A Cornwall police badge?

An interesting idea has been mooted on a Cornish forum for officers of the Devon and Cornwall police force to wear police badges that state ‘Cornwall’ on them.

However, there is no reason why the words Kernow should not be added too. As will be seen on the Celtic League pages (CPW recommend doing a search)a campaign has been running by the League asking police constabularies in the Celtic countries, what their linguistic and cultural commitment is to the respective Celtic countries they serve. As will seen from the League’s news items here, Chief Constable Stephen Otter has already been sent several letters by the League on his constabularies commitment to the Cornish language and culture.

Other replies by various chief police officers from the different constabularies in the Celtic countries, found on the site, have been largely positive, but no reply from Otter has been shown. Either he has ignored the League’s questions or his response was so dismissive and short that the League didn’t think it worthy of posting up on their site.

For those readers who are interested, Cornwall did have its own police badge until the Cornwall County Constabulary was discontinued in 1967. Many of Cornwall’s police officers who worked through the change, stubbornly and rightly continued to wear their Cornwall police badge with pride for many years after, even though another (Devon and Cornwall) badge had been issued.

Also of interest is the fact that Cornwall (with the exception of Breizh/Brittany) is unique of the Celtic countries in that it is serviced by a police force that is based outside its territorial boundaries.

Both the above issues should be remedied and it is hoped that the League (and others) will take it upon themselves to campaign for these particular issues of concern some time soon.

The Cornwall 24 forum provides some interesting material for those interested in Cornish issues and occasionally discusses issues related to police activity. CPW however, cannot find the link to the Cornwall police badge discussion and would appreciate it if a reader could provide one in the comments section.

Celtic League Branch meets, as Tony prepares to answer his bail for fifth time

The Kernow Branch of the Celtic League will meet today inWadebridge, East Cornwall to discuss, among other things, the situation of Tony Leamon, who is due, once again, to answer his bail at Camborne police station on Thursday 31st July.

It is expected that the branch will be organising a demonstration outside Camborne police station on the Tuesday. Those who are able to participate should watch this space for up to date information, in case Tony’s bail is delayed yet again, in which case the demonstration is likely to be cancelled.

This will be the Tony fifth time that Tony is due to answer his police bail and as on previous occasions, supporters are requested to write/phone to Devon and Cornwall police station to register their concerns (police.Enquiries@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk or 7 0044 84527744 from abroad or 084527744 from the UK Ask to be put through to Camborne police station for a non urgent call). Supporters are also requested to copy emails to Ginette Harris (gharris@c-dm.co.uk) of the West Briton newspaper in Cornwall.

Campaigners respond to newspaper articles

Campaigners on behalf of Tony Leamon have taken up the inaccurate portrayal of his case in two newspapers following his bail delay earlier this month. The first is from the ever reliable Celtic League who have been campaigning on Tony’s behalf from the outset. The League’s General Secretary made a complaint to the ‘Western Morning News’ newspaper, who made a series of errors in their article on 3rd July 2008, which was featured on this site. The second complaint is from a campaigner in the USA, who took issue with The Sun’s sensationalist and highly patronising news item about Tony, so commonly associated with that particular newspaper.

The Celtic League’s response can be found here and the US campaigner’s response can be found below. Well done both!

I am writing to you … regarding the article that appeared in the July 4 edition of the Sun about Tony Leamon.

While you are to be commended for featuring the article, I must say that your lack of confirmed facts leaves much to be desired.
I've a few questions concerning the article.

1. "The Cornish National Liberation Army, dubbed the Ooh-Arr A, wanted to back a member answering bail on a gun charge." It's my understanding that membership in the Cornish National Liberation Army is in itself a criminal offense.
If Mr. Leamon is a member of the CNLA (which he is most certainly not), why has he not been charged as a terrorist?

2. "The organisation boasted on websites that supporters from Mexico the US and Australia would support Tony Leamon, 58, at Camborne police station. But when he arrived the only follower was student Jezz Evans."
Having been involved with this thing since September of 2007, I can honestly say that I know of no supporters from "Mexico". I am also unaware of anyone from the US or Australia who planned to show up at the Camborne police station. It is also my understanding (and I heard this from Tony Leamon himself) that a policeman arrived at Tony's house at 11:30 AM the day his bail hearing was scheduled to tell Tony that it had been moved back to July 31.
So, when did Mr. Leamon "arrive"?
Was any research put into finding out why only one person showed up to offer support for Mr. Leamon?
Could that have been because Mr. Leamon took the time to contact people and tell them about the rescheduling of his bail hearing?
Where are the "websites" that your article mentions?
Are these websites maintained by the CNLA?

3. But the cops said they were "not aware of any calls relating to the inquiry."
"Cops" were quoted, but no one by name.
I was waiting to speak with a "cop" when I received word from Mr. Leamon that his bail hearing had been rescheduled.
Who were these "cops" and why wasn't my telephone call mentioned?
Did any research go into this "lack" of telephone calls.
I am aware of at least three people from New Mexico who attempted to get through to the Camborne police station.

4. I've been told that the so-called gun charge had to do with a World War vintage rifle that has a lead filled barrel and is incapable of firing. I've also been told that the photo of the gun was a full blown practical joke and that Mr. Leamon has provided the paperwork to prove that the gun is worthless as a weapon.
Mentioning a gun charge in an article about anyone could destroy a person's career prospects, this is obviously a petty point for yourself and your newspaper.
Mentioning a gun charge without pointing out all of the facts involved was very reckless and uncaring on your part as well as your editor's.
Was any research put into the gun charge?
Why weren't the facts about the gun mentioned in your article?

5. The Celtic League (which is not affiliated with the CNLA) urged people to send emails to the Devon/Cornwall police in support of Mr. Leamon. I know of at least twelve people in my town other than myself who sent emails expressing concern for the Draconian treatment the Mr. Leamon is receiving from the State.
Why was no mention made in your article of what is truly international support for Mr. Leamon?

6. Your article made a very serious, life impacting accusation by calling Mr. Leamon a member of the CNLA.
Was any time devoted to finding the true facts here?
Did you give any thought at all to what this could do to a person's life?
Was this article published for the good of the community as a whole or as a trite piece of filler for your newpaper?

7. Tony Leamon is a member of the Cornish Branch of the Celtic League and a committed pacifist. He has often asked his supporters to treat the police with kindness and dignity when they make contact.
Was any effort made to contact Tony to hear his side of things?
Was any effort made to contact the Celtic League, which is a well respected group, to get a better understanding of this case?

I will look forward to your reply.

Kindest regards,

Police language – in Cornish!

If Kernow had its own police force and a linguistic requirement of its officers was to speak the Cornish language, below are some words/terms they maybe likely to use. In fact, if there are any police officers or Police community support officers reading this, why not put into practice some of this vocabulary today.

GWIR-VREUS (Justice)

gwir-vreus -- justice
breus -- judgement
sywyans -- result
pysadow -- appeal
daswel -- review
gevyans -- remission
edrek -- remorse
gwith -- custody
apposyans -- examination
gwaytyans -- expectation
ken -- law-suit
arv -- weapon
ladrynsi -- robbery (in general)
ladrans -- robbery (individual act)
ladrans arvek -- armed robbery
ladhva -- murder
kammfydhweyth -- confidence trick
dustuni -- testimony
assay -- attempt
nester -- proximity
privetter -- privacy
bolder -- presumption
bysmer -- contempt
omgemmeryans -- responsibility
daskorrans -- restitution
kammhynseth -- injustice
kowses -- conviction
mewgh -- bail

breusyas -- judge
justis -- magistrate
laghyas / laghyades -- lawyer m/f
prisner / prisnores -- prisoner m/f
galwesik / galwesiges -- professional m/f
gwithyas kres -- policeman
gwithyades kres -- policewoman
darsywyas -- prosecutor
difenner -- defendant
lader -- thief
denledhyas -- murderer
kammfydhwas -- confidence trickster
drogoberer -- criminal
drogoberer avleythys -- hardened criminal
kreslu -- police force
dustunier -- witness
noter -- notary
bayli -- bailiff
perghenn -- owner
tremenyas -- passer-by
mewghyer -- one who stands bail

herwydh an lagha, lafyl, laghel -- lawful
anlaghel -- illegal
digeredh -- excused
kablus po ankablus -- guilty or not guilty
varyes -- insane, deranged
kammhynsek -- unjust
diswar -- reckless

darsywya -- to prosecute
previ, gul prov -- to prove
kildenna -- to reverse
byghanhe -- to reduce
mos dres -- to exceed
gordhyllo -- to expel
gul dhe -- to cause to
gwarnya -- to caution
gul maystri orth -- to exercise control over
dilea -- to expunge
mewghya -- to stand bail
kammdremena -- transgress, trespass
kammvreusi – misjudge

How about some slang!

to bag – sagha
to pinch - pynchya
to rumble - grommya
to sequester – argeles
to snare – krogennya ?
to book – ragerghi
to catch – kachya
to haul in – tenna, halya
to seize – dalghenna, sesya

gorra yn gwith -- to place in custody (arrest?)

Campaign activity

Check out the link below for an example of further campaign work. Mike Chappell, who wrote the letter in the link has been campaigning activley on behalf of Tony for many months, despite heavy criticism from some unionist quarters in Cornwall, for reasons unknown.

Unfortunately it seems that the more active one becomes in pushing the the Cornish cause forward, the more people will come out of the woodwork and try to damage your reputation and credibility. It has happened before and continues to occur today. Well done Mr Chappell for standing up for what you believe in - CPW wish there were more like you.

Keep the communications going.

Campaign news: Tony Leamon

What nonsense!

It seems that journalists in Britain and the UK cannot seem to get their facts right at all. Yesterday, in the London based The Sun newspaper, another article appeared about Tony Leamon’s case, which must have been directly lifted and modified creatively from the Western Morning News (WMN) newspaper article that appeared the previous day.

The WMN article was distorted enough and shows that the reporting and research skills of so called journalists are miserably low, but the following Sun article beggar’s belief! Moreover it seems that neither newspaper asked for permission to use the photo of Tony Leamon in their rags.

Tony Leamon is:

41 years old (not 58)
Not a member of the CNLA
Didn’t answer his bail at Camborne police station on 2nd July

See link below:

Source: The Sun (Ohh-Arr you?)

Writer: j.coles@the-sun.co.uk

Newspaper in Cornwall gets story wrong!

It is indeed a shame how the press in Cornwall have virtually ignored the Tony Leamon story and then when one news paper attempts to cover it, they get their facts wrong and portray the campaign in a negative, humorous way.

The following article ‘PROTESTER RALLIES TO SUPPORT NATIONALIST’, written by senior reporter for the Western Morning News, Lyn Barton is full of misconceptions and errors. Even though she has been among the first to cover the story to a limited extent in the mainstream press, she showed up her poor research skills to the detriment of the newspapers reputation. The article may prove a little humorous for WMN readers, who know nothing of Tony’s plight, but she has either failed to show or deliberately omitted the world support that Tony’s case is receiving.

Whether the delay of Tony’s bail by the police (and/or the Crown Prosecution Service), at the last minute, was a deliberate attempt to pull the carpet from under the feet of supporters or they had heard of the planned protest and decided avoid what could be bad publicity, we will never know.

The Tony Leamon support network is tight and almost everyone is kept informed of what is going on via the internet. Some people however are bound to not hear about the very latest developments, as in the case of Mr Evans.

CPW are disappointed by this obvious lack of reporting skills and hope they can correct the story at a future date. Good photo though.

Lyn Barton’s email address is:

lbarton@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Source: Western Morning News
Reporter: Lyn Barton

PROTESTER RALLIES TO SUPPORT NATIONALIST
LYN BARTON

11:00 - 03 July 2008

A solitary protester answered a rallying cry to demonstrate in support of a man questioned in connection with the activities of an extremist nationalist group in Cornwall.

Tony Leamon yesterday answered bail for the fourth time since he was arrested in September as part of an inquiry into the Cornish National Liberation Army, which had threatened to firebomb premises associated with Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver.

The Kernow Branch of the Celtic League had urged members to turn up at Camborne Police Station at 3pm, where the 58-year-old was due to answer bail.


However, in the event, Mr Leamon appeared to have arrived at the police station before lunch, and was released on unconditional until July 31.

At the appointed hour, only Jezz Evans, carrying the St Piran's Flag and wearing a T-shirt proclaiming that Cornwall was "next to England...like Wales" turned up.

Mr Evans, 24, and who is studying for a masters degree, said he was keen to show his support for Mr Leamon.

"I support people like Tony who I believe have been wrongly arrested for being terrorists when there is just no evidence to support it," he said.

He claimed Mr Leamon was being made a scapegoat for being a "vocal" and "passionate" supporter of the Cornish cause.

Mr Evans said many members of the Celtic League would not have been able to turn up due to work commitments, but would support their friend. "I am a student so my hours are flexible," he said. "All the rest of the Celtic League will probably have full-time work. They would definitely support him in spirit.

"I'm not disappointed to be the only person here today."

Mr Leamon, who lives in Falmouth, was one of four men arrested in September on suspicion of the illegal possession of a firearm as part of an investigation into the activities of the CNLA. The shadowy extremist group claimed to have come together in a bid to free Cornwall from Westminister's control and had threatened to firebomb restaurants connected to Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver as part of their campaign.

Two men, including the well-known Cornish musician Graham Hart, were released without any further action. A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman told the WMN a 58-year-old from Falmouth had been rebailed until July 31. A 53-year-old man from Camborne was due to answer bail at the same time as part of the same investigation, but failed to appear.

The spokesman said the police were still waiting a decision from the Crown Prosecution Service on the case.

Bernard Moffat, director of information for the Celtic League had called for members unable to come to Camborne Police Station to ring instead.

The police spokesman said the force received thousands of calls every day and that he was unaware of any particularly targeting the inquiry.

Tony Leamon’s bail delayed again!

Tony must surely be at the end of his tether. In an email to CPW, Tony Leamon said:

“I was to have answered my bail today at 3 pm. At 11am this morning I had DC 196 Hampson on my door at 11am delaying the interview until the 31st July.
I AM sitting here shaking like a jelly. Surely this delaying tactic is against the law!

My solicitor rang up yesterday to confirm the date-which they did. So I got everything prepared. Now I am delayed to the 3st July at 3 pm. This is the second time they have cancelled my hearing at the last moment. I am sure such delaying and shock inducing tactics are illegal somewhere, but clearly not in Cornwall.

It will be over 10 months since I was arrested, and I still haven’t been charged. Arrested, yes. But not charged. I have been interviewed for over 18 hours, have had my computer, mobile phones, paperwork, flags, and John Angarrk books seized, ad still no charge.

I asked DC Hampson why he couldn’t get things organised. He said it was “out of his hands”. I asked if that was so, could I be seen by the person in whose hands it was. Again, he said, it was out of his hands. The term monkey and organ grinder come to mind.

Speak to all later. Please keep emailing the West Briton, and ringing the police station.”

CPW condemn the treatment that Devon and Cornwall police is meting out to Tony, whose only crime is to campaign for what he believes in.

Good Luck Tony!

Today, Tony Leamon answers is police bail. In an email to supporters, Tony says:

“The battle starts tomorrow. For those who are braving the rain I will be at the police station for about 2:30. For those ringing in the number is 0845 2777444. State it is a non urgent call, and you wish to be put through to Camborne. When through be polite and courteous.

Why not email your feelings to the local news paper, the West Briton? If enough support is shown I am sure they will run a story. The address is gharris@c-dm.co.uk


As with all innocent people I will probably have a sleepless night tonight, but it will do my heart glad to see some friendly faces at the station tomorrow.

Here is your chance to show your support- take it and enjoy every moment! Let’s show the state they cannot push people with no money around.

If they bang me up, I’ll see you all in 1 to 3 years.”

CPW have been copied in on some of the letters being sent to the Devon and Cornwall Police force and journalists in Cornwall to remind them that the world is watching. Edited versions of some of these letters are below:

“As a Human Rights activist for many years I must say that the ten months of seemingly useless harassment that Cornishman Tony Leamon has received from the State appals me.”


“When a State reaches the point where it will repeatedly call an as yet "uncharged" citizen to attend bail hearings set at the whim of some faceless "officer of the state" only to spend hours upon hours asking the same questions that State is moving away from being a free land and into very dangerous territory.”

USA

“Dear Journalist

I am writing to you from my home in Cathair na Gaillimhe (Galway) in Eire otherwise known as the Republic of Ireland.

I won't be outside the Camborne Police Station in Cornwall on 2nd July but Mr Tony Leamon and his plight will be high in my thoughts and that of many others here. What is happening to him might as well be in the Ireland of 30 years ago.”

Now, it is not the English I despise as much as their rotten colonial system and that is why I spent a deal of my life fighting against that system. I am proud of what has been achieved and that out of 32 counties, 26 of them are free albeit not perfect. That imperfection however at least belongs to us and we shall do our best to put it right. We're working on the other occupied six counties and one day our country will be united.

“I have been following the Tony Leamon story from its outset. It does seem to me that the whole world knows about him except where he comes from - Cornwall - or Kernow as it should be called. When I was a young boy, I was made to read a book called '1984' by George Orwell and many of us looking in from the outside can see that is what is happening where you are, albeit 24 years later than Orwell envisaged. You are now being controlled in what you can say and write as journalists by the authorities and that is a very dangerous state of affairs indeed.”

“Sir

I am not prepared to reveal my identity as I was a serving police officer in the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary until the early 1990's when I retired after 30 years service.

I wish to draw your attention to the below references:

A. cornwall police watch blog

B. the news is now public Tony Leamon story

I came across these stories whilst researching police affairs of the past. I strongly suggest you read both website entries from start to finish.

I am ashamed of what the force has become if what is contained in these stories is true. The internet now is more widely read that the newspaper media of our days and it is no wonder that public confidence in the police is falling.”

“What on earth is going on in the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary? Have they forgotten what they are all about ? Where is the integrity the force was so proud of ? In fact, where is the pride ?”

“I am remaining anonymous because in today's environment of malice and nastiness, who knows what action might be taken against a police pensioner but I am the old fashioned sort who still talks to the public and I know your public relations are a complete disaster! Go back to training school and start again.”

CPW will look forward to hearing more – so keep writing and calling the police and newspapers to highlight Tony’s case.