In a hair -raising clamp about free speech, two police officers visit a grandmother – simply to criticize Labor politicians on Facebook.
Detectives were accused last night of the worn as the dreaded Stasi Secret Police van Oost -Germany for the interrogation of Helen Jones about her calls for the resignation of local council members who are involved in the WhatsApp scandal that was exposed by the post on Sunday.
The police admitted that the 54-year-old had not committed a crime but Mrs. Jones says that she was effectively silenced by the officers because she was intimidated by them who called to her door and is terrified of again on social media post.
“It was actually pretty scary. It reminded me that it is best to just remain silent for the rest of my life, because nowadays you just can't say anything, “she said.
The reply from the police of Greater Manchester was also branded of time and scarce resources at a time when so many crimes are not investigated.
Former conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith described the police action as' pathetic 'and called them the' thoughtless thought -police ', adding it:' It is a waste of the police. It is absurd that they started talking to her. They should have rejected it on the spot. '
And Toby Young, director of the Free Speech Union, said: 'This is typical of the weird authoritarian atmosphere that grew up in
Great -Britain since Sir Keir Starmer took over control. Good luck with the convincing of the Greater Manchester police to send two police officers to your house if you have been broken into or your car has been stolen. '
Doorcam images of the police who visit the House of Helen Jones on Tuesday 18 February
Helen Jones (photo) called for the resignation of the local council members who are involved in the WhatsApp scandal that was exposed by the post on Sunday
It is the last in a series of incidents in which the police have investigated people for reports on social media, including newspaper columnist Allison Pearon Pearson, feminist writer Julie Bindel and former police officer Harry Miller, whose name was added to a database for his non-miscarriage hate incident ' . Miller, who founded the Fair COP campaign group, said about the treatment of Mrs. Jones: 'It is flying to our liberties and it is wrong. That is much more related to a European police – or even worse a Stasi Police Force. '
The two officers of the normal course arrived at Mrs. Jones's house and demanded to talk to her after she had commented on the attacking messages that were shared in a Labor WhatsApp group that exposed the post on Sunday this month. Our story led to the dismissal of Minister of Health Andrew Gwynne and the suspension of Burnley MP Oliver Ryan and 11 Labor Councilors.
The police beat in stockport within 48 hours of receiving a complaint on her door, in contrast to how they responded to other crime reports. Mrs Jones, a school manager, said that the police did not investigate a wave of car thefts in the surrounding streets last year.
The police of Greater Manchester have one of the highest crime figures in Great Britain and is unable to resolve nearly three of the four shoplifting incidents.
The extraordinary episode took place days after this newspaper revealed how Gwynne, the Member of Parliament for Gorton and Denton, placed a mean message to Labor colleagues on a WhatsApp group that said the next elections. He made the attacking comment about the WhatsApp group of 'Trigger Me Timbers' after the pensioner sent a letter to Stockport Labor collection member David Sedgwick who complained about her BIN collections.
Around 4.30 pm last Tuesday, while Mrs. Jones took care of her baby grandson in a nearby house, knocked a detective sergeant and another officer at her door and spoke with her husband Lee, 54, via an intercom
Mrs. Jones said: “[The officer] said: “We had a complaint” and I immediately asked, “whose?”, And he said, “Well, I can't tell you that”
Gwynne also posted racist and sexist messages and made jokes about a cycling campaigner who was 'mowed' by a truck. The standards watchdog of Parliament has started an investigation into him.
In the aftermath of the scandal, Mrs. Jones repeatedly posted that CLLR Sedgwick must resign from his Heaton's North Seat on a closed Facebook group called 4Heaton Hub, and another publicly available page called Reddish Matters.
In a message on 4Heaton's Hub, Mrs. Jones said about CLLR Sedgwick: 'Let's hope he will do it decent and resigns. Somehow I think that his ego does not allow it. “In another, after placing screenshots of the Trigger Me Timbers Group, Mrs. Jones wrote:” Doesn't look good for CLLR Sedgwick !!! ” To which another member has been added: “CLLR Sedgwick, are you going to resign?”
Around 1.30 pm last Tuesday, while Mrs. Jones took care of her baby grandson in a nearby house, knocked a detective sergeant and another officer on her door and spoke with her husband Lee, 54, via an intercom.
A shocked Mrs. Jones rushed home and feared that something had happened to be tragic with a loved one. At 2.15 pm she received a phone call from an officer who considered the same sergeant who knocked on her door and was told that the police had received a complaint about her recent social media posts.
Exclusively to the moss, she said: “[The officer] said: “We had a complaint” and I immediately asked, “whose?”, And he said, “Well, I can't tell you that.” '
She asked if CLLR Sedgwick had filed the complaint. '[The officer’s] Exact words were “your thinking process is correct,” said Mrs. Jones. “I asked the police officer, I committed some form of crime. Why did you call my door? They said, “Someone spoke to us about your messages on social media.”
A shocked Mrs. Jones rushed home and feared that something had happened to be tragic with a loved one. At 2.15 pm she received a phone call from an officer who was thought as the same sergeant who knocked on her door and was told
“I then said:” If I don't record your advice and keep doing what I do, shall I commit a crime? “He said no. I asked then. “What are you going to do about it?” He said: “There are not much that we can do, we just give you advice.” '
Mrs. Jones also asked why they had come to her within 48 hours after a complaint “but I know neighbors who try to report a car and not even get the police out?” To which the officer would have answered: “I don't like things like that.”
Mrs Jones added: 'I remember that I said to him: I have the right to have an opinion as a member of the electorate. He kept muttering. '
After six minutes, Mrs. Jones hung up, furious that she felt like a criminal for her husband and four children. She said: 'It was actually pretty scary. I live my life from day to day, authoritative, and then I suddenly have the police at the door with a warrant card. '
Greater Manchester's police said last night: 'We spoke to the woman for six minutes to advise that she was the subject of a complaint about intimidation and to answer any questions she has.
'No further action is needed because no crime was committed.
'We have a duty to inform her that she is the subject of a complaint. The real threats made to the municipal councilors recently meant that it was more necessary to ensure that all reports are viewed. On this day, officers did 203 arrests for crimes such as abuse, burglary and rape. Tackling these priorities is the reason why the complaint was dealt with, two days after it was reported. '
The controversy has been set to restore concern about the police that wastes time to investigate so-called 'non-crime hate incidents' instead of pursuing their core mission from the fighting of crime figures obtained by De Mos, the police of Greater Manchester 881 reveal So-called 'non-hate crime' non-hatred crime incidents in the past two years-more than one per day.
Mrs Jones also asked why they had come to her within 48 hours after a complaint “but I know neighbors who try to report autocronyto and not even get the police out?”
Manchester has the fifth highest crime percentage in England and Wales, with 158 violations for every 1,000 people, according to data from home office. The police say that the registered crime in the region fell by 8 percent last year.
However, shoplifting crosses with 21,890 cases registered in 2024, of which only 26 percent were resolved – although that was an increase of 7.1 percent on 2023.
Criticism of the campaign to Mrs. Jones, Senior Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: 'This is a waste of police sources. The government cannot seriously say that they are looking for efficiency in public expenses, while police officers are taken away from crimes to knock on the doors of residents and say: “You actually have not committed a crime, but we want a word.” '
Tameside Tory councilor Liam Billington, who was contacted by Mrs. Jones last week for help, said: 'What Labor is trying to do now is to control the freedom of expression. As a councilor I know that I will be wrong, I am not perfect. But it is a democratic right to criticize your chosen officials. '
Sir Iin Duncan Smith added: 'I let people say they don't want to vote for me and be rude about it – what am I going to do? Report that? That is ridiculous. It is normal and it must be left alone. '
