Watching the Detectives.....................

Saturday 28 May 2011

Two unmarked police cars clamped as surveillance officers sat INSIDE...


Two police cars were clamped while royal protection officers sat inside during a visit by the Queen, police said yesterday.

The incident happened when the Queen made an unannounced visit to Portsmouth to have lunch on a luxury yacht on Wednesday.

The officers were sitting in their unmarked cars in private residents’ spaces at the Gunwharf Quays marina retail complex.

Oblivious: The Queen during her unannounced visit to Portsmouth where she had lunch with Sir Donald Gosling on his yacht the Leander
Oblivious: The Queen during her unannounced visit to Portsmouth where she had lunch with Sir Donald Gosling on his yacht the Leander

The clamper, Gareth Andrews, 37, of Fareham, Hampshire, was arrested and charged with wilfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty.
He was also charged with contravening the Private Security Industry Act by not displaying the appropriate licensing badge.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘Mr Andrews clamped two unmarked police vehicles preventing the officers, who were at Gunwharf as part of a security operation, from conducting their duties. The officers had not left the vehicles at the time they were clamped.’

It is understood that the Queen had arranged to have lunch with NCP car park boss Sir Donald Gosling on his 245ft yacht, Leander. She arrived in Southsea by helicopter and was taken in a green Range Rover to Gunwharf Quays.
Shoppers were taken by surprise when word spread that she was at the centre but a small crowd gathered to greet her.

Andrews, who works for Shoal Enforcement, will appear at South and South East Hampshire Magistrates’ Court in Portsmouth next Friday.

Mike Eames, managing director of the parking enforcement company, denied the officers were in the cars when they were clamped.
‘A member of our staff immobilised two cars parked in private residents’ bays,’ he said. ‘A plainclothes police officer produced his warrant card and requested that both vehicles be released.

‘Our member of staff confirmed he would release the vehicles if the officer would provide confirmation that he was on duty. The officer declined and arrested our member of staff.

‘At no time did the police officer identify himself as a royal protection officer or make any mention of the Queen’s visit.

‘There were no officers in the vehicles during the incident and our member of staff was correctly displaying his licence.’

Out of action: The two unmarked police vehicles were clamped while officers sat behind the wheel (File photo)
Out of action: The two unmarked police vehicles were clamped while officers sat behind the wheel (File photo)

27th May 2011

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