Fined for small amount of cannabis after ILLEGAL SEARCH

[sdutton007]

I've got a bit of a legal problem and really need some advice

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in my friend Nath's passenger seat with a small amount of weed and a police officer turned up out of nowhere (on foot and with his police dog) and very aggressively shouted/demanded we get out the car and when we hadn't managed to get out of the car fully within 2 seconds he again demanded even more aggressively that we get out. He then kept letting the dog (which kept barking and snarling at Nath) closer and closer until Nath had to back away a few feet.

Two more officers then turned up in a car and the first officer wandered off. They decided to search both myself and my friend and as they began the search they asked us both if we had anything on us - I admitted I had a small amount of weed and handed it over.

After the search was completed, I was put in the back of the police car for approximately 30 minutes while they messed around with various forms and did nothing useful whatsoever. In the end, I was issued with a £90 fine.

I believe this search and fine were illegal based on the information on the back of the Stop & Search form as follows:

Requirements before and after search
Police Officers are required to use powers of stop and search fairly and without prejudice. They are also required to be as considerate and courteous as possible whilst maintaining their own and public safety - The first officer was most definitely not considerate or courteous and deliberately tried to intimidate us with his dog.
Stop and search powers allow police to search you, anything you may be carrying and any vehicle you may be in - They searched my car which was parked next to us but nobody was in it.

What the Police Officer must do
Before using any search power the Police Officer must take reasonable steps to inform you of:
Their name (except for terrorism searches) and the Police Station they are from - NOT DONE
The object of the search - NOT DONE, although fairly obvious
The grounds of authorisation for the search - NOT DONE
That you are entitled to a FULL copy of the record of the stop and search now or within three months - NOT DONE UNTIL AFTER THE SEARCH

Despite this, I attempted to pay this (on the last possible day due to many many other stressful and time-consuming things I am currently trying to deal with) but the on-line payment system refused to accept my "Notice Number" and the office was closed by that time (and any other time that I'm NOT at work) so, seeing no other option, I filled in the section to appeal it but have now received a "Notice of registration of fixed penalty and collection order" and they have upped the amount from £90 to £135 !!!

What can I do about this? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[sdutton007]

I realise that due to this, I am a criminal scum-bag and am far more of a problem to society than thieves, muggers and psychopaths ACCORDING TO POLICE PRIORITIES ... and it was a productive use of nearly 3 hours of police time (2 officers for about an hour and the other for about 20-30 minutes) whereas whenever I or one of my friend's report a far more serious offence, they always say it's not worth their time

 

[Kyle_R]

Your the biggest druggy going then!! Just joking lad I have severe irritable bowel syndrome. So I smoke weed to help But from what I've just read the police officer misused his authority !! ( but name 1 power mad piggy that doesn't!!! Just take it on the chin mate there's no way the little guys (me and you) can take on the corporation and win

 

[triple j]

Dont worry yourself buddy, if u where here in ireland u would go to cort for enough for a joint, and it has happened sad really, cops can do what the like u will never beet them illegal search or not, take it on the chin an smoke on.

 

[sdutton007]

Your the biggest druggy going then!! Just joking lad I have severe irritable bowel syndrome. So I smoke weed to help But from what I've just read the police officer misused his authority !! ( but name 1 power mad piggy that doesn't!!! Just take it on the chin mate there's no way the little guys (me and you) can take on the corporation and win

Yeah, I find it especially helps with the pain I often get from my shoulder muscle after my starlet was hit from behind by a Range Rover Sport, but also helps me sleep and definitely helps with the stress I've been under for the last few months. Plus it's better for you than alcohol and causes no problems to society (unlike alcohol)...

And yeah, practically all of them have a god-complex and abuse their authority. Still, I'd like to know all my options before I can make a decision on how to proceed.

 

[triple j]

Fight them and the will rip u and your friend from the car every time the see u, do the not just give u a caution in the uk for a small bit of green rather than a fine.

 

[Kyle_R]

Yeah, I find it especially helps with the pain I often get from my shoulder muscle after my starlet was hit from behind by a Range Rover Sport, but also helps me sleep and definitely helps with the stress I've been under for the last few months. Plus it's better for you than alcohol and causes no problems to society (unlike alcohol)...

And yeah, practically all of them have a god-complex and abuse their authority. Still, I'd like to know all my options before I can make a decision on how to proceed.

That's the thing WEED IS A PLANT it has medicinal purposes that help many people with pain stress and other personal reasons. Mine is for pain relief and as said to help me sleep when I'm rolling around in agony with stomach cramps that has caused several trips to hospital with suspected ruptured stomach not being a fun thing and being put on morphine and codeine to relief the pain and hasn't always worked. We all have reasons to smoke it but there often overlooked as it's DRUGS AND WE ALL KNOW DRUGS ARE BADDDDDDDD!!! Yet it's illegal because they can't put a tax on it!!

 

[Kyle_R]

Fight them and the will rip u and your friend from the car every time the see u, do the not just give u a caution in the uk for a small bit of green rather than a fine.

Yh your supposed to get a street caution for less than £10-£20 (the later if in a single baggy) I know as I've had 2 so far and I've explained my reasons to them both times (passenger in car not driving)

 

[Jay]

You probably shot him this look :

(At last a thread I can use a 'The Dude' GIF in!! :haha: )

 

[Kyle_R]

you probably shot him this look :

(at last a thread i can use a 'the dude' gif in!! :haha: )

hahahahahahaha

 

[J25GTi]

Police complaints commission, dont let the bastards win, by just sucking it up and paying you are letting them get away with it and they will continue to treat other people in the same way.

I was in court over the exhaust for the scooby the other day (yes it was too loud, but its the principle of the guy was a complete fuck-tard and couldnt work out 2/3rd of my rev limit for 6k rev limiter and did the whole test wrong, so on principle I wasnt going to let it stand.

I love having switchable maps, including a "valet" mode, so if im taking the car anywhere, I can set a rev limit that is PIN protected and means it can be moved but no one can thrash it So when I realised I was gonna get pulled activate my 6k rev limit in valet mode, told him what the rev limit was, and he then he does the test at 4500rpm, not 4000 lol.

Still got to take the car to vosa with in 21 days to get it tested but wont get a fine if it is under (which it will be with some strategically placed steel wool in the back box, and valet mode activated again )

 

[5e colin]

needles to say u just like to get stoned like evry 1 does now and then but keep it to ur selve mate its a publik forum !!!!!!!!

u got caught smoking weed so wat no biggy pay the 90 fine and be don with it

if u think uk cops are really that bad wait til u get cought anywhere els in europe ( exept the benelux) countrys

 

[malcolmgt]

option 1, pay the extra fee. Don't carry drugs and lesson learned.

option 2, start an argument with the police, get no where, spend copious amounts of money doing so to get a bigger fine.

 

[J25GTi]

option 1, pay the extra fee. Don't carry drugs and lesson learned.

option 2, start an argument with the police, get no where, spend copious amounts of money doing so to get a bigger fine.

But why should we accept been mistreated by the people that we pay to look after us?

They should be held to account, and it is people with the attitude that it isnt worth holding them to account that makes them think they can treat people however they want

 

[SupaStu]

lol Imagine you had a hidden gun in the car, then they treated you the same way as above, are you going to complain they didn't speak to you nicely?

If it was the states, they would have hauled you out the car, told you to shut the fuck up and pay the fine

I would be glad its only a fine.

 

[richglanzav]

sorry mate but i agree with supastu, it sucks but and i totally agree with you on one hand but i also agree that if you try to fight the system you will be royally fucked in the asshole. unfortunately thats the shitty country we live in i could tell you a funny story about an experience ive had with the local police lol but its just all wasted thoughts and wasted energy. if every member on this entire forum signed a petition of some kind for you it would just be thrown out.

take the 90 quid hit and be careful where you go carrying/smoking it in future thats my advice to you lol.

 

[davehart]

It might have seemed a little harsh but you did get caught with an illegal drug in your possession. Yeah you could argue the fact that it was just a little bit and your not robbing shops at gunpoint but its still against the law.

I'd just take the £90 and move on Next time, leave the smokes at home!

 

[dac69er]

its annoying, but rules are rules. if you do something against the law, expect consequences.

yes, some police abuse their authority, I have had jobsworth police waste my time on many occasions for stupid things, but have also had them be decent about things so its swings and roundabouts in my experience.


where were you parked up exactly? if 2 cars are parked up with people only in one car, it looks suspicious imo. maybe it was an area of suspected trouble so the police went to investigate and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?

pay the fine and you've learnt a lesson.

 

[bucketep91]

Have you been caught with weed before?

 

[ryandlang]

lets be honest, if you werent doing something illegal you may have a leg to stand on, but seeing as you were, fuck all is going to come from it other than hassle and more loss of money