Early Morning Arrest

This is a true story. The names have been changed to protect the guilty parties and avoid further police arrests.

Every one appreciates the importance of working. When an individual has invested a lot of time and money to get a good education then worked literally from the most junior role to a respectable role there is great satisfaction. When the company you work for awards you for your hard work and effort there’s a real good feeling. Imagine then how it feels when just months after receiving an award for your outstanding contribution a pay rise and promotion you suddenly find yourself without a job. No notice of redundancy, no warning of what is coming. It has nothing to do with downsizing in fact it involves the largest UK Mobile phone network provider.

So what takes someone from hero to zero in just a few months?

It’s greed, envy, jealousy, ignorance and hate compounded by an inexperienced totally maverick out of control HR department.
This is the story of my friend referred to by his work colleagues as “coolie”.
Coolie worked for the largest mobile phone network provider and the third largest company in the UK we will call FADE NOVO.
Despite been given a hard time from a small group of individuals coolie was dedicated to his work. He worked long hard hours and didn’t even complain about being called coolie.
Coolie was working on the UK companies largest and most prestigious projects and by all accounts he was doing well.
When, as project manager, he delivered the first phase of this five year project on time to cost and quality every one was happy. His immediate line managers were so impressed they nominated him for an outstanding achievement award. On 05 April 2004 in front of a department of over 1000 people the UK CEO presented him with a bottle of champagne and shortly afterwards he was given a pay rise. Everything was looking rosy. Coolie had just gotten married, bought his first house he was working hard for his salary but happy and proud of his work.
Then one day the UK CEO made a land mark speech to all UK staff. In this speech he said there were going to be “changes in the organisation”, he was going to “inject new life” into the department there were going to “unprecedented” opportunities for the “younger staff” to get into management and the company was engaging on a new “European MBA” programme to support the “young managers”. Then he went on to say the company would “get rid of all dead wood”, “undesirables” would be removed from the company (Yes he was American and his terminology sounds familiar). He said it was “inevitable that some good will go with the bad”. Well this really demonstrated the mans “wild west” origins, trigger happy and shooting from the hip. Coolie listened and hoped this did not affect him too much.
A month after this historical speech, coolies line manager was made redundant and a new young and inexperienced manager appointed.
The new manager was given a totally free hand to select his own HR and staff, make redundant those he did not like and recruit new staff to replace them. Many laws were being openly broken but that did not bother the company. As this “new manager” who we will call DAY MAKER built his own department from scratch he employed his brother, sister, wife, brother-in-law friends infect almost his whole extended family, including the family dog I believe. Now we are not talking about a small outfit here, this is one of the world’s largest mobile phone network providers and it was share holder’s money being used to sponsor this family takes over.

Things were still OK for Coolie, the only difference was some of the family and friends DAY MAKER had employed weren’t satisfied with just name calling coolie, they were getting more personal, complaining about smells of curry every time coolie went to a meeting with them. This wasn’t hidden in any way it was open and too coolies face.
Coolie tried to take the matter up with DAY MAKER but day makers’ attitude was “these are my friends and I am not going to entertain anything you have to say”. He added “if I listen to you I will only be implying there is something wrong and as far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong.”

The Arrest

It was 5:45 AM on a normal march morning. The sun was starting to appear and by all accounts it was looking like a good day. The coolie family’s alarm clock went off tuned as always to the Radio. On the radio they were discussing the new anti terrorist bill the government were trying to bring in. It was due for a Vote in the House of Commons that day.
Mr Coolie had been Woking late the night before, eventually not getting to bed till 2 AM. He decided to have a little lie in that morning. His wife MRS Coolie woke up and went downstairs to put the kettle on.
Shortly after 6 AM there was a tremendous knock on the door. So violent was the knock that it shook some off the ornaments from above the fire place. Mrs Coolie ran to the front room window and drew back the curtains to see who was at the door. The site that greeted here was nothing short of a nightmare.

On the street in front of there house armed police had closed off the road. There were a couple of Police armed police in full riot gear at the door one with battering ram. Already a small posy of the neighbours had gathered round to join in the ‘fun’ What a talking point this was going to be for them at the office, a terrorist living on their doorstep. No doubt some would use this as an excuse not to go into work at all that day.

Mrs Coolie rushed to the door and opened it before the police had a chance to use the battering ram. One of the officers at the door, gun in his hand, blubbered out something about an arrest warrant and search warrant. Still dosed by what going on she was stood no chance to stop the next sequence of events. The first officer pushed through the door and ran straight up the stairs. He went into the bedroom where Mr Coolie was still sleeping. With his gun pointed at Mr Coolies he’d he shouted out orders.
“Get up.. Get up.. Get up face the window, hands behind your back” In 60 seconds that seemed almost like a lifetime Mr Coolie had been dragged from his bed and handcuffed.
Luckily Mr Coolie had been so tired the night before he had gone to bed in his track suit bottoms and a t-shirt. He was allowed to put on some shoes and then led to one of the waiting police cars out side.
Inside the house Mrs Coolie was totally distort. In tears she kept asking “what’s going on?” “what’s this all about “ but the police officers just continued to search the house and started removing things into the police Van waiting outside.

Buy now the crowd outside had grown, some of the neighbours had brought out their video cameras and some were recording the events on their mobile phones Many of the neighbours had brought out their kids. Every one was having a good time. That is everyone but Mr Coolie.

Mr Coolie watched as the police took item after item from his home. He was unsure what was happening to his wife inside the house. He was confused and distort himself. He asked the armed officer guarding him what was going on “ You will find out at the police station he was told”

An hour after the raid had begun it was finally time to set of to the police station. The local station was just ten minutes away. Before they left another of the armed officers came over , “ that’s a nice car” he said pointing to Mr Coolies brand new BMW stood in the drive way. Mr coolie had only leased the car from the car allowance he got from the company. The officer liked the car so much he decided he would drive Mr Coolie to the police station in his own BMW.

Finally the party set of for the police station. But they weren’t taking the normal route. Mr Coolie asked where they were going. “ You will find out when we get there “ the police officer responded.

An hour later they arrived at the police station. As they drove up to it coolie recognised the area. We will call the town RUBY NEW.
It’s a town outside London UK. The town is famous for two main things Horse racing and the overwhelming presence of FADE NOVO on of the largest mobile phone network providers in the world. It’s fair to say that the local economy was probably wholly subsidised by the company, they even run the local bus services. There’s also a good chance that most people in and around the surrounding areas had some kind of connection with the company.

Coolie was taken into the station. After a short Waite to be booked in he was formally charged. For the first time he found out what this was all about. The charge was “preaching racial hatred” in RUBY NEW town centre. For a minute coolie thought that he was on “ you have been framed” and this was all a joke. But he soon found out this was for real.
Coolie was frisked, the tie from his jogging bottoms were removed so know they were falling off him. He was made to remove his shoes. He hadn’t had time to put any socks on so he was bear foot. He was marched bare foot from the charge desk to an empty cell.

The cell was very basic . No toilet in it as you see on the TV, no window apart from a small peep hole in the door, just a plastic bench. The cell obviously hadn’t been cleaned from the night before yet. There was urine on the floor and a small pool of urine on the plastic bench.

Coolie was locked up in the cell. Hour after hour passed by. On regular intervals an officer cam and rattled on the door of the cell, just making sure you are ok said the voice outside.

Coolie was on medication , he had asked for his medication several times but had been denied from seeing a doctor.

Six hours later cooli was totally exhausted, without his medication and intoxicated from the smell of urine in his cell. An officer am and informed coolie that a duty solicitor was now available. He led cooli , still bare foot , to an interview room. The duty solicitor introduced himself. He told coolie that he had obtained “disclosure” from the police. Straight away he told coolie the police had “undeniable” evidence that coolie had been preaching racial hatred in RUBY NEW town centre. He told coolie that the police had been monitoring him for a long time and had his phone taped.

Coolie was still confused , where had these charges come from? What was so serious that Armed police had to drag him out of bed at 6 AM in the morning?

Then totally out of the blue the duty solicitor starts asking cooli questions about his work for FADE NOVO. He says this has nothing to do with the arrest but he would like the answers any way. Another two hours pass with the duty solicitor.

Then just before Coolie is transferred to another interview room to be interviewed by the police the duty solicitor through another spanner in the works – he tells coolie that he can request another solicitor if he likes. Again coolie is totally dazed- Why should I request another solicitor he asks. I know the company FADE NOVO he says. It then occurs to coolie that the duty solicitor shares the same surname as one of DAY Maker’s friends and relatives employed by FADE NOVO.

How long will it take to get another solicitor he asks. There are no guarantees he is told. It could take as long as before or it could take twice as long.

By now coolie is totally exhausted and he just wants to get home. Coolie hasn’t slept properly for almost two days , he has been denied his medication, and been locked up in a cell full of urine for over seven hours. The duty solicitor says to coolie the sooner you get this don the sooner you can go home. A totally broken man coolie agrees to keep the solicitor.

Before the police interview the duty solicitor explains the situation to coolie. First he tells coolie that in his ‘disclosure’ with the police they have shown him undeniable evidence of me “preaching racial hatred” in RUBY NEW town centre. He explains that if I plead guilty now the police will take into account that I have no previous convictions let me off with a warning and allow me to go home with my goods. This wont give me a criminal record and it will not impact my future career. If I deny the allegations then firstly the interview will take longer, secondly the police will take a dim view and press for the maximum sentence of five years in prison, thirdly I will not get my gods back until after the court case which could take up to a year and finally a magistrate has the ability to reduce the sentence on a points basis depending on how help full I have been, pleading not guilty would definitely mean a longer sentence.
Under the circumstances he advised coolie to plead guilty so they could all go home.
In the interview room , before switching on the tape , the officer who had arrested coolie and the duty solicitor rehearsed a paragraph with coolie. Apparently this was necessary for the interview to go ahead and basically confirms that the prisoner is in a fit state to make the interview. Then a detective walked into the room, he switched on the tape and started recording. He went through the standard statement.
Then, recorded on the police interview tape, he said “ this has nothing to do with the charges or the Investigation” and proceeded to ask coolie about internal grievance he had raised with the company FADE NOVO. During the interview coolie , now without sleep or medication for a total of nearly two days, is clearly not in a fit state to be interviewed. The detective questioning even comments on this.

After the interview has ended the police officer tells coolie to drop the internal grievance with the company FADE NOVO since he has no chance of wining the case.
Coolie is finally allowed to put on his shoes , tie up his jogging bottoms and go home.

The story does not end there. Family and friends of DAY MAKER who work for the company FADE NOVO continue to harass coolie. They go knocking on his door threaten him tell him to leave the country tell him that he will never work again in Britain. The police pursue the case through the magistrates court. Hearing after hearing they are unable to produce any evidence to support their case until eventually the judge has to stop the madness and instruct the crown prosecution service to put up or drop the charges. The CPS suddenly drop the case but the police refuse to return coolies goods. Only after intervention from a local MP do the police eventually give back the goods.

DAY MAKER sites satisfied. He set out to totally destroy the life of coolie and he succeeded.

So what were the charges well a friend of DAY MAKER who had been given a job at FADE NOVO got so upset that a dark skinned coolie should have achieved a senior position at FADE NOVO that he had apparently walked into the police station and made false allegations that coolie was engaged in preaching racial hatred in RUBY NEW town centre. DAY MAKER had used his new position at FADE NOVO to give the companies full backing to the allegations and even offered the police all of the companies resources and facilities to make the charge ‘stick’ the police did not need proof or justification they simply acted on the whim of these narrow minded, in experienced young thugs who FADE NOVO had given too much power too soon.

A lesson learned for me is that the world changes continuously, south Africa is no longer apartheid but in Britain coolie, his children , his grand children will always be just coolies .