Norman Scarth Update

Complaints have been lodged with various bodies about Norman's treatment.

This has gone beyond a joke.

Please publicise if you can. He has now served longer than Lord Ahmed who killed a man on the motorway shortly after texting. Ahmed served just 16 days. Refresh your memory here.

These emails arrived in my inbox this morning:

Mr. Geof Dobson

Prison Reform Trust

15 Northburgh Street

London

ED1V 0JR

Dear Mr. Dobson:

NORMAN SCARTH LEEDS PRISON A1903CF

JUDGE JONATHAN ROSE BRADFORD CROWN COURT

CASE S20110514, COURT 5, JULY 26, 2011  

I wish to draw your attention to a very serious and urgent problem, to which authorities are not responding, and the vindictive circumstances under which a severe and unjust sentence was meted out to Mr. Norman Scarth. Nobody at all is responding; in particular, government ministers who have the power to intervene, yet are wilfully blind, or attempt to be so.  

I ask that you take emergency action by using your influence to help Norman Scarth, who is suffering torturous conditions, and denied medications and access to a lawyer.

Judge Jonathan Rose of Bradford Crown Court committed Norman to Leeds Class B Prison for six months, which he is spending in solitary confinement. He is charged with contempt of court for attempting to switch on a recording device in court.

The courts are denying his right to habeas corpus and it seems that the intent is to cause Mr. Scarth’s premature death in Leeds Prison, simply for turning on a recording device.

There is much media attention surrounding this case, and we intend to release more details to the media at the beginning of the week, along with filing a complaint with the UN and EU for the gross violations of Human Rights Conventions, which filing will take place before the end of the day on Monday, August 15, 2011.

Leeds Court Manager has denied Mr. Scarth’s Writ of Habeas Corpus, twice, and now the Royal Courts of Justice in London is similarly blocking the processing. A full week has already passed, and there is obviously criminal collusion to deny Mr. Scarth, an 85 year old World War II veteran, his rights as a human being.

Her Majesty has been made aware of all the details of this case by the Governor General of Canada. Mr. Scarth was brought into the courtroom like a common criminal, in handcuffs, July 26,  and sentenced by Judge Jonathan Rose.

There is a huge public outcry, and this matter will not be laid to rest.

I am sure you will be similarly outraged.

Your sincerely,

XXXX XXXXX

and:

For the urgent attention of the addressees:

Mr. Nick Hardwick, HM Inspector of Prisons

Dr. Peter Selby, Independent Monitoring Board

Rt. Hon. Crispin Blunt, Prisons Minister

Mr. Michael Spurr, National Offenders Management Service

Mr. Paul Baker, Governor, Leeds Prison

Ms. Emma Marshall, Prisons and Probations Ombudsman Assessment Team

The Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke, MP, Secretary of State for Justice

Ms. Maggie Woods, HMPS Healthcare Manager, Leeds Prison

Ms. Ann Lavery, PALS NHS Leeds

Dear Sirs:

WITHOUT PREJUDICE - NORMAN SCARTH PRISONER A1903AC – LEEDS PRISON

You are hereby put on notice for your failure to attend to the matter of Mr. Norman Scarth’s unlawful confinement and official complaints, as advised in previous urgent emails.

Further to previous correspondence on the matter of Norman Scarth, I wish to impress upon your that significant delay on your authority's part may well prove fatal to Mr. Scarth, who is an 85 year old gentleman with health problems. You are aware of the relationship between distress and cardiac arrest. It is clear from Mr. Scarth's correspondence that the Prison is placing him in severe distress. This places him at high risk of deterioration. Essentially, the matter is simple – Mr. Scarth should not be in prison, as he is not a danger to the public. It is therefore in the interests of the prison to avoid a fatality. In order to do that, you must recommend that his sentence and complaints be reviewed immediately.

I am therefore making the following points. Your response/or lack of will be used in the formal complaint made to the United Nations.
 

1. Attached are further complaints from Mr. Scarth, which are not being actioned, and Ms. Emma Marshall has already been advised of this. I am placing you on notice that Norman Scarth, Prisoner A1903CF, Leeds Prison, is complaining about Age Discrimination and the fear of being abused by prison officers while showering. He is unable, therefore, to attend to personal hygiene.

The  other matters outlined in the attached documents, include

a. Denial of his basic rights,
b. Denial of his medications,
c. Denial of access to legal counsel
d. Theft of his property by prison staff.

2. You have already been advised that his complaints are not being processed. I am therefore  requesting an immediate intervention. Mr Scarth is a human being, and British subject in distress. It will therefore be considered wilful negligence, in the event no immediate action is taken. Unfortunately, slow correspondence will not do when someone is in physical distress and you have been wilfully blind in this matter. In the event this lack of action results in Norman’s death, those who have not acted will be held personally liable.

3. Wilful blindness will be considered criminal recklessness. All parties have been previously advised that Mr. Scarth has been denied his prescribed pain medication and, by denying him, all parties herein are aware of his torture in Leeds Prison, and will be held culpable.

4. Your authorities have a duty of care,  and should have acted immediately in order to alleviate the problem. As this has not happened, it will be considered gross negligence. Should anything happen to Mr. Scarth, it will be gross negligence causing death, which is a very serious matter indeed.

5. May I ask that you provide all internal documents, as I wish to make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act combined with a Freedom of Information Act to access all internal documentation relevant to my formal complaint to yourselves.

In light of the seriousness of this issue, I shall be grateful if  Ms. Marshall  would re-evaluate her plan of action. URGENT intervention is required by all parties to this communication.

In conclusion, please advise, on the basis of previous complaints and several contacts made with Ms Emma Marshall, and the attached further complaints (none of which have been actioned by the prison), and including the complaint that complaints are not being actioned, how you intend to proceed and, when. You will no doubt agree that it is simply not adequate or acceptable for any of you evade the issues in light of the emergency nature of this issue.

As I have explained before to Ms. Emma Marshall, the delays that have been characteristic of this case are currently totally  unacceptable. Significant stress leading to a cardiac arrest will result in death. Given the mortality rate of Leeds Prison is already significantly high, it may be in the authority's best interests for immediate intervention. This may prevent future litigation and adverse publicity.

I hope to hear from you within 24 hours. If I have not heard from you, this document will be sent to the Special Rapporteurs at the United Nations accompanied by a formal complaint against the UK's failure to care for its elderly prisoners in line with current human rights and equality legislation. Please review this link  http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/torture/rapporteur/appeals.htm in relation to the steps that will be taken in 24 hours regarding the gross violation of civil liberties meted out on a elderly gentleman in the care of your authorities.

Best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

XXXX XXXXX


This is nothing other than a vindictive sentence, issued by a judge in a bad mood. Is that how we want to continue? Spiteful judges and stupid sentencing? If so, do nothing.


If, however, your blood is boiling like mine, let's do what we can to get him out.

Thanks,

CR.