Police under attack in firearms case

Feb 6 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

A JUDGE has condemned the absence of a police witness during a trial involving firearms.

The criticism by Judge Anthony Morris QC came following the seven-day trial of Christopher Faulkner, who was accused of kidnapping and threatening to kill his wife Patricia with an imitation gun.

The judges comments were prompted by a note from members of the jury, expressing their fears that no police officer gave evidence about the weapon during the trial.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court took about six hours to clear the 36-year-old of four charges, including threats to kill, kidnapping and using an imitation firearm to cause fear of violence. However they found Faulkner, of Stevenson Street, Wavertree, guilty of three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm on three separate occasions in August and September last year.

Following the verdict, the jury took the unusual step of voicing their worries.

In a note passed to the judge, they said: “Is it possible to publicly express the concern of the jury that a case where a firearm was involved, no police officer from Merseyside Police force attended court to give evidence.”

The jurors also asked if they could write to the force’s chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe to make him aware of their fears.

Their criticism was echoed by Judge Morris QC, who said: “It doesn’t show the correct regard for the seriousness of the alleged offences that no police officer attended court.”

He asked for the force to be made be aware of his worries.

Requesting a report to assess the risk Faulkner poses to the public, Judge Morris said he would sentence the father-of-eight on February 14.

A Merseyside spokesman said: “The judge in this matter has not asked Merseyside for a formal response to this comment.

“Officers are not required to attend court unless specifically requested to do so.

“Cases are built up from many different forms of evidence and the attendance of a police officer is not always necessary.”

lizawilliams