So, according to Emma, officers did everything they could, even to the extent of lying, to prevent contact between the families of Valdo Calocane’s three victims. [..] As the relationship soured the police’s tools became cruder — they ‘were told we couldn’t say anything’ until ‘sentencing had been done’ because of the risk of contempt of court. Emma described this as ‘the managing down bit from the police — you know you cannot, you must not say this’. Officers even tried to ‘manage’ the families’ ‘victim impact statements’ — even demanding to ‘see them all in advance’, telling them that ‘you’re not allowed to say anything…too contentious about the verdict’. Emma told me they ‘were made to feel’ that if they didn’t comply with the ‘guide’ which the police provided their victim impact statements might not be allowed at all. Emma also said she was left with the very clear impression that they weren’t allowed to say anything suggesting they ‘didn’t agree with the process’.
A particularly damning section:
So, according to Emma, officers did everything they could, even to the extent of lying, to prevent contact between the families of Valdo Calocane’s three victims. [..] As the relationship soured the police’s tools became cruder — they ‘were told we couldn’t say anything’ until ‘sentencing had been done’ because of the risk of contempt of court. Emma described this as ‘the managing down bit from the police — you know you cannot, you must not say this’. Officers even tried to ‘manage’ the families’ ‘victim impact statements’ — even demanding to ‘see them all in advance’, telling them that ‘you’re not allowed to say anything…too contentious about the verdict’. Emma told me they ‘were made to feel’ that if they didn’t comply with the ‘guide’ which the police provided their victim impact statements might not be allowed at all. Emma also said she was left with the very clear impression that they weren’t allowed to say anything suggesting they ‘didn’t agree with the process’.