought that legal help was the only way left to help stop the harassment. The Police have had lots of details but will not act, even though they have a doctor's letter saying how this harassment is affecting the person's health. I am happy to give more details if it would help solve the problem, but I don't want to annoy you all by repeating the same things. Just to say that the charity mentioned has links to the police. The victim told the police what they said, but it fell on deaf ears. The charity were disappointed that the police were not taking the matter seriously. Many thanks.

[DE DOGS]

If the local Police are not responding to this problem, my suggestion Evidence to your local MP, as well as to the Cheif Constable.

[greyfur]

Thanks De Dogs. The victim contacted their MP and it was stated that evidence WAS needed. A letter was also written to the county's police headquarters but there was no reply. The victim spoke to a police officer about this, who told them they would get round to it eventually. That was over a year ago. The problem is trying to get the evidence. How can you obtain evidence when a lot of this is down to people constantly watching and judging the victim and then gossiping about them to others? A Social Worker told the victim that they lived in an extremely gossipy, nosey neighbourhood and people there had nothing better to do with their time. A few years back, a Social Worker told the victim to tell one man to go away and mind his own business, but the victim didn't feel strong enough to do this. When they HAVE tried to hit back, the attention has been ramped up and there seems to be a backlash. The Police said that the Social Worker couldn't possibly know if people were gossiping, but they did think some of these people were jealous of the victim and their home. The Social Worker also said this. The victim feels that this is some kind of hate campaign against them. They know the area well and know that the gossip aspect is true. Postal staff have been involved in this and some of the workers have tried to ridicule them and laugh at them. The victim complained to the sorting office who claimed they didn't know anything about it. They were given the name of one postman, but nothing happened. They saw this postman and his co-worker talk to two individuals who keep looking in the victim's windows. The victim took a photo of these workers sitting in a van near their home, but it couldn't be used as evidence, could it? They would just say they were working in the road. One of these workers told the victim she DIDN'T work in her road, but when the victim caught her delivering mail in the road she confronted her and the postal worker stuttered and didn't know what to say. Would a complaint directly to the Royal Mail help? All the other vans who deliver parcels are also involved, which is where the "group stalking" comes in. Originally in this thread I asked about a solicitor helping. I think contacting the police again is a waste of time, especially as the victim has been told that a PSCO has been asked to contact them again on two occasions and this hasn't happened. Sorry for a long post.

[islandgirl]

This may be a nuclear option but is there any opportunity to move to a new area and leave all this stress behind?

[greyfur]

Thanks Island Girl. It wouldn't be possible to move to another area without significant help from others, which isn't available. Also, why should someone be forced out of their home? One neighbour told the victim that the unwanted attention they were receiving was "Care in the Community" and when they could show they were a grown up, it would all stop. It was reported to the police. What did they do? Nothing. Another person emailed the victim and said they hoped they had an army of people around them to protect them. If they wanted the attention to stop, they needed to pray, and they needed to BELIEVE it. Police know about it. What have they done? Nothing. Police indicated kids and teenagers were involved in the harassment. Their answer to it: "Well, we were all young once and did stupid things, didn't we?" So if the victim has a heart attack (they have a heart condition) from the stress they are causing, that's okay, then. A PCSO asked the victim to log details and send them back to him. Whilst taking the registration number of a vehicle, the owner became aggressive and questioned what the victim was doing. He then followed the victim down several roads whilst filming on his mobile phone and talking to the police. The victim was questioned by two police officers - one they had spoken to about the harassment. They did not believe a PSCO had asked them to do this and told the victim off. The victim meanwhile, was left shaking and upset from the incident and suffered nightmares. The police in Britain today. They have had great publicity in recent times. Here is a bit more for them. I hope a solicitor can help.

[greyfur]

Just to add. De Dogs suggested the chief constable. Just heard. He's been dismissed for allegations of misconduct. Need I say more?