THE ENFORCEMENT SITE - The is what the general area looks like today. Completely different to how it was when there were chicken huts on site. Now, there is a farmhouse, or some such residential development.

In this true story, based on real events, the "Colonial Bulldog," was engaged by Mark and Janet Sefton, in the matter of an Enforcement Notice issued by the Wealden District Council (WDC) against the stationing of a mobile home.

Our old friend, Ian Kay (assistant district planning officer), was involved in the background, he of the Bushywood Animal Sanctuary demolition, and a new face in the form of a tall solicitor named Geoff Johnson, a person it seems taking over from Vic Scarpa in advising the Area Plans South (APS) planning committee, on farming enforcement. Wealden is just one of thousands of fiefdoms, where power corrupts. 

The Sefton's got wind of an enforcement raid, to be conducted early one morning, including involvement of a dog handling unit and Sussex police.

Victor realised that there had been no proper authorization for use of taxpayer's money for this enforcement visit. Guessing that the officers attending would not be able to show their authority when challenged. The 'Bulldog' had laminated up the appropriate section of the Town & Country Planning Act, knowing he was bound to be challenged, especially by the police, who just did what they were told by Wealden, believing they were operating lawfully/legally. Or, they simply did not care.

Victor arrived on the scene earlier than the offenders. He parked his grey BMW 5 series opposite the track leading down to the gates to the farm, behind a tree, so as not to be visible to the council employees. He asked Mark and Janet to make sure the gates leading to their chicken farm were locked. This would mean Victor could drive his car in behind the planning officers vehicles, trapping them. The scene was set.

Soon, a white van appeared driving very slowly and parking on the left of the lane, heading north, just off the narrow road. Victor casually sauntered down the lane to the white van. A woman rolled down her window as Victor stopped alongside.

"Morning, what's happening? Asked Victor. The woman looked a little confused.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Taking the dogs out for a run?" Victor pressed her, since what would anyone be doing in the Lane with a van full of dogs at that hour of the morning.

"No, nothing," she again replied, and rolled up her window. Then slowly drove off, somewhat off balance.

Victor went back to his BMW and sat inside, making sure the white van was out of sight, so could not see where he was parked. Victor sat hand on the ignition keys, ready to pounce, once the council's officers were inside his trap. He had a small movie camera to hand, and a two sets of handcuffs in his back pockets.

Shortly, an unwritten council vehicle drove up the lane, not seeing Victor parked, they turned into the track, and stopped at the gate. Victor charged in behind them, locking them in. He recognised Geoff Johnson. Victor leaped out of his BMW, aimed his movie camera at the somewhat shocked officers. 

"Might I ask what you gentlemen are doing here?"

Geoff Johnson knew Victor by sight. "We're here officially on an enforcement visit."

Nervous, and with the camera aimed at the officers, Victor continued.

"Might I see your authorization please."

All of the officers waved their neck badges with some fervor. 

"Okay. I can see your IDs, thanks. What I'm looking for is your written authorization."

Geoff Johnson opened, "this is our authorization."

"Not so Mr Johnson. Your written authorization should come from the committee giving you authority to spend public money in this way."

Johnson thought about that, while the other officers stayed silent. He pulled rank.

"The Town & Country Planning Act is clear on this point. If you cannot produce a document complying with the Act, this is an unlawful raid. A waste of taxpayer's money. I'll be fully entitled to make a citizen's arrest."

Victor brandished a pair of handcuffs to show he was serious.

Just then, a police car arrived, parking behind Victor's BMW. Two officers got out of their marked car, and joined the gathering.

"What's going on here then?" Said the male officer.

"Ah, officer, just in time. I was explaining to Mr Johnson and his associates, that he is required to show his written authorization. Otherwise, I am fully entitled to effect a citizen's arrest, calling on an outside force for assistance, if necessary."

"I've never heard of that. I was on the Bushywood demolition raid, and nobody said anything about that."

Victor now produced the laminated section of the Town & Country Planning Act. The police officer read it and shrugged his shoulders.

"Seems this gentleman is right." He looked to Geoff Johnson for clarification.

Victor showed the tall solicitor the extract from the Act. He stayed silent, though slipped the police officer a knowing look. That was enough for the pet cops. They could not be party to another offence, already admitting being a conspirator with the Bushywood matter. So, without another word, himself and his colleague, got into their marked car, and reversed back down the track to Hammer Lane. Soon making off into the distance.

That left the gaggle of council staff feeling a little awkward. They had been called out and caught out.

"Let's call this one a warning. Next time you turn up without proper documentation, you'll leave me no choice but to use these. " Victor waggled his handcuffs.

"Okay, I'll let you out now."

With that, Victor got into his grey 5 series, and reversed down the track to the country lane. He waited to one side, to make sure Geoff Johnson and his wrecking crew departed. On other occasions, he'd known officers from this council just turning up willy-nilly, and wandering around taking pictures without authorization. This time Wealden's officers beat a hasty retreat. Atammi Korpi would have been pleased. Better pleased if they were dead. But this was not World War Two.

On the way back to their Hailsham offices in Vicarage Lane Geoff Johnson was venting his embarrassment at having been caught red handed. He had no intention of letting that go, or admitting to the chief executive or the area plans south committee, what has happened. He would put a spin on it.

"Fuck. Fuck, Fuck, bollocks. No wonder Ian hates this bastard. Christine Nuttall did not try hard enough to bury the clever little shit."

"No." agreed one of the other officers.

"We'll have to stitch the fucker up for good. Put out the word, to up the ante. Anything goes."

"But Mr Johnson, we already tried bankrupting him, and he came out on top of that one."

"Shut it. There are other ways of silencing an activist like this one. Who does he think he is challenging me. In Russia he'd have been poisoned, sent to the Gulag. In China beheaded. In England, we have a very crafty bunch in Sussex police, they work as a team. Like dear Keith Lyndsay. Good man, gave us some headed paper, and we wrote what we wanted. He even endorsed it."

Johnson laughed. 

"Knows which side his bread is buttered." 

The other passengers belly laughed. They all knew about the Petitioners, the bogus panel with Lord Richard Newton as Chair, and Ian Kay working his magic to get himself off the hook yet again. With a little whitewash from the boys in blue.

"The Chief constable has already made it plain, he'll give the nod if we give the nod. Some slight of hand in the evidence department is all it takes. He'll swing for murder, smuggling, or whatever we throw at him. I know some judges who will look the other way if the cops fuck up in the evidence department. He's totally screwed but does not yet know it."

They all belly laughed again. Then rather loudly voiced as one:

"Power corrupts, and absolute power, corrupts absolutely."

The grizzled human rights activist, Victor von Woolf, fights on, despite incredible odds, in similar manner to Aatami Korpi, in SISU

The reason that Victor was called upon to assist at Hammer Lane Farm was because the owners of the site, Janet and Mark, knew Mick and Val Punter, from the Bushywood animal sanctuary, having noted that the ex publicans were allowed to keep their mobile home, after Vic had won their appeal for them. 

"That bastard from Herstmonceux is really making us look stupid. How can we dispose of him, other than a bullet. Even we might not get away with murder?"

FUGITIVES

Ian Kay, Geoff Johnson, and other co-conspirators remain at large. Due to the number of cases where human rights were systematically abused, it is alleged that these players should be seen as serial offenders, their remunerations in connection with such actions constituting proceeds of crime.

THE BREWING STORM

On reflection, and having won the Bushywood appeal, a high profile case that received much media attention, Victor is of the view, that wining the Twissells Mill appeal, and openly calling out yet more local authority staff, made Wealden District Council even more determined to get him. Any which way, as usual, not caring if it was legal or not. Considering this is a local authority in the UK, and comparing their willingness to cross over just about any moral boundary, does that make Adolf Hitler and his protégé  Vladimir Putin appear more reasonable. Should a so-called democracy not be whiter than white, if to be leading by example?

This case was hot on the heels of the 2005 County Court Consent Order, where Wealden had agreed to correct the planning history relating to the Old Pump House. They would be looking for ways of squirming out of that Agreement. And, stopping the Colonial Bulldog from taking on any more planning cases. Since, it must have seemed to them that he was virtually unstoppable. Victor having realised that Wealdens' planning department was corrupt to the core, their Achilles Heel. He knew of the propensity of their officers to lie to committees, in pursuit of their agenda to control who was granted what in their geographical region. All based on favours for mates, rather than on sound legal principles. All he needed to do was get their officers on the stand, under oath.

TV SERIES

This is just one (proposed) episode in a series based on factual, real life stories for television dramatizations. All based on documented case histories. The truth is stranger than fiction.

Please note that dialogue is fictional, fly on the wall style interpretation of imagined discourse, in a busy planning office, where some long term employees may become virtual dictators, given that they have protection from the law, as part of policing, that is used to covering up inconvenient crime. To make it appear to the public that all is well.

THE BULLDOG - Human Rights activists come in all shapes and sizes. The Bulldog began to turn the tables on corrupt planning officials, as he took them on and won appeals for those unable to afford expensive lawyers. Actions speak louder than words. The Colonial became a high profile advocate. The Advocate became a target that must be suffocated, no matter how. The stakes were high.