Concern as report exposes huge variation in way police handle rape cases

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Up to one in three reported rapes are being written off by the police, according to a new report which uncovered “stark differences” in the way forces deal with the crime.

Officials from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said some forces may have a “culture of disbelief” which has a negative impact on the way they treat rape victims.

The research exposed huge variations in the number of rapes which police decide to designate as “no crime”, meaning they are declassified because officers believe a crime did not take place.

One force, Lincolnshire, discontinued investigations in 33 per cent of rapes which were reported by alleged victims, and Leicestershire dropped 29 per cent, compared with a 12 per cent national average and less than 5 per cent in Cumbria and Durham.

Dru Sharpling, of HMIC, said: “There is a stark difference in the no crime rates. We would expect no crime rates to be relatively low.

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“There may be justifiable reasons for this but it is our intention to highlight these differences so that questions can be asked of local forces by police and crime commissioners and the public.”

Asked whether some forces suffered from a “culture of disbelief”, Miss Sharpling said: “I think there is something around that because all our work that we have done in a previous report on Jimmy Savile

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Police watchdog official investigating miners' strike has Labour links

Lord Tebbit, the Tory grandee, says it is "entirely inappropriate" for Cindy Butts to oversee the Independent Police Complaints Commission's examination of allegations against officers at the "Battle of Orgreave" in 1984

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Drunk man mistook female police officer for stripper

Paul Harbord soon realised his mistake when the officer arrested him Photo: Alamy By News agencies

10:24AM GMT 29 Jan 2014

A drunk man ended up in court after a 'doing a Del Boy' and mistaking a female police officer for a stripper, a court heard.

Paul Harbord, 27, was in a pub with his friends after an all day drinking session when the police officer walked in to investigate their 'rowdy' behaviour.

One of his friends had told him to expect 'entertainment' - and Harbord thought the WPC was a stripogram dressed in a police outfit.

Harbord shouted: "Look, here is one of the strippers and began to dance in front of her and whipped her with a bar towel", a court was told.

He soon realised his mistake when the officer arrested him, but he still refused to believe she was not a stripper until they arrived at a police station.

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Missing student probably fell in river during night out, police reveal

Megan Roberts, 20, who is missing after becoming separated from friends after a night out in York Photo: PA By Martin Evans, Crime Correspondent

2:42PM GMT 29 Jan 2014

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Megan Roberts, the university student who has been missing in York for almost a week, probably fell in the city’s River Ouse while drunk, police have said.

Detectives hunting for the missing 20-year-old said there was no evidence of foul play and all the indications were that she had met with a tragic accident.

Superintendent Phil Cain also stressed there was nothing to suggest that the York St John University student’s disappearance was in any way connected with the case of Claudia Lawrence – the university chef who went missing in York in 2009 and who police believe has been murdered.

Speaking close to the Lendal Bridge, over the swollen River Ouse in York, Mr Cain said: “The strongest and most probable line of inquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river.”

He added: “On balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy.”

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Miss Roberts, who is from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, and lived in the Clifton area of York, was last seen in the early hours of Thursday following a night out.

But it was only when family and friends realised earlier this week that she was missing that the alarm was raised.

North Yorkshire Police have studied CCTV footage and interviewed Miss Roberts' friends in an effort to trace her last movements.

Today a police diver was scouring the river bank close to the Lendal Bridge, near where Miss Roberts was last captured on CCTV.

There had been suggestions that Miss Roberts had expressed some concern about being followed by a stalker shortly before she disappeared but the police said there was “no evidence to indicate foul play”.

Miss Roberts worked as a barmaid at the Lamb and Lion Inn in York during the summer and its manager described her as “very police and friendly”.

In a prepared statement Mr Cain said: "Megan Roberts has now been missing for almost a week. Her disappearance was reported to police by her mother on Monday 27 January 2014 after she had not been in contact with a family or friends for a number of days.

“Understandably there have been growing and grave concerns for her safety which has triggered a great deal of police activity, and interest from the media and the public.

“Some of that activity has played out on social media and has led to a number of theories about her fate including potential links to the Claudia Lawrence case.

“It is very important, not least for Megan’s family and friends, to deal with the facts as they currently present. Those facts are based on evidence resulting from a variety of police enquiries to date.

“It has been established that Megan was one of a group of young adults - all of who were friends - who had been drinking for several hours prior to leaving Popworld night club around 2.10am on Thursday 23, January.

“All in the group including Megan were heavily affected by alcohol. That group whilst together were widely spread out as they made their way from Popworld across Lendal Bridge to McDonalds.

“Having separated, part of the group ran down Tanners Moat, in front of The Maltings public house towards the river looking for the others.

“Megan through the effects of alcohol was the last in the group and bumped into some of the cycle racks as she followed others. CCTV evidence doesNOT show Megan running back up the same street with the others to rejoin the main group.

“All members of the group concerned have been traced and spoken to at length by the police. There is nothing at this stage to indicate that any member of that group of friends or anybody else is directly responsible for Megan’s disappearance.

“A range of other police enquiries, including investigating theories described on social media sites, have been undertaken by a range of police resources including detectives. The results of which does NOT indicate that Megan’s disappearance is the result of any criminal activity.

“Consequently the strongest and most probable line of enquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river. Clearly we will not be in a position to definitively to confirm this to be the case until Megan is found.

“The possibility still exists that Megan is elsewhere safe and well, but realistically given the passage of time, such a possibility is increasingly remote.

“I emphasise that there is no evidence to indicate foul play of criminality and certainly NO evidence to link Megan’s disappearance to the Claudia Lawrence case.

“On balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy.

“Our primary emphasis will centre on the continual search of the river and the surrounding area using specialist search resources.

"We continue to support Megan’s family with specially trained officers.”

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Phone hacker tried to do a deal with police to save his own skin, trial hears

Andy Coulson, left, and Dan Evans arriving at the Old Bailey on Tuesday Photo: ANDY RAIN/EPA By Martin Evans, Crime Correspondent

6:46PM GMT 29 Jan 2014

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A former News of the World reporter, who has admitted phone hacking, described in court how he sought a deal with police to avoid being prosecuted for his role in the scandal.

Dan Evans, 38, initially lied about his phone hacking activities, after he was accused of attempting to listen to the voicemail of interior designer Kelly Hoppen.

In civil proceedings in August 2011 he claimed his Nokia phone had been faulty, something that was described in court as the “sticky keys defence”.

But just months later, he changed his story, admitting his role in hacking and agreeing to cooperate with police in a bid to seek immunity from prosecution.

Mr Evans, who appeared as a prosecution witness, claimed Andy Coulson, the News of the World’s former editor, knew about his phone hacking activities.

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He told the jury: “I did not broadcast it because that would have been crass but everybody knew.

“The truth is that Andy Coulson knew exactly what was going on on his watch.”

Mr Evans said he was sorry he had lied about hacking initially, claiming he had been a “very frightened man” who had not known what to do at the time.

The Old Bailey heard how Mr Evans had told his lawyers: “My ultimate goal is that there is not evidence against me and prosecution.”

He also told police that he had wanted to “look his children in the eye” and get back on the “right path in life”.

Earlier in the trial the jury was told how Mr Evans had hacked the phone of James Bond actor, Daniel Craig and had recorded a message from Jude Law’s girlfriend Sienna Miller, telling him she loved him.

He had told the court that after playing the tape in the News of the World office, Mr Coulson became animated and declared it “brilliant”.

But under cross-examination from Mr Coulson’s barrister, Timothy Langdale QC, Mr Evans was forced to admit that he had been “paraphrasing” when describing the incident.

Mr Langdale said: “Yesterday you told this court Mr Coulson, when you played the voicemail message of Sienna Miller, to you said, ‘Brilliant’. Is that truthful evidence?”

Mr Evans replied: “That is truthful. The exact word may be paraphrasing.”

Mr Langdale said: “You have got a bit of a habit of doing that.”

Pressed about why he had initially lied about the hacking of Miss Hoppen’s phone, Mr Evans said he had been “toeing the line” but added: “I bitterly regret I did not take a braver course of action at the time.”

Mr Evans joined the News of the World in 2005 after being poached from the rival tabloid the Sunday Mirror.

The former tabloid reporter, who has been in therapy for the last 18-months, claimed he had turned to drink and drugs to “self-medicate” amid the stress of phone hacking.

He told the court: “The secret made me unhappy. Carrying an enormous secret and delving into the lives of people who did not deserve it made me unhappy.

The court has heard that he has admitted conspiracy to hack phones at the Sunday Mirror between February 2003 and January 2005, and the same offence at the News of the World between April 2004 and June 2010.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office between January 2008 and June 2010, and perverting the course of justice by giving a false statement in High Court proceedings.

Mr Coulson, 46, from Charing, Kent, denies conspiring to hack phones and conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

Seven defendants, including former Sun and News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks, deny all the charges against them.

 Phone HackingNews »UK News »Crime »Martin Evans »

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Megan Roberts missing: Recap as police hunt continues for student not seen in five days

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For the latest news on Megan's disappearance visit here.

5:56 pm

With darkness falling, it now appears the dive teams have left the river.

The York Press is reporting that police divers left the water at about 4.20pm.

Members of the public were watching as the divers made their way out of the water.

More searches are expected to be carried out tomorrow.

4:11 pm

Police hunting for the missing university student say there is "nothing to suggest" a stalker or any other criminal activity was responsible for her disappearance.

Officers searching for Megan Roberts have now ruled out any criminal activity, and are continuing to focus on the River Ouse in York.

Superintendent Phil Cain said: "We are exploring with friends who are aware of a Twitter message, which was commenting around a male in a bar where Megan was at the time.

"Friends are convinced there was nothing to suggest Megan was being stalked at that stage. We do not believe that is connected to Megan's disappearance.

"At this moment in time there's no suggestion of any criminality whatsoever and we are treating this as a missing from home."

3:09 pm

We understand an area near Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse in York has been sealed off by police.

A marine unit has been scouring the river all day as part of the search for missing Megan.

Lendal Bridge is just a few hundred metres from where she was last seen in Popworld bar in the city centre.

1:11 pm

North Yorks Police are not expecting to give any more media updates today.

It is understood CCTV footage will only be released if they feel it will help the case.

Meanwhile, the police marine unit, including divers, continue to search the River Ouse in York

12:10 pm

Here's a picture of the police searching the River Ouse today from BBC reporter Danny Savage.

Police looking for missing student Megan Roberts focusing on river in centre of York. pic.twitter.com/FercQA0uN8

— Danny Savage (

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Madeleine McCann: UK Police Fly To Portugal

A Scotland Yard team is in Portugal days after authorities there received a request for help with interviewing three suspects. 1:30am UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

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Police seek motorist caught on video attacking cyclist

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Police are hunting a motorist who was caught on video apparently assaulting a cyclist in a road rage incident.

The incident, which has gone viral on YouTube, shows the male driver of a high-powered Audi A7 pushing the man off his bicycle in central London during the morning rush-hour.

A video of the incident has been watched more than half a million times since it was uploaded onto YouTube on last Thurday, when the incident took place.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed detectives they want to speak with the motorist, who is seen lunging out at the male cyclist causing him to fall off his bike onto the road surface.

The cyclist has lodged an allegation of assault, he added.

The incident was recorded by a video camera mounted on the helmet of another cyclist.

“Police in Islington are investigating an allegation of assault on a cyclist which took place in Clerkenwell Road junction with Farringdon Road, EC1 on Thursday January 23 at around 9am,” said the Metropolitan Police spokesman.

“An altercation took place between a cyclist and a male occupant of a white vehicle.

“The cyclist was apparently assaulted causing him to fall off his bike. The cyclist rode off from the scene.

“At this stage no arrests have been made. Enquiries are continuing.”

The incident appeared to be triggered when the car pulled into a cycle-only box at traffic lights on busy Farringdon Road, which connects the City with Islington to the north.

The cyclist, wearing a black woolly hat and a dark overcoat, moves backwards to remonstrate with the driver for pulling too far forward and is heard to shout: “Cycle area.”

But the white car pulls away at speed when the lights change.

The video then shows the cyclist pedalling quickly to catch up with the car, and at the next traffic lights he pulls up alongside the Audi, leans closely to the driver’s window and swears loudly at the motorist.

The helmet camera, then facing the wrong way, does not show the driver emerging from the vehicle. But as the camera turns back towards the ongoing confrontation, the driver, who appears to be in his 30s or 40s and is dressed in a smart white shirt and chinos, swings at the cyclist with his right hand.

The cyclist falls over and the driver holds his right fist in a striking position, but the cyclist gets back on his bike and rides away.

The Audi’s number plate is clearly shown in the video but the police spokesman told The Telegraph that officers were looking into whether the number plate was genuine.

The 26-year-old cyclist who recorded the incident, whose name is Jude, said: "I pulled up and when waiting for the lights to change, the Audi pulled into the box relatively aggressively.

"It wasn't shown clearly in the video how close he was to the cyclist and how intimidating this would have been.

"In reality cyclists do not like being near cars, and so when this was pointed out by the cyclist - in my opinion as a safety measure as opposed to antagonising - it was shocking to see the disregard shown to the safety of the the cyclist."

He added: "I do not agree with the response of the cyclist in shouting through the window of the car, but in reality this looked like a case of red mist that everybody will have experienced at some point.

"When the passenger of the car got out and punched the cyclist I was shocked, as that level of violence was disproportionate to say the least."

Jude, a sports journalist, declined to give his full name because he has received threats on YouTube after posting the video. At the time of the incident he was reviewing the helmet camera for a sports technology magazine.

 CrimeNews »UK News »Motoring News »David Barrett »Law and Order »

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Police appeal for information on missing Megan

Police investigating the disappearance of missing student Megan Roberts, in York, appeal for information to help find the 20-year-old 3:45PM GMT 28 Jan 2014

Megan Roberts, 20, was last seen at around 2am on Thursday in the Popworld bar in George Hudson Street, having gone out with friends on Wednesday evening.

CCTV shows her later walking toward a bridge with a group of friends, but when they appeared on the other side of the river she was not among them.

The York St John University student has not been seen since.

Miss Roberts was reported missing by her mother on Monday morning after a friend raised concerns, North Yorkshire Police said.

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Police searching for missing university student focus on river

Megan Roberts was last seen at the Popworld bar on George Hudson Street in York Photo: PA By Hayley Dixon, and agencies

6:43PM GMT 28 Jan 2014

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Police hunting for a missing university student are focusing their search on the river which runs through the city where she disappeared.

Megan Roberts, 20, was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of Thursday morning going toward the bridge with a group of friends, but when they appeared on the other side of the river she was not there.

The York St John University student has not been seen since but friends and family only realised yesterday that she was missing.

Police are searching the bank of the River Ouse in York and are reviewing CCTV footage.

Only a week before she disappeared Miss Roberts had tweeted that she and a friend Rockie Thorley, who was also out her on the night she disappeared, were followed by a man around the pubs of York, who then sat beside them staring.

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On January 16 she wrote: "Can't believe a guy just followed us from one pub to another and came and sat down next to us, staring at us like it was completely fine"

Miss Thorley continued the thread: "Megan has gone to the toilet and this creepy guy keeps staring at me and winking, probably gonna get murdered tonight and it's only 8pm yolo"

And then: "Me and Megan got up to leave and creepy guy asked us where we were going, even though he hasn't spoken to us all night....Ergh creep"

Later still: "Sat in a different pub and the creepy guy has just turned up and sat with us and said 'can't believe you here'. Wtf go away creep"

Then lastly: "The bar staff have just noticed our stalker and come to tell us that they won't be serving him anymore and not to worry we are safe :') cute"

Miss Roberts was reported missing by her mother yesterday morning after a friend raised concerns, North Yorkshire Police said.

A force spokeswoman said she was last seen at around 2am on Thursday in the Popworld bar in George Hudson Street, having gone out with friends on Wednesday evening.

CCTV footage shows Miss Roberts with a group of people on the corner of Rougher Street near Lendal Bridge at around 2.20am. The group were seen a short time later at the other side of the bridge, on Museum Street, but the student was not with them, police said.

Officers are attempting to trace her movements after she was last seen on CCTV.

Police are searching the riverbank in the city centre and an underwater search unit has been deployed, a force spokeswoman added.

Superintendent Phil Cain said: "We are very concerned for Megan's welfare and are urging the public to help us establish her movements in the early hours of Thursday 23 January 2014.

"As with all missing persons inquiries we are doing everything we can to locate Megan and make sure she is safe and well.

"Her disappearance and the fact that she has not had any contact with her family and friends for almost five days now is extremely unlike her and adds to our concern.

"Megan's family are understandably very distressed by her disappearance and I would appeal for anyone who has any information at all about where she might be to get in touch with the police as soon as possible."

Miss Roberts is described as around 5ft 6in and of medium build with long dark brown hair. When last seen she was wearing a cream knee-length dress which had large brown and orange flowers on it and black plimsolls-type shoes.

Police said that specially trained officers are supporting the missing student's family, and have dismissed the suggestion that she was being stalked.

Superintendent Phil Cain said: "We are exploring with friends who are aware of a Twitter message, which was commenting around a male in a bar where Megan was at the time.

"Friends are convinced there was nothing to suggest Megan was being stalked at that stage. We do not believe that is connected to Megan's disappearance.

"At this moment in time there's no suggestion of any criminality whatsoever and we are treating this as a missing from home."

Among those who have expressed their concern for the Miss Roberts is Peter Lawrence – the father of Claudia Lawrence, the university chef who went missing in York in 2009.

Mr Lawrence's spokesman, Martin Dales, said: "I know Peter's thoughts and prayers are very much with the family and friends of Megan Roberts.

"The 100-plus hours between when she was last seen early last Thursday morning and the reporting today makes it very difficult for those looking for her, whether police, family or friends as the first few hours of being missing are critical.

"We hope that she, and any member of the public with information, will make contact if she can – 116 000 is the Freephone number of Missing People who will confidentially pass on messages – and that she will return safely to her family and friends as soon as she can."

No trace of Miss Lawrence has ever been found and detectives believe she has been murdered.

 Law and OrderNews »UK News »Crime »Hayley Dixon »

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Magistrate's home searched by anti-terrorism police who arrested diplomat's son

By Gordon Rayner, Tom Whitehead and Sam Marsden

7:02PM GMT 28 Jan 2014

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A magistrate's home is the latest property to be raided by anti-terrorism police who had earlier arrested the son of a senior diplomat.

Officers specialising in biological and chemical threats are searching the end terrace house where Meena Patel, 54, lives with her two grown-up daughters in Stratford, east London, following the arrest of a 36-year-old woman who remains in custody.

Over the weekend officers also arrested James Sutcliffe, the 19-year-old son of Nicholas Sutcliffe, who works as First Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was later released on bail.

Both arrests were made on suspicion of offences under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act.

Mrs Patel sits on the bench at Thames Magistrates Court and was described by neighbours as a pillar of the community.

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One of her daughters, Kuntal, 36, works in the City and the other, Poonam, 33, is a pharmacist. The family are understood to be Hindus.

Today at least eight police officers wearing masks and protective suits could be seen in and around their home and garden.

The back garden and garage off an alleyway were being searched and officers had erected a tent in the alleyway. Three police vans remained parked in the street.

One neighbour said: "They are a lovely family, the girl who was arrested was definitely well educated. They are just a really quiet family.

"My mum said the family might own a pharmacy nearby. I'm not sure where exactly. I was really shocked when I read the news.

"I believe there is a mum and two daughters who live there. One works in the City and I think she earns quite good money. I think they worship at a temple nearby."

Another resident called Ben added: "I've been watching the vans since the arrests but the police wouldn't say what happened. All the masks and suits were a bit worrying.

"I don't know them - I just go to work and come home. I believe there is a mum and two daughters who live there."

Meanwhile police said they had concluded searches of diplomat Mr Sutcliffe's home and an adjacent property in Streatham Hill, south London.

Mr Sutcliffe, who has worked in Brazil and Cuba with the FCO, lives at the £650,000 four bedroom house in south London with his wife and four sons.

A relative of James Sutcliffe, who was bailed until April within hours of being arrested, said he had been told by police he had "nothing to worry about".

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said residents were at no “immediate risk” and the operation had been pre-planned and led by intelligence.

They said: "The searches are being carried out as a precautionary measure and are ongoing."

Mr Sutcliffe has been a first secretary since 2001.

His brother, Peter Sutcliffe, 49, said: “I find it extraordinary police have made an arrest and I cannot believe James has involvement in terrorism.”

 CrimeNews »UK News »Gordon Rayner »Law and Order »

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Lee Rigby trial: 'I went for jugular because it's more humane way to kill' - murder accused told police

5 Dec 2013 19:12The jury heard Michael Adebolajo say in interview: ''He may be my enemy but he is a man so I struck at the neck and attempted to remove his head to be sure. Why prolong it?''

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Royals' favourite hunt probed by police

Capt Ian Farquhar, Joint Master of the Beaufort Hunt with the hounds during a fox hunt near Tetbury, Gloucestershire Photo: PA By Miranda Prynne, News Reporter

2:19PM GMT 05 Dec 2013

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Man Arrested After Police Officer Shot In Leeds

Police reveal the officer is in hospital with "serious" injuries to her face, neck and right hand, as a firearm is recovered. 2:15pm UK, Wednesday 04 December 2013

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Don't turn police into social workers, says minister

By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent

2:30PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

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A report backed by the Labour party risks turning police officers into social workers, a minister has warned.

Damian Green, the Conservative’s policing minister, criticised last week’s independent report by Lord Stevens, the former head of the Metropolitan Police, which recommended setting out the “social mission” of the police.

Lord Stevens, who led the two-year review commissioned by Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said police were “not simply crime fighters” and should have a “civic purpose”.

But Mr Green said: “What most worried me about it was the suggestion that police need to do community work. I want the police to be out there preventing crime and catching criminals, and not acting as community workers.

“What has happened in the past is they have sent too much time chairing liaison committees with local councils and not enough time out on the street stopping criminals.”

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Speaking at a policing conference in central London, Mr Green added: “If we diffuse the focus of what they do then we end up being confused.

“Police officers have an important job to do, and social workers have an important job to do - but they are different jobs.”

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader last week described Lord Stevens’ report as “the first step in setting a new direction for policing in the 21st century”.

Lord Stevens’ inquiry acknowledged criminals are escaping justice and the public now regard the police as “sadly deteriorated”.

He warned that officers are “beating a retreat from the beat” and called for a return to neighbourhood policing and a commitment to set appropriate response times for 999 calls.

 CrimeNews »Politics »Conservative »Labour »UK News »

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Irish police colluded in murders of RUC officers Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan, report finds

Tribunal into collusion between Garda and IRA finds unidentified mole leaked information about Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan's movements on day they were killed

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Lee Rigby trial: court shown moments after alleged murderers were shot by police

The court at the Old Bailey has been shown footage of the moments the men accused of murdering soldier Lee Rigby approach police, before they are shot and then given first aid 9:05PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

At the trial of the alleged murderers of soldier Lee Rigby, the court was shown footage of Michael Adebolajo charging towards the police officers and flying into the air as he was shot. Michael Adebowale was also seen falling to the ground as he was shot.

Footage released by police also shows the moments immediately after the suspects were shot when police officers began administering first aid to the pair.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are accused of murdering Fusilier Rigby near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London on May 22, as well as attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before that day.

They both deny the charges. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.

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Lee Rigby trial: police woman thought she was going to die as man ran at her with meat cleaver, court hears

In an image released by the Metropolitan Police, Michael Adebowale is shown on the south footpath of Artillery Place  By Tom Whitehead, Security Correspondent

9:16PM GMT 03 Dec 2013

The moments when armed police shot two Islamist fanatics suspected of murdering soldier Lee Rigby were shown to a jury on Tueday.

One officer told the court she feared she was about to die as a man ran at her vehicle waving a bloodied cleaver, but her colleague “instinctively” shot him in a split-second decision.

Three armed officers arrived at the scene in Woolwich, south-east London, after bystanders saw 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby run over and then hacked to death in daylight in May.

His alleged attackers, Michael Adebolajo 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, waited for police to arrive before running at them. CCTV footage was shown to the Old Bailey jury on the third day of the murder trial.

One officer, identified only as E48 and giving evidence from behind a screen, said he had “very little time” to act as Adebolajo bore down on their police car with a meat cleaver and knife.

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“He almost instantly broke into a sprint and I realised we were being attacked,” said the officer. “I seemed to react instinctively.”

He said a female colleague who had been driving was “defenceless” in the front seat, adding: “The second he started sprinting at us still in possession of that knife I made the decision to fire.”

In a written statement, his female colleague, referred to as D49, said: “I saw a black male running at me waving both his hands in the air in a chopping motion. In his right hand I saw what I call a meat cleaver or a machete.

“I instantly thought, 'He’s going to kill me’.”

The force of E48’s shot threw Adebolajo to the ground and the three officers then leapt out of the car and saw Adebowale, who was holding a gun.

D49 said: “I thought, 'Oh my God he’s going to shoot me’. I feared for my life.” The third officer then shot Adebowale but the attacker raised his gun while lying on the ground.

E48 told the jury: “I’ve still got a distinct image in my mind of him holding a black revolver in his hand which I clearly saw, which struck me as unusual because he’d just been shot.”

Police fired again at the hand holding the gun and shot Adebowale’s thumb off.

The officers then immediately administered first aid, said E48, adding: “Once the threat is neutralised we have a duty of care to all persons to save life, no matter who they are.”

Earlier, the court was shown a video clip of Adebolajo telling members of the public he had attacked Fusilier Rigby in retaliation for British soldiers killing Muslims. He then told paramedic Nicholas Goh: “I don’t want anyone to die, I just want the soldiers out of my country.”.

Adebolajo also told him he wished the bullets had killed him, Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, said.

In a statement, Stephen Berry, another paramedic, said Adebolajo told him that “British soldiers deserved to die” for raping and killing women “in our lands”.

The defendant later told Pc Melita Vejnovic in hospital that he had never intended to hurt civilians, only the military.

Michelle Nimmo, a witness, said in a statement that one of the alleged attackers had a “smirk” on his face and both men appeared “proud” of what they had done. “They stood around looking proud and posing with the gun and knives. They made no attempt to run away.”

Her mother, Tina, broke down in tears as she gave evidence in person. She said she had pleaded with the two attackers to stop, shouting and swearing at them.

Sarah Riordan, another witness, who was heavily pregnant at the time, said in her statement that she began experiencing “contracting pains” as events unfolded, but was given the all clear at hospital.

Abebolajo and Adebowale both deny murdering the soldier, as well as counts of attempted murder of a police officer and conspiracy to murder.

The case continues.

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Leeds manhunt after police woman shot

By Alice Philipson, and agencies

8:40AM GMT 04 Dec 2013

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A manhunt has been launched after a police woman was shot and injured in Leeds.

West Yorkshire Police are looking for James Leslie, 37, in connection with the incident which took place shortly after 4am in the Hyde Park area.

Two uniformed officers attended a ''routine call'' to a disturbance and were confronted by a man at the address who fired at them.

''One female officer received serious but non life threatening injuries. A male officer was uninjured. The female officer is currently undergoing treatment in hospital,'' said a police spokesman.

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Amanda Fawcett, an employee at Greggs bakery on Cardigan Road, said the area was popular with students from Leeds University.

"I've been working at Greggs for eight years and I've never seen anything like this before," she said.

"It's an area really popular with students."

She witnessed the aftermath of the incident as she arrived at work around 7.30am.

"I got off my bus, walked around the corner and saw loads of tape around a really big old house on the road.

"There was an ambulance and loads of police. I knew something really bad had happened because there was all that tape and loads of officers."

Twitter: Yvette Cooper - Thoughts & best wishes with police officer shot in Leeds for speedy recovery & all at WYP. Shows risks police take each day to keep us safe

Ned Liddemore, vice chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, described the incident as "a cowardly attack".

He said: "This was a cowardly attack on two unarmed police officers dealing with a so called 'routine' call.

"As has been shown in the early hours of this morning there is no such thing as a routine call when it comes to police officers.

"Yet again the dangers faced by our colleagues, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, has been made abundantly clear.

"When the public of West Yorkshire are sound asleep in their beds, our officers are still our there doing there

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Leeds shooting: police hunt James Leslie, latest updates

James Leslie Photo: PA By Theo Merz and Josh Warwick

10:27AM GMT 04 Dec 2013

900002013-12-04 10:55:09.0http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10493534/Manhunt-launched-after-police-woman-shot-live.html?service

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