Your Echo
TEXT PHOTOS, VIDEOS + NEWS TO 80360, TYPE BE, THEN LEAVE A SPACE BEFORE YOUR MESSAGE OR E-MAIL »
SEIZED BY THE POLICE
9:00am Thursday 27th September 2007
Comments (65)A LUNCHTIME pint at their local pub took a more sinister turn on Wednesday when two disabled men found themselves at the centre of a police search operation.
Bob Hamlen, 47, and Michael Burbidge, 31, were stunned when they were surrounded by uniformed officers as they sat on a bench outside the Westcliff Tavern in West Cliff Road, Bournemouth.
The pub patio area overlooks the security checkpoint at the entrance to the Highcliff Marriott Hotel where top-ranking politicians are staying during this week's Labour party conference.
Bob said: "We were treated like terrorist suspects. I've arthritis and brittle bone disease and have been registered disabled for five years.
"Michael has been paralysed down his left side since he was one and, on bad days, relies on a wheelchair and crutches to get around. He couldn't rob a bank to save his life, but they just wouldn't listen.
"It was so over the top, there were about eight officers around us asking questions which was very frightening.
"We told them we lived round the corner and this was our local pub. But, while an armed officer pointed his gun at us from the other side of the street, they made us empty our pockets and put all our possessions on the table. Then they checked all our credit cards and documents.
"I was carrying my disabled bus pass but it didn't make any difference. I needed to go to the toilet and an officer went with me in case I escaped. After radioing through the information, they asked us to accompany them, in separate police cars, to the police station.
"It was very embarrassing because some of our friends were sitting nearby. Michael suffers from stress and was getting very agitated.
"They said the reason I was being taken to the police station was because I had been seen passing a white envelope.
"But all I did was take my post out of my jacket pocket and open an electricity bill.
"On Michael's stop and search form they said they wanted to speak to him, under the Terrorism Act, because he had been looking at a police officer.
"That area of town is saturated with police officers and, from where we were sitting, it would have been impossible not to be watching one."
Bob, who has lived in the area for seven years, said: "Once at the police station we were taken to separate rooms and questioned for about 45 minutes.
"Then officers went with us to our flat and searched it before returning us to the pub. We feel violated and want an apology from the police."
The Westcliff Tavern manager Tony Cartwright said: "Bob and Michael have been drinking here for years. They are locals and two of the least likely terrorist suspects you could find."
A Dorset police spokesman said both men had attended the police station voluntarily, "Mr Burbidge gave an explanation to officers as to why he was watching police officers very closely and it would not be for Dorset police to discuss the reason he gave.
"Once officers were satisfied of the men's identities and that they posed no threat to conference security they were returned to the pub.
"Dorset police is only too willing to investigate any formal complaint they may wish to make."
Your Say YourBournemouth Echo
Phil, Poole says...
10:30am Thu 27 Sep 07
fedupwithjobsworths, Moordown says...
10:49am Thu 27 Sep 07
Jerry, poole, dorset says...
10:53am Thu 27 Sep 07
What about the Police 'looking' at Joe Public? Doesn't that pose a threat to one's personal security?
the owl, bere regis van 9 says...
11:12am Thu 27 Sep 07
The-bleeding-obvious, Bournemouth says...
11:13am Thu 27 Sep 07
rebus, Corfe Mullen says...
11:27am Thu 27 Sep 07
Looks like "Constable Savage" still exists :-)
Ted, Bournemouth says...
12:04pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Graham, Pokesdown says...
12:12pm Thu 27 Sep 07
I can see this "debate" going off in a different direction any second.
Blue Boy, Poole says...
12:22pm Thu 27 Sep 07
They come here and cost the local tax payer about £5m quid, then they buggar off again once having patted themselves on the back having had a nice jolly by the sea, and ruffed up a few locals - a bargain for £5m.
Sorry if that sounds a tad sarcastic
Tony, South West says...
12:53pm Thu 27 Sep 07
stand for,they are there to protect the public and any venues that
warrants this,you might well know this country is still on red alert
for any terrorist attack,this seems slightly bazaar over this incident
but it came out on the right side and no one was injured,it could
have been far worse "BANG"..
Richard, Bournemouth says...
1:40pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Blue Boy wrote:It would have been sarcastic if the costs were being added to local Council Tax bills. They're being covered centrally from Home Office budgets.
What can you expect with a Labour Party Conference with taxing Brown and his bunch. They come here and cost the local tax payer about £5m quid, then they buggar off again once having patted themselves on the back having had a nice jolly by the sea, and ruffed up a few locals - a bargain for £5m. Sorry if that sounds a tad sarcastic
Mind you, I would like someone to justify the financial benefits of these political conferences. I don't believe that the delegates spending replaces that of local residents who stay away from the town centre during these events.
Richard, Bournemouth says...
1:40pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Blue Boy wrote:It would have been sarcastic if the costs were being added to local Council Tax bills. They're being covered centrally from Home Office budgets.
What can you expect with a Labour Party Conference with taxing Brown and his bunch. They come here and cost the local tax payer about £5m quid, then they buggar off again once having patted themselves on the back having had a nice jolly by the sea, and ruffed up a few locals - a bargain for £5m. Sorry if that sounds a tad sarcastic
Mind you, I would like someone to justify the financial benefits of these political conferences. I don't believe that the delegates spending replaces that of local residents who stay away from the town centre during these events.
Nite_Owl, Ferndown says...
1:56pm Thu 27 Sep 07
I don't think so!
On top of that, it is costing the British public £5.3m to guard this load of money grabbing load of charlatans.
Ten years they have been in power, it will be interesting who they will blame if they get in for another ten years?
Anthony Blair maybe?
Dave AKA Grumpy, southbourne says...
2:09pm Thu 27 Sep 07
god help Us
Dave AKA Grumpy, southbourne says...
2:10pm Thu 27 Sep 07
god help Us
AP, Christchurch says...
2:14pm Thu 27 Sep 07
bubbles, Dorset says...
2:56pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Phil, Poole says...
3:00pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Tony wrote:Oh come on Tony. Can't you see that the Government is just using this 'war on terror' as an excuse to erode our basic civil liberties? And that's far scarier to me than any exaggerated terrorist threat.
I do agree with all that the anti terrorist uniformed officers
stand for,they are there to protect the public and any venues that
warrants this,you might well know this country is still on red alert
for any terrorist attack,this seems slightly bazaar over this incident
but it came out on the right side and no one was injured,it could
have been far worse "BANG"..
DAVE FINN, inyourface says...
3:14pm Thu 27 Sep 07
DAVE FINN, inyourface says...
3:27pm Thu 27 Sep 07
i could type all day
bout the police in bournemouyh but you not worth my ink ???
ink
email dopey
police in the south sux
sorry neil but thats my opinion
John, Poole says...
3:44pm Thu 27 Sep 07
"I was carrying my disabled bus pass but it didn't make any difference.
How different everything would have been if Bob had been carrying an Idendity Card that had cost millions of pounds to introduce!Trouble is the expense involved in having ID Cards would probably have meant there would not be enough money to pay Bobbies to inspect Bob's Card would there, Bob.(That's putting another spanner in the works,Bob, for those who remember Not the 9 O'Clock News sketches!)
Incidentally, I was nearly mown down by an unmarked Police car yesterday lunchtime that was probably tearing to this incident!(or perhaps I should report 'As I was proceeding across Westover Road,etc,etc...'
DAVE FINN, inyourface says...
3:58pm Thu 27 Sep 07
they killed a foreign student in these so called torror attacks you n me got to pay compensation ?
A = yes
well done pc plod again
John, Poole says...
4:00pm Thu 27 Sep 07
DAVE FINN, inyourface says...
4:04pm Thu 27 Sep 07
DAVE FINN, inyourface says...
4:07pm Thu 27 Sep 07
i think they no my feelings now
A.C.A.B
denis, bournemouth says...
4:18pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Still Bourneomuth will be back to normal after today and we will seee no police 'cos they will all be taking their cancelled rest days that they had to work during this Beano
John, Poole says...
4:27pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Badger, Poole says...
4:32pm Thu 27 Sep 07
We cant even hold peaceful protests at our seat of government without being arrested! ...and Gordy McBroon has the cheek to criticise the Burmese government!!
Solitaire, christchurch says...
4:54pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Vikki27, Poole says...
4:56pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Well of course they did! They had a gun pointed at them, for crying out loud!
Sometimes I do wonder what this country is coming to when you're not allowed to sit outside a pub and look at policemen who happen to be standing around in the street (and let's face it, who out of all of us wouldn't be interested and look to see what they were doing) and open your sodding mail!!?
PokesdownMark, Pokesdown says...
5:03pm Thu 27 Sep 07
John wrote:John, I doubt that a ID card would have made any difference. It sounds like they both had ample forms of ID. Just like the Madrid train bombers had. In their case, Spanish Govt ID cards.
"I was carrying my disabled bus pass but it didn't make any difference.
How different everything would have been if Bob had been carrying an Idendity Card that had cost millions of pounds to introduce!Trouble is the expense involved in having ID Cards would probably have meant there would not be enough money to pay Bobbies to inspect Bob's Card would there, Bob.(That's putting another spanner in the works,Bob, for those who remember Not the 9 O'Clock News sketches!)
Incidentally, I was nearly mown down by an unmarked Police car yesterday lunchtime that was probably tearing to this incident!(or perhaps I should report 'As I was proceeding across Westover Road,etc,etc...'
ID cards will not stop terrorism. Or crime. Nor even the majority of benefit fraud. The reasons are on the no2id website. Worth checking out.
John, Poole says...
5:15pm Thu 27 Sep 07
I'D been sarcastic. I'm sure a perfectly working ID Card would have been as much use as a disabled bus pass!But thanks for your reference to the no2id website.
Mike Pickering, Bournemouth says...
6:23pm Thu 27 Sep 07
n facility and held without trial or contact, all 'legally' f0r weeks on end.
Liz, Poole says...
6:32pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Everybody knows to avoid the area if you do not want to get caught up with anything. Yes, it was their local but to sit and stare at officers is asking for trouble. So they said they had ID on them, do they not think that people steal ID from others and carry fake ID around with them. Turn this around, what would we be saying now if these were terrorists and the Police did the same procedure as above, we would be praising the Police. As to everybody saying yeah get compo that is the world we live in now(?) Everybody out to make a big fuss and get compo. Still if these 2 get it I am sure it will all be spent down the pub!!!
dibbles, Bournemouth says...
8:16pm Thu 27 Sep 07
jaq, christchurch says...
8:55pm Thu 27 Sep 07
Liz wrote:why should the residents of bournemouth and disticts avoid the area just so that a load of tossers can plan how to destroy this country even more,its the government who pose the biggest threat to us,typical dozy plod action,how many **** delegates have they helped back to there hotels,
Good for the Police!!!
Everybody knows to avoid the area if you do not want to get caught up with anything. Yes, it was their local but to sit and stare at officers is asking for trouble. So they said they had ID on them, do they not think that people steal ID from others and carry fake ID around with them. Turn this around, what would we be saying now if these were terrorists and the Police did the same procedure as above, we would be praising the Police. As to everybody saying yeah get compo that is the world we live in now(?) Everybody out to make a big fuss and get compo. Still if these 2 get it I am sure it will all be spent down the pub!!!
observer, bmth says...
9:15pm Thu 27 Sep 07
What a bunch of whingers you are. The police are wrong if they take no action and wrong if they do. Thank your lucky stars I'm not a pc - I'd ignore the lot of you in your time of need
are you sure you are not a cop?
Mike Pickering, Bournemouth says...
10:56pm Thu 27 Sep 07
How come the private organisation that is the Labour party, can swan around the country, giving it the large, and expect everyone else to pick up the tab ? Ludicrous. Only slightly better than the Tories (at least they dont pretend to give a to55), or the BNP.
If in future, some organisation wishes to talk amongst themselves at the BIC, then please deliver them a hefty bill for the rest of the security provisions that they wish to benefit from.
'Looking at a copper...', whatever next ?! They're outfitted in dayglo highlighted uniforms with big boots and hats and sticks and (thankfully) guns, and anold schwarzenegger belts, and wander round in groups and similarly kitted out
vehicles, of course you're meant to, and allowed to, look at them.
They're public servants, in public. Look all you want.
If they dont want to be seen, might I suggest camoflage gear ?
The 2 gentlemen in question do look out of the ordinary, and fair enough, an experienced officer would have seen them there, observed quietly for a short time, then interacted and taken it from there as to what exactly they were doing, rather than this apparantly heavy-handed approach that cost us all 1000's of pounds.
Word to the wise: anyone acting suspiciously in a public place, opposite the conference is almost certainly NOT a highly trained insurgency operative, even with the 'disguise' of a disability. It does, as pointed out here, entirely demonstrate the utter uselessness of the ID card system proposed.
nellyboyblue, bournemouth says...
7:14am Fri 28 Sep 07
Liz wrote:I agree with liz if you go looking for trouble you will find it, i think the police are often like social workers dammed if they do dammed if they don't. Also what difference does it make that these two men were "disabled", if they were two ordinary guys would this have made the news! I think the police were right regardless of who they were, and what id they had if they had been bombers and the headline had read 300 dead, but police watched these men for over an hour! nuf said
Good for the Police!!! Everybody knows to avoid the area if you do not want to get caught up with anything. Yes, it was their local but to sit and stare at officers is asking for trouble. So they said they had ID on them, do they not think that people steal ID from others and carry fake ID around with them. Turn this around, what would we be saying now if these were terrorists and the Police did the same procedure as above, we would be praising the Police. As to everybody saying yeah get compo that is the world we live in now(?) Everybody out to make a big fuss and get compo. Still if these 2 get it I am sure it will all be spent down the pub!!!
2Much, New Forest says...
8:06am Fri 28 Sep 07
Phil, Poole says...
8:12am Fri 28 Sep 07
Is everyone who has a drink at their local pub an alcoholic then? Sorry, I didn't realise that.
Richard, Bournemouth says...
9:24am Fri 28 Sep 07
the owl, bere regis says...
10:15am Fri 28 Sep 07
Dave, Boscombe says...
11:17am Fri 28 Sep 07
If these two blokes want to sit watching a check point where the prime minister is coming and going from and at the same time making telephone calls what can they expect????
JC, Under the Sea says...
11:41am Fri 28 Sep 07
Dave wrote:Heaven forbid these two guys sit in the same place they probably sit every week - when our great leader comes into town of course we must all sacrifice our personal liberties for him! Thats the greatest thing about living in a democracy all our leaders are much more important than us were all born equal, but some of us are more equal than others, eh?
For all those who think they are living in Nazi Germany.. Have you not been watching the news? Burma is perfect emample of a Police state. If these two blokes want to sit watching a check point where the prime minister is coming and going from and at the same time making telephone calls what can they expect????
Funny you mention Burma though - the irony wasn't lost on me that while Brown was inside the BIC condoning that regime, his security team were outside creating their own little police state!
JC, Under the Sea says...
11:50am Fri 28 Sep 07
Richard, Bournemouth says...
12:45pm Fri 28 Sep 07
What this government should be investing money in, is finding useful employment for these two disabled gentlemen and others in their situation. If they can make it regularly to the local pub for a drink, then they surely could be gainfully employed somewhere else? As employees, they would have the protection of the Disability Discrimination Act. That's of course assuming they're interested?
PETE WOODLEY, says...
2:01pm Fri 28 Sep 07
AP wrote:Is that, Fact or Fiction,quite often there are two sides to a story,?
These two guys sit there or the Shamrock every day because they have burned their bridges in all of the other pubs in the area!
Richard, Bournemouth says...
2:18pm Fri 28 Sep 07
AP, Christchurch says...
2:18pm Fri 28 Sep 07
PETE WOODLEY wrote:trust me, its fact. They are well known around this area.
AP wrote: These two guys sit there or the Shamrock every day because they have burned their bridges in all of the other pubs in the area!Is that, Fact or Fiction,quite often there are two sides to a story,?
jonnie s, bournemouth says...
2:19pm Fri 28 Sep 07
@£$%ing useless the lot of them, old bill, politicians. Enough to make you move abroad!
Phil, Poole says...
3:25pm Fri 28 Sep 07
AP wrote:So what if they're regular drinkers and/or unemployed? Does that mean they shouldn't have the same rights as anyone else?
These two guys sit there or the Shamrock every day because they have burned their bridges in all of the other pubs in the area!
the owl, bere regis says...
4:53pm Fri 28 Sep 07
Dave, Boscombe says...
7:32pm Fri 28 Sep 07
JC wrote:Its funny that you seem to think we live in a Police state?
Dave wrote: For all those who think they are living in Nazi Germany.. Have you not been watching the news? Burma is perfect emample of a Police state. If these two blokes want to sit watching a check point where the prime minister is coming and going from and at the same time making telephone calls what can they expect????Heaven forbid these two guys sit in the same place they probably sit every week - when our great leader comes into town of course we must all sacrifice our personal liberties for him! Thats the greatest thing about living in a democracy all our leaders are much more important than us were all born equal, but some of us are more equal than others, eh? Funny you mention Burma though - the irony wasn't lost on me that while Brown was inside the BIC condoning that regime, his security team were outside creating their own little police state!
You ought to try living in a Police state and then you would know the difference.. There again you seem to believe everything you read in the press..[
JC, Under the Sea says...
12:08pm Sat 29 Sep 07
I dont recall saying that I think we live in a police state, perhaps youve misinterpreted what I wrote previously and should go back and take another look. One thing Id point out to you though is that police states generally dont come about overnight - theyre usually formed over a period of time by the erosion of civil liberties one-by-one and the apathy of the general public in making a stand or voicing a condemnation of this.
M@lvernite, UK says...
7:23pm Sat 29 Sep 07
When will common sense prevail?
This country's going down the pan, etc.
Livewire, Verwood says...
11:42am Sun 30 Sep 07
This jsut proves the police are in the back pocket of the BNP, and just hope after this incident, people will start seeing them for jackbooted, goose-stepping, nazi-saluting, hitler-worshipping thugs that they are.
PETE WOODLEY, says...
12:23pm Sun 30 Sep 07
Livewire wrote:What on earth have you been reading."PRAVDA"
I'm not surprised at all by this incident - the pair were guilty of the most heinous crime known to the police -Drinking in Bournemouth whilst disabled.
This jsut proves the police are in the back pocket of the BNP, and just hope after this incident, people will start seeing them for jackbooted, goose-stepping, nazi-saluting, hitler-worshipping thugs that they are.
PETE WOODLEY, says...
9:57pm Wed 3 Oct 07
Matt, Southampton says...
10:03am Fri 5 Oct 07
Tony wrote:It is people like you with your pathetic attitude who are going to kill this country. It is people like you who let Hitler get where he did.
I do agree with all that the anti terrorist uniformed officers stand for,they are there to protect the public and any venues that warrants this,you might well know this country is still on red alert for any terrorist attack,this seems slightly bazaar over this incident but it came out on the right side and no one was injured,it could have been far worse "BANG"..
Karen, says...
8:39pm Thu 1 Nov 07
Karen, says...
8:49pm Thu 1 Nov 07
Phil wrote:Simply yes. They're drinking my hard earned tax and **** it out!
AP wrote:So what if they're regular drinkers and/or unemployed? Does that mean they shouldn't have the same rights as anyone else?
These two guys sit there or the Shamrock every day because they have burned their bridges in all of the other pubs in the area!
Karen, says...
8:51pm Thu 1 Nov 07
Echoispoo, Poole says...
2:50am Fri 16 May 08
SURROUNDED: Michael Burbidge and Robert Hamlen found themselves at the centre of a police search while having a drink at the West Cliff Tavern
In this section
- Plea to stop teens’ lethal sea-jumping
- Estate agent who hit girl ‘was idiot’
- Company boss loses appeal over conviction
- Bournemouth teenager saves pet from savage attack
- Floating a new solution to carnival travel ban
- Traders face huge repair bill after Wimborne fire
- Diver safe after three-hour rescue operation
- Dorset pupils are warned over swine flu virus exposure
- Don't miss our school proms supplement on Tuesday
- Review: Britain’s Got Talent Live! Grand Finale, Windsor Hall, BIC
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
goodson, Friars Cliff says...
10:20am Thu 27 Sep 07