Sussex Police in YouTube witness blunder (From The Argus)
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Sussex Police in YouTube witness blunder
10:19am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in News By Emily Walker, Chief Reporter
Teenage witnesses to a vicious Bexhill attack were accidentally named on the internet in a Sussex Police blunder.
Sussex Police has apologised after they released a YouTube video of an interview of soldier Ashley Dacosta after he was jailed for the racial assault which left Bexhill teenager Mo Bourner |in a coma.
In Dacosta’s interview he named several young witnesses. Sussex Police intended to publish an edited version of the footage, protecting the identities of the young witnesses. However, the unedited footage was posted on the video-sharing site by mistake. The force was yesterday forced to retract the footage and issue an apology.
Recalling the footage they said: “On Monday, July 30 a YouTube clip of a 20-minute interview of Ashley Dacosta in custody was released with a press release about his sentencing at Hove Crown Court for the attack on Mo Bourner.
“This particular clip was uploaded in error as it reveals the names of several witnesses. Kindly note because of this licence to use it has now been withdrawn.
“We apologise for the error and any inconvenience it may have caused and thank you for your cooperation in not using the clip.”
There is no automatic legal restriction on naming witnesses who give evidence in court unless a specific court order is put on the case protecting their anonymity.
No court order was in force preventing the witnesses being identified, but Sussex Police said it went “against their own policy”.
The police press officer responsible for the error said: “There were a number of young witnesses and there were teenagers named. We just thought it would be inappropriate to name the witnesses.”
A spokeswoman later added: “Having checked with the investigation team, there is not believed to be any risk to the individuals named, all of whom were already known to Dacosta. There were no court orders prohibiting their names being reported.
“The video was not listed on our public YouTube page but was accessible to those with the direct link that was released to the media.”
The link to the footage was published on Sussex Police’s website.
Comments(13)
bogs
says...
11:12am Wed 8 Aug 12
Goldenwight
says...
11:28am Wed 8 Aug 12
And the Argus were perfectly at liberty to name those witnesses during the trial or afterwards. As indeed they still could.
mimseycal
says...
12:11pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Helena Handcart
says...
1:52pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Nathan_Adler wrote:They are only doing the best they can, without them you would all be dead in your beds, people in Ulan Bator would die for a Police Force like this. Posting stuff on youtube is perfectly acceptable for a Police Force to do.
Sussex Police - Brilliant!!!!
THERE! Save you writing your pathetic flag waving drivel boys! Sussex police remain Clueless.
AmboGuy
says...
2:52pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Helena Handcart wrote:Dear dear, you are one angry young man aren't you!
Nathan_Adler wrote:They are only doing the best they can, without them you would all be dead in your beds, people in Ulan Bator would die for a Police Force like this. Posting stuff on youtube is perfectly acceptable for a Police Force to do.
Sussex Police - Brilliant!!!!
THERE! Save you writing your pathetic flag waving drivel boys! Sussex police remain Clueless.
Listen we're sorry to hear about your brushes with the law and your troubled upbringing but all of this hate will really do you no good at all.
Have you ever thought of learning to meditate? Might be a better way to express all that anger you have inside you.
Helena Handcart
says...
4:26pm Wed 8 Aug 12
AmboGuy wrote:What are you talking about? Your inane inaccurate and unhelpful drivel has already marked you out to be the village idiot on this site. I know it goes with the profession but please! Spare us your Taxi Driver pontifications (Look it up)
Helena Handcart wrote:Dear dear, you are one angry young man aren't you!
Nathan_Adler wrote:They are only doing the best they can, without them you would all be dead in your beds, people in Ulan Bator would die for a Police Force like this. Posting stuff on youtube is perfectly acceptable for a Police Force to do.
Sussex Police - Brilliant!!!!
THERE! Save you writing your pathetic flag waving drivel boys! Sussex police remain Clueless.
Listen we're sorry to hear about your brushes with the law and your troubled upbringing but all of this hate will really do you no good at all.
Have you ever thought of learning to meditate? Might be a better way to express all that anger you have inside you.
getThisCoalitionOut
says...
4:32pm Wed 8 Aug 12
I know which way I'm driven - they are bad, all of them are bad, all over the country.
Helena Handcart
says...
4:39pm Wed 8 Aug 12
While this obsession with hating the Ambilance service and the police is quite sweet it is also a little bit creepy.
Now stop trolling and get back to your dysfunctional family.
Allow me to respond Ambo..
Hmmmmmm Well Cab Driver...
Now, forgive me if I am mistaken, but surely, someone who purports (look it up!) to be an Ambulance Driver would know how to spell the word AMBULANCE......perha
ps it is easier if you just write TAXI in future... unless you do indeed drive an Ambilance. Cretin.
Helena Handcart
says...
4:41pm Wed 8 Aug 12
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:It was the praise that the wannabee Emergency Service Guy Ambo (Who cannot even spell what he is supposed to be!) and his alter ego PC DC360 usually type.. I was saving them the bother. They never post on the ones that show the Police as they are or on the Guilty ones..
I wonder if helena handcart is as Schizophrenic as she appears? One minute in her post she's praising the police, the next she's slating them down! Make your mind up.
I know which way I'm driven - they are bad, all of them are bad, all over the country.
In answer, I used to be, but we are much better now. xxxxxx MWAH!
AmboGuy
says...
7:19pm Wed 8 Aug 12
For your information (because you seem to be very ignorant to this fact) I have never ever said that I am an 'Ambulance Driver' as there is no such job! Please try to do a bit of research before you post as you've made yourself look stupid saying that. I am a Paramedic and have been so for a number of years. The Ambulance service is comprised (look that up sparky) of Technicians and Paramedics working in the ambulances, I suppose you think Fire fighters are called 'fire engine drivers' too.
Now go an spout your hate somewhere else you sad little man.
Helena Handcart
says...
10:12pm Wed 8 Aug 12
AmboGuy wrote:Ambilance was what you said, wannabe lmao. Ferrying oldies to get their dressing changed is worthwhile too mate but does not make you a paramedic. Hence the smell of stale urine and the adoration of any police you meet. You come across as an uneducated buffoon towing the Police line slavishly and it is becoming monotonous and boorish, as well as imbecilic in its content. The comments on here are prove you and your bf dc360 are becoming figures of ridicule.
Excuse me for the typo troll.
For your information (because you seem to be very ignorant to this fact) I have never ever said that I am an 'Ambulance Driver' as there is no such job! Please try to do a bit of research before you post as you've made yourself look stupid saying that. I am a Paramedic and have been so for a number of years. The Ambulance service is comprised (look that up sparky) of Technicians and Paramedics working in the ambulances, I suppose you think Fire fighters are called 'fire engine drivers' too.
Now go an spout your hate somewhere else you sad little man.
Helena Handcart
says...
12:09pm Thu 9 Aug 12
AmboGuy wrote:Firefighters not Fire fighters, which a real 'Ambilance' man would know... 60 degree wash with Astonish will remove that pervading odour, try it.
Excuse me for the typo troll.
For your information (because you seem to be very ignorant to this fact) I have never ever said that I am an 'Ambulance Driver' as there is no such job! Please try to do a bit of research before you post as you've made yourself look stupid saying that. I am a Paramedic and have been so for a number of years. The Ambulance service is comprised (look that up sparky) of Technicians and Paramedics working in the ambulances, I suppose you think Fire fighters are called 'fire engine drivers' too.
Now go an spout your hate somewhere else you sad little man.
Nathan_Adler says...
10:32am Wed 8 Aug 12