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End Lies And Corruption In Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services

Leeds Anarchist Black Cross | 21.05.2012 10:11 | Repression | World

Writing in support of prisoner John Bowden.




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

Leeds Anarchist Black Cross
- e-mail: leedsabc@riseup.net
- Homepage: www.leedsabc.org

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

freepost?

21.05.2012 11:59

tried calling the number listed for michelle, and was told that her "main office is in waverley court"

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

Great stuff 'In Solidarity'. Sounds like they're adopting siege tactics. A FREEPOST address would be lots of fun!

ABCer


Real solidarity

22.05.2012 07:04

John Bowden was instrumental in getting the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4 publicity at a time when nobody wanted to know about their cases and they were villified in much the same way as John Bowden has been. John has never claimed to be innocent himself, but has always fought for justice for others. He is being punished today for speaking out against injustice and for exposing malpractice and brutality in prison, something he has done tirelessly and effectively for thirty years.

ex-con
mail e-mail: X
- Homepage: X


Read more about John Bowden

22.05.2012 07:25

John Bowden's book Tear Down The Walls! is free to download here -  http://leedsabc.org/pdfs/

ex-con
mail e-mail: X
- Homepage: X


Barnett

23.05.2012 00:21

Barnett is a total nobody more used to doing reports on smackheads and small-time thiefs. He is a nasty peice of work but is way out of his depth here. That lot stick together like shit to a blancket but if there is enough publicity they wont be able to sweep his lies under the rug. Lets support John Bowden as best we can

Tam


Keep up the pressure

23.05.2012 09:42

The thing is with these bastards - screws and prison social workers - they're used to just doing whatever they want, well away from the public gaze, and without any challenge. So they get nasty when they don't get their own way. We have to keep up the pressure and continue to expose their lies and corruption.

ABC supporter


a broad spectrum

23.05.2012 11:55

You know you are winning when the mods have to illegally censor the comments because they contain sound reasoning and facts.

Good work. Keep up the fight! No surrender!

solidarity


Jog on screw!

23.05.2012 14:23

"illegally"?! LOL! Why don't you send them a nicking sheet? John Bowden may not be in a position to defend himself against your lies, but he has plenty of friends on both sides of the prison walls.

ABCer


Nice sunny day today

26.05.2012 15:24

Good day to take a walk in the countryside.
Maybe stop off in a beer garden for a cool pint in the shade

good un