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New Broom Needed To Sweep Away Brendan Barnett’s Lies

Leeds Anarchist Black Cross | 01.06.2012 16:14 | Repression | World




The response of ‘Edinburg Criminal Justice Services’ to John Bowden’s legitimate complaints about the pack of lies told about him in a report to the Parole Board by scumbag prison social worker Brendan ‘Pinocchio’ Barnett has been to try and cover-up Barnett’s lies and instigate John Bowden’s transfer out of Scotland and back into the English prison system. As John says in his most recent article ( http://leedsabc.org/corrupt-social-workers-attempt-to-rid-themselves-of-prisoner-john-bowden/):

“Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services, or what used to be known as the plain Social Work Department, have seriously compromised their professional integrity by defending a member of staff who deliberately told lies in a report to the Parole Boards in an attempt to sabotage my chances of release from prison. Behaving like corrupt policemen instead of traditional social workers seems now to be acceptable practice at Edinburgh Social Services.”

This sort of behaviour may be acceptable in the corrupt corridors of ‘Edinburg Criminal Justice Services’, but it will not go unchallenged.

Senior Social Worker Michelle Miller, along with her colleagues, seems to have spent a lot of time recently trying to sweep Brendan ‘Pinocchio’ Barnett’s lies under the carpet. So we thought we’d send her a new broom and give her the opportunity to sweep Grindlay Court Social Work Department clean. We won’t hold our breath, but we ARE holding our noses, because the stench of corruption is reaching us here in Leeds.

John Bowden is highly respected by prisoners throughout the Scottish and English prison system, but hated by the screws, whose corruption and brutality he’s been exposing for 30 years, so it’s hardly surprising that the low-life scum troll any thread about John’s struggle to try and blacken his name with more lies. For his part, Brendan ‘Pinocchio’ Barnett, is typical of the pathetic little wankers who abuse their power over prisoners, and is clearly frustrated and hopping mad at having his lies publically exposed. We have only one suggestion for you Barnett: Get down the Job Centre!

John Bowden has always been prepared to fight for other prisoners, he needs our support now. Please help to expose Brendan ‘Pinocchio’ Barnett’s lies and the corruption of ‘Edinburg Criminal Justice Services’.

There is a Day of Action in support of John Bowden on Monday June 11th. Please organise what you can – banner drops, demos, phone-ins, letter writing, etc – and please help spread word of this call as widely as possible.

Some useful contacts:

Brendan ‘Pinnochio’ Barnett, Grindlay Court Social Work Centre, Criminal Justice Services, 2-4 Grindlay Court, Edinburgh, EH3 9AR. (Telephone: 0131 469 3408 Fax 0131 229 8628)

Michelle Miller, Chief Social Worker, Grindlay Court Social Work Centre, Criminal Justice Services, 2-4 Grindlay Court, Edinburgh, EH3 9AR. (Telephone: 0131 469 3408 Fax 0131 229 8628) NB Michelle Miller also works out of Waverly Court, see details for Peter Gabbitas below.

Peter Gabbitas, Director, Health and Social Care Department, Waverly Court, Level 1/8, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8DG. (Telephone 0131 553 8201 Fax 0131 529 6218).

Social Work Advice and Complaints Service, Waverley Court, Level 1/7, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG. (Telephone 0131 529 6217 Email  socialwork.complaints@edinburgh.gov.uk).

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NS.
Scottish Prison Service HQ, Communications Branch, Room 338, Calton House, 5 Redheughs Rigg, Edinburgh, EH12 9HW. (Telephone 01259 760 471 Fax 01259 762 003 E-mail  gaolinfo@sps.gov.uk

Ian Whitehead (Governor), HMP Shotts, Cantrell Road, Shotts, Scotland, ML7 4LE. (Telephone 01501 824000 Fax 01501 824 001 ).

Letters and cards of support to John at: 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

You can download John Bowden’s pamphlet ‘Tear Down The Walls!’ free of charge from the PDF section of the Leeds ABC website at www.leedsabc.org

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

Comments

Hide the following 11 comments

When you think that whole world is mad....

01.06.2012 21:00

It probably means you are.

Leave Barnett alone. He has the backing of everyone else who's job it is to do what he is doing.

Stop picking on Barnett!

anon


LOL!

01.06.2012 23:04

Barnett DOES NOT have the backing of everyone else! The lies he's told do not hold up to scrutiny and the vicious campaign he's conducting against John Bowden deserves to be exposed. Barnett's own colleagues are already beginning to turn against him, and it will only be a matter of time before the power-crazed little crank is marginilised and left with a tattered reputation, just as Matthew Stillman was. Barnett will then have nobody, but himself to blame.

Free John Bowden


Stop picking on JOHN BOWDEN!

02.06.2012 00:16

It's John Bowden who's the victim here: The victim of Brendan Barnett's lies and victim of what has amounted to a personal vendetta in recent weeks. It has been totally irresponsible for Edinburgh Social Services to fail to investigate this matter, and this 'my colleague right or wrong' attitude is entirely inappropriate.

Jed


Barnett's lies

02.06.2012 08:45

When this situation first came about, the lies told by Barnett were so ludicrous and easy to disprove, it was thought he might just have got two cases confused. However it quickly became clear that he acted maliciously. As with numerous other social work scandals, management then sort to close ranks to protect their department irrespective of the harm being done. They thought they would get away with it because they were dealing with a prisoner; vulnerable and powerless. But they were wrong; they hadn't counted on the amazing strength and resilience of John Bowden, nor the solidarity of the ABC.

ABC supporter


idea

02.06.2012 09:32

"They thought they would get away with it because they were dealing with a prisoner; vulnerable and powerless. But they were wrong; they hadn't counted on the amazing strength and resilience of John Bowden, nor the solidarity of the ABC."

That would make a great tagline for a movie. Jean Claude Van Damme stars as John Bowden, a fugitive fighting for justice against a corrupt system.

wersal


Not so funny

02.06.2012 12:40

The way that John Bowden has been treated would make a good subject for a serious documentary - if the budgets for investigative news programmes hadn't all but disappeared in favour of 'Police, camera, action' shows and other cheap trash TV, and if more than a few people gave a fuck about what goes on behind prison walls.

ABC supporter


FUCK Brendan Barnett

02.06.2012 14:39

He is a lying manipulative little shit and it says a lot about Edinburgh CJS that the prick is employed there.

ACAB


really?

02.06.2012 19:34

It may interest you to know that Brendan Barnett does a lot of charity work in his own time, so i doubt he is a "little shit"

Grouty


Oh, you are getting desperate!

02.06.2012 21:16

That you Barnett, you sad sack?! I couldn't give a fuck what Barnett does in his 'spare time' (which I hope he soon has a lot more of). It's what he does in his proffessional time that's at issue here - telling lies in a prisoner's parole report, lies that don't stand up to a minute's scrutiny, and then conducting a very personal and vicious campaign, not only to stop their release, but to have them thrown out of the country. So calling the worthless, lying bastard a 'little shit' is I think an understatement.

ABCer


The "charity work" of Brendan Barnett!

02.06.2012 21:55

Playing Pinocchio in panto is he? What bullshit! Which charity?! Cos he doesn't seem to be linked to any. Barnett really must be getting desperate!

Salmon n Trouty


I'll have you know!

02.06.2012 23:25

Brendan Barnett plays nose trombone in the Liars Anonymous orchestra to raise money for the Screws' Benevolent Fund. And less of the 'little' please, I'll have you know that inside that diminuative body there's a swaggering arrogant bastard trying to get out.

Another lying bastard social worker