Geoff Pearson | Lightnews

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 9h

The very last thing any police force needs is the Home Secretary holding a Sword of Damocles over its Chef's head. I can't think of a better way of ensuring undue political interference in policing and also undermining evidence-based decision making.

Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 11h

Home secretaries will be given new powers to sack chief constables who fail their communities, reinstating a power removed by the Tories in 2011 when Theresa May was in the role.

Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 11h

Home secretaries will be given new powers to sack chief constables who fail their communities, reinstating a power removed by the Tories in 2011 when Theresa May was in the role.

Jason Sinclair @jsinclair.bsky.social · 14h

Politicians: don't use AI to make your maps.

Alex Partridge @alexpartridge87.bsky.social · 16h

WM Police chief Craig Guildford has apologised for identifying a fictitious West Ham v Maccabi Tel Aviv match in a police report. He’s written to the home affairs committee and blames Microsoft CoPilot for the error

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 2d

It's been an established legal term in England and Wales since at least the 1950s (eg the Homicide Act). The line between an unlawful killing that is murder, and that which is constructive manslaughter or voluntary manslaughter (eg killing as a result of loss of control) can be a very fine one.

Netpol @netpol.org · 2d

More than 40 civil society groups (including Netpol) have joined forces to resist yet another proposed expansion by the government of police powers in England and Wales www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Civil society groups condemn ‘dangerous’ plans for more anti-protest powers

Dozens including TUC join force to oppose ‘wide-ranging’ move to increase police powers in England and Wales

www.theguardian.com

David Buil-Gil @davidbuil.bsky.social · 3d

Paper out with @jpinasanchez.bsky.social & @marcelo-f-aebi.bsky.social in @socialindicators.bsky.social 🔔
How often do we compare crime recorded across countries? We show that crime counting rules vary widely across countries and this strongly affects cross-country comparisons

StrictlyChristo 🇺🇦🌻🚫👑 @strictlychristo.bsky.social · 5d

British police have killed fewer people in the last 100 years than American police kill in an average month.

Policing in America is an ongoing tragedy.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 6d

Famously, if someone is driving their car at you, shooting the driver dead brings it to an immediate halt.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6d

JD Vance: "Ramming an ICE officer with your car -- that's what justifies being shot ... the reason this woman is dead is because she tried to ram somebody with her car and that guy acted in self defense"

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6d

JD Vance: "Ramming an ICE officer with your car -- that's what justifies being shot ... the reason this woman is dead is because she tried to ram somebody with her car and that guy acted in self defense"

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 6d

Have you been complaining to Points of View again?

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 6d

The relationship between the police and the traditional press has often been problematic in the UK. There are lots of lesser examples of journalists getting exclusive content in return for toeing a particular law enforcement line.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 8d

The Home Affairs Committee grilling of WMP/AVFC SAG today has been interesting viewing. Everything so far supports our research findings: football intel is of varying quality, POPS commanders tend to be risk averse, and human rights-based approaches lead to better & more transparent decision making.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 9d

It was only starting to grow in the manner of the new shoots on the felled sycamore gap tree.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d

Ignore the noise from the armchairs and just watch your team is always my suggestion.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d

Traditional protections and civil liberties are dangerously exposed to populist policies like never before. Under a Reform or Reform/Tory Government, I fear that anyone expecting equality before the law or habeas corpus to ride in to save them from executive sanction will be in for a nasty surprise.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d

But that was the purpose of the HRA - 'bringing rights home'. I don't think anyone is under the illusion that should the HRA be scrapped, but ECHR ratification remain, Convention rights and freedoms would become increasingly meaningless (in contrast to pre-2000 when Govts were largely responsive).

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 15d

Civil liberties and 'equality before the law' have always been tremendously fragile concepts. Hence why it is so important to have a system of enforceable supra/international Human Rights. If the UK leaves the ECHR, no-one can be certain of their freedoms from one government to the next.

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 21d

I'd kill to watch a moderate county championship side these days.

Martin Bauer @martinmbauer.bsky.social · 21d

What would really be the implications of taking Santa Claus seriously?

It's the time of the year to review the current state of the physics of Santa Claus

1/12

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 26d

Rather pleased with our efforts for this year's advent window. And yes that is Father Christmas and not @markhamillofficial.bsky.social climbing into the AT-AT.

An advent calendar window scene of the Battle of Hoth

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 27d

Matthew Goodwin objects to prosecuting this: ‘I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.’

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 28d

Or has the position on this changed?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Met Police says it will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents

The move comes as an investigation into Father Ted creator Graham Linehan is dropped, after his arrest over a post on X.

www.bbc.co.uk

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 28d

Surely it should be for the CPS to make a statement about what - if any - offence has been committed by people engaging in this chant and then for the police to decide whether to take action as and when?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Met police and GMP pledge crackdown on ‘intifada’ chants at Gaza war protests

Forces say they will ‘recalibrate to be more assertive’ in light of antisemitic attacks in Manchester and Sydney

www.theguardian.com

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 28d

Not much. The issue crops up from time to time on S&S scrutiny panels reviewing BWV, but I've not encountered any system for finding out reasons for not asking the question and don't know of any research in this area. Suspect it just falls into the standard cutting-corners that many bobbies do.

Public Law Publications @publiclawpubs.bsky.social · 29d

Lewis Graham, "Human rights challenges after SC" [2026] Public Law 48

WestLaw Link: uk.westlaw.com/Document/I2A...

uk.westlaw.com

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · Dec 12

£7.5k? A staggeringly low price for such an abuse of power, law, and process. Not surprised the MPS settled. That's barely a ticket for a World Cup group stage match.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Met police agree to pay £7,500 to woman arrested over Gaza protest placard

Exclusive: Force to pay damages to Aisha Jung, who was put into a police van and held until 4am

www.theguardian.com

Daniel Storey @danielstorey85.bsky.social · Dec 12

The ticket pricing for the World Cup is a disgrace. Making fans pay for all eight games up front is a disgrace.

The game is being taken from the people and sold back to them at an unforgivable premium.

inews.co.uk/sport/footba...

World Cup ticket prices are hideously, unforgivably expensive

Watching your country play shouldn’t be the pursuit solely of the super-rich - this is so far beyond the pale it has to cause a line in the sand

inews.co.uk

Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · Dec 11

Really useful ECtHR judgment on public order tactics, this.

Lewis Graham @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social · Dec 11

Tsaava v Georgia [GC]

hudoc.echr.coe.int?i=001-247738

Court: excessive force used against protestors in front of Georgian Parliament

+ a Partial Dissent from the UK’s Judge Tim Eicke who would have found that two applicants lacked “victim status in relation to their complaint under Article 11”.

HUDOC - European Court of Human Rights

The HUDOC database provides access to the case-law of the Court (Grand Chamber, Chamber and Committee judgments and decisions, communicated cases, advisory opinions and legal summaries from the Case-L...

hudoc.echr.coe.int

Lewis Graham @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social · Dec 11

Tsaava v Georgia [GC]

hudoc.echr.coe.int?i=001-247738

Court: excessive force used against protestors in front of Georgian Parliament

+ a Partial Dissent from the UK’s Judge Tim Eicke who would have found that two applicants lacked “victim status in relation to their complaint under Article 11”.

HUDOC - European Court of Human Rights

The HUDOC database provides access to the case-law of the Court (Grand Chamber, Chamber and Committee judgments and decisions, communicated cases, advisory opinions and legal summaries from the Case-L...

hudoc.echr.coe.int

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