Jump to content

Stop and Search Powers Illegal


Thun

Recommended Posts

Stop and search powers illegal, European court rules

Judges in Strasbourg say UK powers under Terrorism Act 2000 violate convention on human rights

Matthew Weaver

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 12 January 2010 12.18 GMT

The European court of human rights today ruled that Britain's controversial stop and search powers were illegal, in a blow to the government's policy on combating the threat of terrorism.

The court ruled that powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion violated article eight of the European convention on human rights.

The cased involved Kevin Gillan, 32, a student from Sheffield, and Pennie Quinton, 38 a freelance photojournalist from south London, who were held under the act in 2003.

They were stopped and searched while on their way to a demonstration at Europe's biggest arms fair at the ExCel centre in Docklands, east London.

Seven judges sitting in the Strasbourg court ruled that the pair's right to respect for a private and family life had been violated. The court awarded them €33,850 (£30,400) in compensation.

The judgment overturns a House of Lords ruling in 2006 when five Law Lords unanimously rejected Gillan and Quinton's appeal. It is expected to force the government to amend the legislation to ensure it complies with human rights convention.

The judgment challenges section 44 of the Terrorism Act, which allows the home secretary to authorise police to make random searches in certain circumstances. The act removed the previous requirements that the police had to have grounds for suspicion in order to conduct a search.

Instead officers only had to show it was "expedient" to do so. The lack of a stricter legal test and the absence of sufficient safeguards meant that this was a breach of the European convention on human rights, the court said, adding that it was "struck" by how widely the powers had been used, with over 100,000 searches conducted. Between 2004 and 2008 the number of such searches increased from 33,177 to 111,278.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/12/stop-and-search-ruled-illegal

LOL at having a Euro court tell us that when most of us knew it was an illegal act

There police state measures are bait

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

U'll live though. It's more humiliating when you kick up a fuss for no reason. My cousin got stopped, didn't have anything on him but he thought he would start acting bad like they couldn't search him so he ended up pinned down on the floor and arrested. Could of saved himself a lot of trouble.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thun, you're saying that even though the ECJ ruled against these powers, its just a front?

Do you not trust anything that someone in power does?

/

In other news, the ban on Isamd4uk is bollocks! And no I don't agree with them, but, lol at our government trying to preach freedom of this and that to the middle east but they don't even practice it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The court ruled that powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 to stop and search people without grounds for suspicion violated article eight of the European convention on human rights.

There are always grounds. Are the people in Brussels thick? Seriously. Even if a police car wants to pull you over, he must have grounds or suspicion. LOL @ people thinking they are getting stopped and searhed because they are black... no it's not because you are black, it's because you come from a shithole area where knife crime is high and you ain't the only one of the only race getting stopped mate so stop trying to use the card!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't see the problem. You get stopped and searched, you got nothing to hide then keep it moving.

yh but that's not what happens though really is it

aint like they go "excuse me sir, could i ahve a minute of your time as we are conducting random stop and searches to help fight knife crime. thank you for your cooperation, enjoy your day"

reality is they go "oi. over here." "why?" "cos i f*ck*ng said so. empty your pockets" and if you say anything you're getting nicked

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't see the problem. You get stopped and searched, you got nothing to hide then keep it moving.

You see how certain people have lost the will to speak up and just accept being searched by thugs

That old saying 'if you got nothing to hide then why worry' is used and dry

Im sure the people in Nazi Germany said the same thing about nothing to hide but then it was too late when they wanted to speak out

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't see the problem. You get stopped and searched, you got nothing to hide then keep it moving.

You see how certain people have lost the will to speak up and just accept being searched by thugs

That old saying 'if you got nothing to hide then why worry' is used and dry

Im sure the people in Nazi Germany allowed it but then it was too late when they wanted to speak out

Yeah, and I am sure when people can carry whatever they like, this country will soon be like Somalia innit. Great plan Batman!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't see the problem. You get stopped and searched, you got nothing to hide then keep it moving.

You see how certain people have lost the will to speak up and just accept being searched by thugs

That old saying 'if you got nothing to hide then why worry' is used and dry

Im sure the people in Nazi Germany allowed it but then it was too late when they wanted to speak out

Yeah, and I am sure when people can carry whatever they like, this country will soon be like Somalia innit. Great plan Batman!

So you want to live in a society were you get searched by thugs in uniforms as you might be a terrawrist?

I would rather live in a free society then live in fear that everyone might have a weapon and needs to be searched

Its your fam that will be searched like terrawrists and your saying that cool yeah?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...