Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jan 2004
Source: Hull Daily Mail (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Northcliffe Newspapers Group Ltd
Contact:  http://www.thisishull.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1181
Author: Don Barnard
Cited: Legalise Cannabis Alliance http://www.lca-uk.org
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1940/a09.html?1286
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n2010/a01.html?1286

WAS IT RIGHT TO CHARGE CANNABIS CAMPAIGNER?

The chilling and scary accounts in the Mail about Legalise Cannabis
Alliance campaigner Carl Wagner, who was raided by police in riot gear
as a result of an "anonymous" phone call (Mail, December 17) sent
shivers up my spine.

Did it not occur to the police to use its intelligence department to
verify the allegations before its over-the-top raid, which came away
with an embarrassing result?

By offering Mr Wagner a caution (Pro-cannabis campaigner fights
charge, Mail, December 30) one has to wonder whether the police
harbour misgivings for holding Mr Wager in custody for 11 hours,
submitting his wife to an embarrassing body search, not to mention
traumatising a three-year-old child.

More daunting, however, is the realisation that by charging Mr Wagner,
they believe what they did was justified.

I would be interested what the people of Hull and their elected
representatives (MPs, councillors, etc) think. Was it best practice?
Was it value for money? What useful purpose has it served?

Don Barnard,

Press officer, Legalise Cannabis Alliance,

Braintree, Essex
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin