Klass act: a matter of self-defence

• Rob Bowser 15 Jan 10

  The law is an ass and the officers who berated Miss Klass need educating as to who they are supposed to be protecting.

  I'm not supprized at all considering the police have all been turned into revenue collectors for the Government, while calls from the public for their assistance distracts them from their speed traps and towing charges.

  Hence the police service's tactics of intimidating the plaintiff and then they'll not receive any more calls.

  Then they can claim crime is down, mainly due to the fact that people will not report it for fear of being treated like a criminal. This case is a fine example of that.

• Tony Welling 15 Jan 10

  Re: the previous comment...

  Rob, I think you need to read the article again. Hertfordshire Police have stated that the warning about the knife did not happen.

  Would you rather believe the police's version of events or that of a hack from some downmarket tabloid newspaper?

• Rob Bowser 15 Jan 10

  Should we believe the police service's version of events or a story in one of the downmarket tabloid newspapers?

  Now you mention it, that is a difficult one to answer, isn't it, particularly so in the wake of the Jean Charles de Menezes episode...?

  Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-police, but they really do have their priorities wrong.

• Steve Goodwin 15 Jan 10

  While knife and gun crime have spawned numerous articles of late berating the police service and the Courts for what some perceive to be their inaction in terms of helping to keep the population safer, it’s really the Government as a whole that has allowed the situation to escalate to where it is today.

  The Government has shown its inability to make a decision and properly inform the population of its rights (or lack of them).

  Has this Government been ‘tough on crime’? I think not. Ask the retailers and Cash-in-Transit operatives what they think.

  Only recently, Jack Straw highlighted the Government’s ideas on self-defence. In quick succession, he was followed by the Conservatives. If acted upon, the latter’s rationale might well see a number of people up before the beak (and don’t mention Tony Martin).

  While I can sympathise with Myleene Klass, I’m sure that Hertfordshire Police's officers did their level best in the circumstances. Let’s remember that her agent will undoubtedly be looking to gain the maximum publicity from this situation.

  Would you suggest a woman alone in a large house, and with a small child to boot, ought to make it obvious there’s no man at home by appearing in a window brandishing a knife, or anything else that happens to be to hand?

  Given that Myleene Klass is obviously worth a bob or two, and that this could have been an attempt to kidnap for ransom (or worse), it would be prudent if the Hertfordshire Police were to afford her a touch more advice on personal protection.

  The fact that the youths concerned were, more than likely, opportunist thieves and were frightened off when they spotted her (even if it was'nt with the baby's bottle), means that she’s one very lucky lady this time around.

  In the North West/Cheshire, footballers’ families have been under the threat of attack for a while now when the Rooneys and Gerrards of this world are overseas on either club duty or playing for their national side.

  Myleene’s agent might have suggested to be more prudent when identifying that she is sometimes alone and vulnerable. Obviously, the security systems – a panic alarm, for instance – were non-existent, perchance?

  As for self-defence, it’s certainly delusional to think that the rules (the use of minimum force when the chips are down, and you need to react, etc) supposedly in existence are followed and much less given due consideration, in particular by the forces of law and order, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Courts.

  They (ie the legal establishment) can turn defence into attack if so desired, by a word, movement or action on your part. If you consider the ‘strike first’ philosophy when in serious danger, do not be surprised if you need the Gods on your side in order to escape their idea of justice.

  In the private security industry, it would be interesting to note (and maybe worth an article) just how many people have had their licences revoked or rescinded by the Security Industry Authority as a result of being caught up in a self-defence scenario which the police, the CPS and the Courts deemed justifiable enough to prosecute, and which resulted in job loss???? Door supervisors take note.

  From my own experiences in life (and not as a door supervisor, I hasten to add, although I do hold the licence), unfortunately I’ve been involved in self-defence scenarios on a number of occasions. Each of them resulted in me being arrested and charged, and on one occasion I had to appear in Court.

  Each time, I never used more force than was necessary, never used a weapon and stopped defending myself if my assailants stopped attacking or moved off. Yet I still ended up in trouble, with the threat of losing my livelihood and liberty.

  The world is now a much more dangerous place to live, and the moral codes that used to be set in stone are either long gone or fast disappearing. Couple that with a growing need for some to "have respect", "defend the turf" and "make a quick buck" by not working and taking the easy option, and using any method to escape capture (shoplifters carrying knives, etc), it must be said that the situation can only get worse.

  Those living in their Ivory Towers, well divorced from the realities of the front line (and I’m not talking about Iraq or Afghanistan here), need to understand that they are making the situation worse with their liberal views of blaming society (us) for all the woes and problems that persist. At the same time, they’re failing to deal with crime in anything like an effective manner.

  The massaging of statistics and continual appearances by the spin doctors have led us to where we are in the world today, whereupon there are grave economic issues to be faced, not to mention war and the growing health and social issues (of which crime is but one.

  If any Government today or in the future is going to clarify the position of ‘self-defence’, and that clarification is followed by a clear understanding for everyone involved – without the ‘Human Rights, Freedom to Do Something’-style European laws rearing their ugly head and confusing the situation – then we’ll need far better Home and Justice Ministers/leaders of the country than on offer of late.

  The police service is having to stand by and witness the counter-terrorist laws being ridiculed thanks to the Stop-and-Search debacle. Meanwhile, recent cases of political extremists running rings around common decency show that we are heading full tilt towards our own destruction.

  Indeed, the way things are going, Myleene’s actions at some point in the future would see her stoned to death for having a job and posing in a bikini while leaving her partner to look after the child.

  As for the poor trespassers, they’d have to claim benefits for the circumstances in which they find themselves. Benefits paid for by the few law-abiding, hard-working citizens who are left behind, and who need a licence to work.

  Why would I possibly want to consider defending anything?

• Stephen Clements 16 Jan 10

  I help people review security at the smaller end of the retail sector, and have seen a few cases where the odd golf putter is present behind the counter (obviously for self-defence).

  I advise that there should be a plastic cup and golf ball somewhere on the floor, too.

  Obviously, one practices putting in the quiet times. Should one use said club to fend off a knife-wielding robber then at least the local Bobby cannot accuse the shop owner of premeditation.

• Jilly Carter 28 Jun 10

  I've no patience for these so-called 'celebrities', but if Myleene Klass was telling the truth then I think the Hertfordshire Police has lost its marbles.

  Now, if Ms Klass had gone running down the garden and stabbed one of the youths, that's a criminal offence, but scaring some yobs off after they tried to break into your property? That most certainly isn't!

  Well done, Myleene!

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