By Ashley Young And James Simons-
Highly ranked Essex police officers, one after the other, tried to cover up a sloppy and dishonourable investigation into the alleged theft of a black man’s belongings by social services, and an estate agents, after the police professional standards appointed one of them to investigate.
Inspector James Howell, a senior inspector Sargent in the Southend area did not reveal an obvious conflict of interest when he was asked to investigate a complaint of discrimination against his colleagues, even though he was among those who had dealt with the black man whose identity has been withheld after he claims to have suffered mental health issues arising from the ordeal.
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Howell initially suggested for a police officer to accompany the man to collect his belongings after ruling the matter not to be a police matter, only to later support his colleague, PC Aaron Butcher, who would effectively obstruct the man from collecting his belongings under arrangements made by PC Dunn from the Crime Bureau .
Howell who agreed to investigate the man’s complaint after it was reported to professional standards was expected to recuse himself from the case because he had been part of the team whom the man had reached out to in a cry for help, but instead pretended to be an independent party to investigation, and asked questions about a case he knew everything about as though he was new to the case.
After a complaint from the black man was sent to professional standards, it was referred to the fire and police commissioner instead of the IOPC, who eventually took the case up and contacted him. The case is among a number of other cases involving police cover ups to be examined closely by the IOPC and used as sample cases for other police forces in the Uk to understand how easy it is for police forces to indulge in cover ups which they intend to go undetected indefinitely.
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Another highly placed officer accused of covering up her colleagues is Inspector Louise Metcalfe who was told of her colleague Aaron Butcher’s deceitful advise to the black man to report his missing belongings as theft in the event of not receiving them back when he complaints. She routinely defended her colleagues, though when told Butcher had promised the man his complaint of theft will be investigated, she is heard during a recorded conversation saying ‘I’m not happy about that’, and then asked for a copy of the email confirming the black man’s communication to Butcher, but predictably did not act against her colleague.
The Independent Police Commission(IOPC) contacted the man whose identity is being withheld, informing him of the careless error, which the man believes is deliberate, and telling him they will investigate it.
Essex police professional standard also omitted from their records of the black man’s complaint, the Human Right’s Standard And Practise for The Police, which stipulates certain basic requirements for the police to abide by, including speaking to ethnic minorities- an aspect that many police forces in the Uk simply won’t be very comfortable with
It states on the first page that ”this guide is designed to be a readily accessible and portable reference for police officers. It is organized into major human rights topics of concern to the police, such as investigations, arrest, detention and the use of force. Under each topic, there is a section summarizing
the relevant international human rights standards, followed by a “practice” section Speak to minority group members in the communities you serve, to learn their needs, complaints and
suggestions.
On the 8th page, it demands police offices to be sensitive and responsive Command and supervisory officials Organize in-service training to sensitize police to the importance of good ethnic/race relations and fair, non-discriminatory law enforcement and develop a race-relations plan of action, in consultation with various ethnic communities.
The man has accused high ranking members of the force of racial discrimination and mistreatment , after they ignored his complaints of discriminatory treatment by an alcoholic whom he accused of uttering racial slurs against him.
The mail from the IOPC read: ”this email is about your application for review against Essex Police, which they forwarded on 30 November 2021.
Essex Police has originally informed you that the Office for Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex were the relevant body to consider your review. However, this appears to have been an error, and your review will now be dealt with by the IOPC.
We are independent of the police. Our role is to look at the way the police handled your complaint, the outcome and the decisions reached. This will involve looking at the reasons for submitting your application and the points you have raised in relation to the handling of your complaint. We have enclosed a document with additional information on the process.
We will contact to get all the information they hold about your complaint. This will be used to assess your application along with the information you have submitted.
Due to the delay in your review being received in our office please be advised that your case will be allocated as a priority. Once allocated a casework manager will contact you directly”.
Essex police originally claimed to have given the man back his belongings in August 2019, but 8 months later, gave him a larger proportion of his belongings, this time leaving out a few key belongings of his including some designer clothings and his passport
Cover Up
High ranking members of Essex Police, from sergeants down to PC’s, all contradicted themselves and have been accused of covering up for the failings of their colleagues by ignoring central complaints.
Amongst them were Inspector J Howell, who initially suggested for a police officer to accompany the man to collect his belongings after ruling the matter not a police matter, only to later support his colleague PC Butcher, obstructing the man from collecting his belongings under arrangements made by PC Dunn.
The force confirmed the re-opening of an investigation into allegations of theft by two social workers supported by estate agents, Appointmoore after the man’s property was not returned to him a year after he last saw them .
The property , believed to have been stolen by either the alcoholic, Gary Hustwitt, or the estate agent or social worker as part of a vendetta against him, consisted of a number of expensive designer clothings and a passport.
At the time Essex police said theft could not be proven unless he could show the property was dishonestly appropriated from him, with the intention of permanently depriving him of the belongings.
In a story that revealed both the incompetence and prejudicial conduct of Essex police in failing to solve what was initially not so complicated a problem, Essex police fumbled, contradicted themselves and their colleagues, and showed a clear lack of integrity, then attempted to cover themselves up, following a complaint by the complainant .
The man originally reported the case to the Essex police Crime bureau, and spoke with PC Smith, who suggested the man was allowed to identify his belongings which were in a room at the property where he stayed, put them aside, and photograph them for the tenant in hospital to verify.
The idea itself was a good attempt to resolve the issue, but in a show of contradiction and prejudicial conduct, PC Butcher overruled his colleague once on the scene, evidencing a clear lack of principle and uniformity in the force on the matter.
The man had already spoken with PC Butcher’s line manager the night before, who asked him to call officers to accompany him to the property to fulfil the smart idea deposited by PC Dunn. The sergeant could have made those arrangements for the black man himself by instructing his officers to the assist him, but left him to make the arrangements itself.
PC Butcher had been placed at the scene of the property by social services and the estate agents to effectively frustrate the man’s attempts to collect his belongings, despite the advice from one of their colleagues.
Lack Of Integrity
In a further show of lack of integrity, PC Butcher then assured the man that arrangements will be made for any missing belongings of his discovered to be passed to him, and if that did not happen, he should email the estate agents, who would contact one of the social workers present, Ms Lee, to give them to him.
PC Butcher then advised the man to report the matter to police as a theft.
When the male eventually contacted the estate agents to highlight his missing belongings, as suggested by PC Butcher, he was ignored, and when he contacted PC Bucher to remind him of his promise.
PC Butcher photographed while conducting a separate arrest Image: supplied
Butcher sent him back to Mischelle Lee of social services, who had been appointed by the unscrupulous manager, Lauren Lynch, whose expertise was by now highly questionable.
Meanwhile, PC’s line manager, P.C Howell had told the man on phone the night before to try and get officers to accompany him to the scene to fulfil the advice by PC Dunn to identify his property.
Officers the man contacted also claimed the case to be civil and said they would not show up at the property, contradicting the advice from their sergeant.
Instead, the man was given a fraction of his belongings in August 2020, then another fraction in April, this year, conveniently withholding some key clothings of the man. When the man complained to professional standards, they appointed a sergeant who has
Drama
The problem started after the man had confronted the estate agent for accommodating an alcoholic in a property with a completely defective shower and washing machine after collecting a 15,000 advance, Appointmoore’s relatively unfit manager, Lauren Finch could not manage the situation, and allowed it breakdown, appearing to become spiteful in the end.
Her arrogance and incompetence would lead to her fail to co-operate with efforts to return belongings to the man who had not only arranged for the property, but also cared for the alcoholic by spending nights at the property. The chronic alcoholic of 61 got so drunk, he was hospitalized after urinating on himself and excreting himself on an expensive sofa purchased by his family.
While in hospital, the man was unable to obtain his belongings, even though it should not have been very difficult to arrange.
Right from it’s director down to its manager, the case exposed a lack of class and professionalism of those working for this estate agents.
The property had initially been handled by Zac Weaver, but was somehow taken over by estate manager, Lauren Finch, who appeared to be drunk with power, and a false sense of self importance, due to a post that requires no real qualifications -just contacts and experience.
Depression
The incident was related to property left at the former residence of a chronic alcoholic-Gary Hustwitt- whose depression was heightened after his late father – a former stock broker-froze him out of a will that saw Mr.Hustwitt’s sister, Gayle Martin, made a huge beneficiary to the exclusion of her brother.
Gary’s father, John, died at the age of 87, and left the bulk of his 1m to his daughter, Gayle Martins, who had been respectful to him in his life time. He left her a 800,000 property and an unspecified amount of cash, setting her up for life.
She was also given discretion over any moneys Mr Hustwitt, 61 could benefit from his father’s will. Gayle was not on talking terms with Gary either, leaving all the financial affairs to her husband, Paul Martins to handle.
Mr.Hustwitt was sorrowful and hurt about the arrangements, it worsened his drinking. He drank one can after the other, and would wait by the corner shops to open at 8 am in the morning. ”He always had the shakes and couldn’t wait for his next drink, a former friend told The Eye Of Media.Com.
Gary’s father in law, Paul Martins told this publication that Gary had become a liability to the family, and they had enough of him. They wanted social services to intervene in his situation.
Paul9right) and Gail Martins (left) Image:facebook
Mr Hustwitt was frozen out of his father’s will after treating his late father and mother very badly when they were alive, according to his family, and refusing to curb his alcoholism
Alcoholic: Gary Hustwitt
His father reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on him in rehab before his demise, but Gary soon returned to his drinking habit once out of rehab.
Gary’s sister, Gayle Martins, had in previous years gone as far as posting pictures of Mr.Hustwitt in corner shops, pleading with shopkeepers not to serve him, but the perpetual alcoholic would get on a bus and travel out of his area in Hockley, Essex, to buy alcohol . He drank up to nine or ten cans of the strong Polish drink, Capache, until he threw up, and even then, he would continue drinking.
Gary, who had also accommodated drug addicts at his property, and admitted spending thousands of pounds on a female drug addict because he he felt she may otherwise die. When he was to eventually leave the property he had, his former landlord declined to approve any positive reference for him, ticking no to every relevant question asked for his credit check.
After a £15,000 annual advance was offered to The Estate Agents, Appointmoore, the estate agents housed the alcoholic at a property where vulnerable people lived at Crowstone Road, Chalkwell.
His drinking habit was ignored by the estate agent’s irresponsibly behaved manager, Lauren Finch, who was made aware of the scale of the problem, and told several times about a defective shower and washing machine left unattended for months.
The conceited manager-now said to be on maternity leave- went as far as asking police to visit Mr.Hustwitt on at least three separate occasions at his property to check on his well being- the same police force- who would contradictorily later refuse to investigate an allegation of theft, calling it a civil matter.
The duty of police to investigate crimes, had now been substituted for checking on people’s well being, but this manager found a way to convince police that the alcoholic could be in some form of danger,
At one point Gary became frustrated with regular police visits to his home that he began using some of the most derogatory comments to describe estate agent manager, Lauren Finch, who was acting like one on a power trip, flaunting power when she should have known that was the job of social services.
Ms Finch was once confronted by neighbours at the new residence where Mr Hustwitt had constituted a drunken mess, and asked whether she was aware he had an alcoholic problem. She denied having knowledge of his problem, even though she was made well aware.
Arrogant manager: Lauren Finch Image;Appointmoor.com
The hypocrisy of both the police and Lauren Lynch, was so alarming, this publication watched for almost a year before we set in to interrogate the estate agents, who never had a word to say in their defence.
Abdication Of Duty
The Eye Of Media.Com can reveal that Essex police abdicated their duty in this case, contradicting themselves on many occasions in which they advised the man to report the missing items as theft, only to later collude with one another in declaring the matter as a civil case.
Then in August 2020, a police officer, PC Butcher, turned up at the property to unwittingly assist the corrupt efforts of the estate agents to prevent the man from identifying his belongings among others, even as they were being cleared in his presence.
But in a flagrant contradiction of accepted standards and prejudicial conduct, PC Butcher overruled his colleague on the scene, evidencing a clear lack of principle and uniformity in the force on the matter.
In a further show of lack of integrity, PC Butcher then assured the man that arrangements will be made for any missing belongings of his discovered to be passed to him, and if that did not happen, he should email the estate agents, who would contact one of the social workers present, Ms Lee, to give them to him.
If that did not happen, he advised that the man report the matter to police as a theft. When the male eventually contacted the estate agents to highlight his missing belongings, he was ignored, and when he contacted PC Bucher to remind him of his promise, Butcher sent him back to Mischelle Lee of social services, who had been appointed by the unscrupulous Lauren Lynch., whose expertise was highly questionable.
Estate Agents, Appointmoor and two female members of social services-who have both been accused of either stealing the black man’s belongings, or being complicit in the theft of his belongings, which includes a number of designer shirts and trousers, and personal documents.
Vendetta
The alleged theft is believed to be part of a vendetta against the man, after he confronted the incompetent operation of The Estate Agents in renting out a two bedroom property with a defective shower and washing machine which were not working at all throughout the duration of Mr.Hustwitt’s stay at the property.
An investigating officer who wouldn’t want to be named said the property was being held at a storage and they had not been obtainable because Gary is in a care home.
Social workers had initially claimed that none of the man’s belongings were missing- but in May, handed another portion of his belongings, items of clothing, 8 months after he first asked for them. They still have the other belongings in their possession.
The man has also accused the police of discrimination against him, alleging they supported the estate agents, despite evidence that one of the estate agent’s manager had an axe to grind with him.
Proving discrimination in a case like this is difficult, because the officers they considered the case to be civil at those early stages.
Independent professionals which includes lawyers, lecturers and highly ranked police officers from other boroughs have not been unified in their verdicts on this case, making it not so clear to what extent discrimination can be clearly established. One officer said it could just be a case of clear bias.
Power Drunk
Finch- described by the man as egoistic and power drunk, had originally not been managing this property, but took over from Zak Weavers, who struck the original deal of collecting cash for the property. She was repeatedly told of a defective washing machine and shower, and written to by Mr Hustwitt to fix both items, but neither was ever fixed.
Under the management of Ms Finch, she arranged for police to visit Mr.Hustwitt at the property about four times. Mr.Hustwitt complained that he was overstepping her marks, and called her derogatory in his remarks about her as a result.
The tricky side to the dispute is that at the beginning of the complaint, theft was impossible to prove because of the legal requirement of permanent deprivation of property required to prove theft. Police officers differ in opinion when asked about theft.
One officer said that where there is reasonable cause to suspect that one party intends to deprive another of their belongings, police can act to prevent it, and return the goods to its rightful owner.
Under the circumstances of rented accommodation, the tenant normally has most rights, but he cannot steal your property and claim it simply because it is in his property, neither can anyone on his behalf prevent the owner from having his property.
Alcoholic- Gary Hustwitt, himself could have been more helpful in helping the man obtain a property by getting his family to pay for the property, after they had deserted him due to a very bad character which had seen the 60 year old left out of his father’s will.
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