Judge ridicules trial of detective Julie Hays

Mar 16 2010 by Neil McKay, The Journal

He added: “If I were to ask the 18-year-old son of my neighbour to take some of my old clothes to the skip, and if I was feeling generous give him £10 to do so, and if, however unlikely, he decided he liked one of my jackets and chose to wear it instead, would that constitute theft?

“Would it be in the public interest to prosecute?”

Mr Newcombe said: “These are my instructions, your honour.”

When the judge then asked whether an internal disciplinary hearing would not have be more appropriate, Mr Newcombe replied: “She is the subject of a disciplinary hearing, but these are my instructions.”

He added: “It was not the officer’s job to take items that were going to be disposed of in that way.”

The judge warned Mr Newcombe: “I am not expressing a view at this stage, but that is not to say I am not going to give my view about this case in the event of an acquittal.”

Four days have been set aside for a trial from July 6. By that time, Hays will have been suspended on full pay for almost a year.

On Friday, Judge Prince directed a jury to find the organiser of a music festival not guilty of allowing drug taking to take place on his farm. He did so after the defence barrister argued that the case was similar to holding the organiser of the Glastonbury festival responsible for the behaviour of each individual who flocks to that event.