Middlesbrough Council - News Forum - Setting a light to the News

A COUPLE who set up a bar in their home spoke of their relief after being found not guilty of breaking the law.
Alan and Lynne Jackson were accused of selling alcohol without authorisation in the house in Overdale Road, Middlesbrough.
The couple say they had “two years of hell” after facing prosecution - having always claimed they were simply entertaining friends.
But after a trial lasting a day and a half, in which Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard guests to Alan’s Bar were restricted to close friends and family, they were found not guilty of the charges.
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Middlesbrough Council and Cleveland Police initially became aware of the activity when they received complaints in relation to noise and a visit was made to the home in February 2010.
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LUR1
1:16 PM on January 18, 2012
More Council Tax payers' money wasted by interfering Middlesbrough Council.
Obviously scope for a few more jobs to go.
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barwick19
1:20 PM on January 18, 2012
Pity the police didn't storm into some real criminals houses.And then the question has got to be asked,which idiot/s decided to take this case to court,they should be prosecuted for wasting public time and money.
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tripehound
2:10 PM on January 18, 2012
If the council and police were determined to take this case to court, it makes me think that the next thing will be a law making it illegal to entertain more than three or four people in your home.
We did have laws like that in the past lest anyone thinks that's just fancy.
They chased people out of the pubs through high prices, the smoking ban and basically changing decent pubs into playgrounds for teenagers.
They don't like people gathering where they can't keep an eye on us. For the time being there are no snooping cameras in our homes.
Maybe that will be the next step. George Orwell forecast it in his book 1984. I think he was right in every respect.
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shadylady
7:05 PM on January 18, 2012
The council received a complaint of noise which was proved to be untrue. The police received a report from another source that alcohol was being sold, also now proved not to be true. The police entered the premises and didnt like the set up with the bar etc and convinced the council to take the couple to court on their own perseption that alcohol was being sold. Basically the police knew very early on that this case couldnt be won but I think they expected the couple to back down rather than face court and costs etc. The couple fought their corner and the police left the council holding the bag and looking ridiculous. I agree that they should be made to answer to the tax payer rather than 'decline to comment'. The police inspector in charge of the TWO raids on this property also declined to attend court and give evidence............. because there wasnt any. Its a farce from start to finish. How shocking that this couple have been put through so much stress, shame on the police and the council but well done to the judge.
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