End Lies And Corruption In Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services
Leeds Anarchist Black Cross | 21.05.2012 10:11 | Repression | World
Long-term prison militant John Bowden is certainly no stranger to harassment and injustice within prison, nor is he unfamiliar with social workers making up lies. The latest episode in John’s 32 year-long battle for freedom however, certainly has something of the Kafkaesque about it. Basically an idiot social worker called Brendan Barnett prepared a report for the Parole Board containing the sort of lies which would put shame to a naughty three year-old – the full story is at http://leedsabc.org/corrupt-social-workers-attempt-to-rid-themselves-of-prisoner-john-bowden/ All the indications are however that Barnett is not simply a silly little boy, he is rather a malicious liar abusing his position of power over a long-term prisoner. Unfortunately, when John Bowden made an official complaint, Barnett’s colleagues closed ranks, and are currently attempting to have John banished from Scotland, so letting Barnett (and themselves) off the hook. This corruption apparently goes right to the top, as John explains in his most recent article on the sordid affair:
“I have now complained to Peter Gabbitas, Director of Health and Social Care Department in Edinburgh, who has overall responsibility for Barnett and his colleagues, and he has yet to even acknowledge my letter, which suggests a disinclination on his part to recognise either my existence or that of my complaint. Incredibly, it would seem that a pathological liar like Barnett has the absolute freedom to describe someone in an official report as a “racist and homophobic” serial killer without a shred of evidence, and absolutely no one in his entire department has the integrity or moral courage to criticise or expose him, and that apparently includes even the department’s Director. The complete absence of any basic integrity among those at Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services is both scandalous and deeply worrying for those under its supervision.”
Since Mr Gabbitas seems to have overlooked John Bowden’s letter to him, we thought we’d send him a reminder in the form of an A2 postcard, which reads as follows:
Dear Mr Gabbitas,
We believe that you are aware of complaints made against social worker Brendan Barnett by John Bowden, complaints which so far have been ignored by Mr Barnett’s senior colleagues, something which we think indicates a certain amount of departmental corruption. Like Mr Bowden, we take the view that Mr Barnett is either a malicious liar or that he is totally incompetent. In either case we do not believe Mr Barnett is a suitable or fit person to be writing reports on prisoners.
To date, Mr Bowden has not received a response to his letter to you. We hope that you are taking his complaint seriously. WE certainly are.
Please investigate this matter without further delay.
Yours faithfully.
Leeds Anarchist Black Cross
You can also write in support of John Bowden to one or more of the following (as well as to Brendan Barnett at the same address – and phone number - as Michelle Miller):
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NS.
Social Work Advice and Complaints Service, Waverley Court, Level 1/7, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG.
Michelle Miller, Chief Social Worker, Grindlay Court Social Work Centre, Criminal Justice Services, 2-4 Grindlay Court, Edinburgh, EH3 9AR. (Telephone: 0131 469 3408)
Peter Gabbitas, Director, Health and Social Care Department, Waverly Court, Level 1/8, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8DG.
Letters of support to John Bowden should be sent to:
John Bowden
6729
HMP Shotts
Cantrell Road
Shotts
Scotland
ML7 4LE.
You can also send e-mails to John (or any other prisoner) via: http://www.emailaprisoner.com
“I have now complained to Peter Gabbitas, Director of Health and Social Care Department in Edinburgh, who has overall responsibility for Barnett and his colleagues, and he has yet to even acknowledge my letter, which suggests a disinclination on his part to recognise either my existence or that of my complaint. Incredibly, it would seem that a pathological liar like Barnett has the absolute freedom to describe someone in an official report as a “racist and homophobic” serial killer without a shred of evidence, and absolutely no one in his entire department has the integrity or moral courage to criticise or expose him, and that apparently includes even the department’s Director. The complete absence of any basic integrity among those at Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services is both scandalous and deeply worrying for those under its supervision.”
Since Mr Gabbitas seems to have overlooked John Bowden’s letter to him, we thought we’d send him a reminder in the form of an A2 postcard, which reads as follows:
Dear Mr Gabbitas,
We believe that you are aware of complaints made against social worker Brendan Barnett by John Bowden, complaints which so far have been ignored by Mr Barnett’s senior colleagues, something which we think indicates a certain amount of departmental corruption. Like Mr Bowden, we take the view that Mr Barnett is either a malicious liar or that he is totally incompetent. In either case we do not believe Mr Barnett is a suitable or fit person to be writing reports on prisoners.
To date, Mr Bowden has not received a response to his letter to you. We hope that you are taking his complaint seriously. WE certainly are.
Please investigate this matter without further delay.
Yours faithfully.
Leeds Anarchist Black Cross
You can also write in support of John Bowden to one or more of the following (as well as to Brendan Barnett at the same address – and phone number - as Michelle Miller):
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NS.
Social Work Advice and Complaints Service, Waverley Court, Level 1/7, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG.
Michelle Miller, Chief Social Worker, Grindlay Court Social Work Centre, Criminal Justice Services, 2-4 Grindlay Court, Edinburgh, EH3 9AR. (Telephone: 0131 469 3408)
Peter Gabbitas, Director, Health and Social Care Department, Waverly Court, Level 1/8, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8DG.
Letters of support to John Bowden should be sent to:
John Bowden
6729
HMP Shotts
Cantrell Road
Shotts
Scotland
ML7 4LE.
You can also send e-mails to John (or any other prisoner) via: http://www.emailaprisoner.com
Leeds Anarchist Black Cross
e-mail:
leedsabc@riseup.net
Homepage:
www.leedsabc.org
Comments
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freepost?
21.05.2012 11:59
on the council website they list this number (0131 553 8395) for all complaints/ comments related to the social work dept. but it's got an answer machine on it.
excitingly, they also mention that you can complain in writing, and that there's a freepost address for doing this (which is on the leaflets you can pick up at any of their offices - is there anyone in edinburgh who can get this address for the rest of us to use?)
in solidarity
Freepost
21.05.2012 14:58
ABCer
WTF
21.05.2012 16:34
Hello? This is a monster straight out of a horror movie.
no solidarity
No it isn't!
21.05.2012 17:08
ABCer
@ABCer
21.05.2012 17:21
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/05/17/saw-killer-john-bowden-goes-on-run-from-prison-86908-20420344/
no solidarity
Attn Brendan Barneu
21.05.2012 17:53
ABCer
More trolling
21.05.2012 18:16
Hands Off John Bowden
now im confused
21.05.2012 19:41
no solidarity
Too right you're confused
21.05.2012 20:38
ABCer
I get that.
21.05.2012 20:47
I'm not interested in why he is in prison. I'm interested in if it true that he did the murder.
Why? I cannot, for reasons of my own, show solidarity with someone who killed a man with a machete, a saw and an electric carving knife by dismemberment whilst they were still alive.
The above commenters said it is a lie what is written in the paper. I can find many sources that collaborate this information so I'm very dubious when people say he was put in prison for writing books rather than murder. But they also seem to avoid answering the question and go off on a tangent.
no solidarity
No, YOU'RE not listening screw
21.05.2012 21:13
Solidarity
Guess John Bowden will just have to manage without your "solidarity" troll
21.05.2012 21:31
ABCer
thats rubbish
21.05.2012 21:31
John Bowden killed a guy by hitting in the head with a machete, putting him in a bath of scolding water and then dismember him whilst he was still alive, by chopping off his arms first, then his legs, then his head.
No, none of my sources said the rest of that rambling nonsense about serial or homophobic/racist stuff. But they did say he was into stalking women or something
no solidarity
labeling
21.05.2012 21:50
no solidarity
A pack of lies
21.05.2012 21:52
ABCer
The mask begins to slip
21.05.2012 22:17
Spartacus
Real solidarity
22.05.2012 07:04
ex-con
e-mail: X
Homepage: X
Read more about John Bowden
22.05.2012 07:25
ex-con
e-mail: X
Homepage: X
not buying it
22.05.2012 16:56
I think 99.999999% of prisoners probably moan about being locked up etc.
He started off stealing, breaking/entering etc and went downhill from there.
Bad choices got himself into prison. Can't blame anyone else, yet he seems to discard all responsbility for his own actions.
no solidarity
John Bowden vs Charlie Bronson
22.05.2012 20:59
The most expensive?
Who would win in a fight 1 on 1 bare chested?
the people
The People?
22.05.2012 21:28
Anarchist
cereal killer
22.05.2012 21:36
Donald Ryan was lured to Bowden's apartment by Bowden and two other men. When he arrived he was hit over the head with a machete. Ryan then was pushed into a bath tub filled wiht scalding hot water, it was then when Ryan fainted. At this point Bowden carried Ryan into his bedroom. Bowden then used a machete, a saw, and an electric carving knife. First, Ryan's arms were severed, then his legs. Finally, he was decapitated.
The body was discarded the body in the streets of South London, except for the head. Bowden kept the head in his refrigerator. He later dumped the head in a dustbin, where it was found by dustmen. Bowden doesnt deny any of this
Now he is the eternal victim
Sounds like a classic psychopath
cornflake
In Support of John
22.05.2012 21:57
George Coombs
e-mail: georgecoombs3@virginmedia.com
innocent
22.05.2012 23:11
supporter
Fruitcake
22.05.2012 23:45
Old Lag
PS
22.05.2012 23:56
Old Lag
Barnett
23.05.2012 00:21
Tam
ACAB
23.05.2012 06:34
ACAB
i can see both viewpoints
23.05.2012 09:21
He may be a nice guy, he may campaign for prisoners rights, he may do the washing up after a round of brews, but that is irrelevant when you consider: is he going to be safe in society?
I'm not so sure. Theres that hostage taking situation with a knife at parkhurst. That worries me. Is this a guy who deals with disputes by using extreme violence? Is it responsible to release that type of person into society. What if they do and then john grabs a hostage over some dispute? Whos job is on the line then? the press would have a field day.
please dont rant
Keep up the pressure
23.05.2012 09:42
ABC supporter
a broad spectrum
23.05.2012 11:55
Good work. Keep up the fight! No surrender!
solidarity
Jog on screw!
23.05.2012 14:23
ABCer
Nice sunny day today
26.05.2012 15:24
Maybe stop off in a beer garden for a cool pint in the shade
good un
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