Who I am?

8 years ago, on the 23/6/11 I was a small business owner, employing 3 people, working hard and enjoying life. 

Overnight my happy life turned into a living nightmare that would affect every aspect of my life to this very day.

My story

Out of the blue I was arrested and charged with serious allegations that were entirely untrue. At the time of my arrest the police searched my house and then secured my front door with a small padlock screwed into rotting wood. It would have been obvious to anyone passing by that it was easy to break in. That night while I sat in a cell, my home was burgled and ransacked of everything I had worked hard for over the past 30 years. 

18 months later a jury found me unanimously not guilty in 20 minutes. After the formalities of the court case were finished I walked out of the court, my solicitor wished me well, a few people patted me on the back and I was left standing there, feeling numb and cold but free and exonerated, it was my 47th birthday. 

I could not believe my eyes when entering my home. I found it being squatted by a number of individuals, who had pulled out every bit of copper in the property and with human faeces covering the floor in every room. I approached the council the next day, explained to them the long complicated story and was met with a wall of indignation and offered no help. It was 5 days before Christmas I had nowhere to go and was almost penniless. 

The generosity and good will of family and friends had been stretched to the limit over the period of time I was waiting for my court date. I booked into a grubby over priced hotel for the night with the last of my funds, took a shower and feeling utterly overwhelmed I slept only a few hours before I had to check out. Fortunately a housing solicitor from GT Stewart helped me to get temporary accommodation from the council while they removed the squatters from my house.

After six months I moved back in without any furniture, everything I had owned had either been stolen or trashed, also I had had problems paying the rent in the last months of the trial so I also had a  £5,000 rent arrears bill to boot to start off trying to rebuild my life. 

Why I need your help?

I decided to seek legal advice regarding the police's negligence in leaving my home so easy to burgle and squat. With the help of a civil liberties solicitor from GT Stewart, I brought a civil claim against the police for negligence. When my solicitor first wrote to the police about the claim they took over a year to respond to it. The police have done everything they can to delay and prolong the case. 

They won’t accept any wrongdoing whatsoever. I did have legal aid funding for my case but it’s been pulled because so much work has been needed to fight the case that the legal aid agency has decided it’s not proportionate to keep funding it. The police have consistently refused to apologise or offer some form of compensation for the damage they have caused to my life. 

I can never get back what I have lost but I want to take them to trial so that I can feel somewhat compensated when I prove my case. I have somewhat rebuilt my life, but I need my day in court to draw a line under this dark period of my life.

If you can help contribute towards my legal costs it would be eternally appreciated. Please donate what you can and share the page on social media or via email.