Corruption in Jersey Channel islands is rife and too many of the islanders turn a blind eye to it, either out of fear of repercussions, stupidity or naivety. Possibly some might be using ‘The Jersey Way’ themselves and would have too much to loose by speaking out against it or fear the repercussions if they did so.
None of the contents of Lenny Harpers affidavit published on Stuart Syvret’s blog are any surprise to me personally, especially the sections 35 to 63 regarding Roy Boschat Recovery Service in respect of corrupt activities surrounding towing services.
Due to the fact that my husband and I ran a 24hour Recovery service (B Corby Recovery Service) and are in full knowledge of the fact that this criminal activity was going on from the 1980’s through to 1997 when we sold our business, we could give testimony to this if required to do so.
My husband was party to meetings at the States of Jersey Police Headquarters with other recovery services in relation to this corruption, and the loss of business it was causing us through it, and the corruption was confirmed at that time in the Police records that my husband and others saw. Many decent Police Officers also confirmed this to me personally.
During a period of time in the 1990’s a Police Constable on one particular week stopped me eight times in my car and threatened to have me prosecuted for Drunk Driving, I do not drink and drive, anyone can check me anytime I am driving, I would not get behind the wheel after having one drink, full stop. I had to inform this Constable that if he persisted in harassing me in this way I would put a complaint into police headquarters about his harassment, in fact I did just that verbally as did my husband and he then stopped stopping me but persisted in regularly following my car for miles on end for several months after. To what purpose he did this is beyond me, fortunately I am not a person that is easily intimidated and eventually he gave up doing so.
It was well known on the grapevine amongst the Recovery Services that a Po;ice Constable was on the look out to get a driving conviction against anyone working for the breakdown services in competition with Roy Boschat’s service, maybe he though a woman would be easy pickings, as the only woman breakdown truck driver in the island any conviction against me would probably have been higher profile for the media than a man, who knows?
When a lot of this came to light in the JEP I spoke to someone extremely close to Roy Boschat and they quite openly told me that it was all true, the freebie holidays in Boschat’s Spanish Villa, the vehicle number plate and registrations scam, and when I told them that this was in fact bribery and corruption, all they said was it was OK because it was ‘The Jersey Way’ and that Roy had so many friends in high places that it would never reach a court of law anyway. So far this has proved to be correct, so much for Justice in jersey.
As everyone knows I have been fighting to get a small dwelling on my land in St Peters Parish for many years now, so when I saw Roy Boschat getting permission for a property on the sea front behind his property right next to a Martello tower I was disgusted to say the least, especially knowing that Boschat did the tow ins for the Planning Department, and knew his was good friends out of his own mouth with a certain high up Planning Department Official. Go Figure.
Corruption might well be rife in the world, but Jersey has more than its fair share of it! What can or will be done about it remains to be seen, nothing probably, and this is why so many people simple keep their mouths shut, because there are real repercussions for anyone like me who is straight and honest about what really goes on in the island.
Many people have actually told me on numerous occasions that I should keep quiet and mind my own business as I would get further if I did so. They are probably right but I am who and what I am and I cannot be any other way it just simply is not in my nature.
My Husbands Grandfather told me that just after the war one of his daughters who was in her early teens on her way home from school, was rapped by the son of a Centenier in St Saviour’s Parish, he was told by the Connétable of the Parish at the time that if he made a fuss he would have him sectioned, he had three young daughter to bring up, his wife had died marching between of war camps in France. There was nothing he could do! My husbands Auntie told me this herself as did my husbands mother. Does not look like much has changed in the island, disgusting but true, the way the abused children of the island have and are being treated is in my opinion just plain inhuman and totally unjust.
Will the English Government step up and sort this mess out, not in my opinion, let us face it how many of them do you think have financial considerations in the island?
Below is the relevant extract of Lenny Harpers Affidavit.
Affidavit of Lenny Harper,
Former Deputy Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police Force.
35. The first intelligence in respect of this came from a member of the Fire Brigade Staff who told police that two police officers were in a corrupt relationship with Roy Boschat, a local towing contractor.
36. On 30th March 2005, Edward Pippon of No 1 Recovery Company told Professional Standards that two police officers were getting petrol free of charge or cheaply from Boschat. He identified one of them as (I have edited the name out you will have to go to Stuart Syvrets blog to see it. ). He alleged that this was in return for corrupt manipulation of the breakdown call out rota system.
37. The enquiry was stepped up a day later –on 31 March 2005 when information was received from two local members of the public, one of them a member of the legal profession, and another who worked for one of the other Vehicle Recovery Companies. The former alleged to Professional Standards that she had seen Constable Sean Osmand drawing diesel for his vehicle from the petrol pumps at Roy Boschat’s place of business. She was aware that Boschat was one of the Towing contractors who provided a service to the police, and that he was not licensed to sell diesel. The witness was suspicious of the fact that a police officer was obtaining fuel for his private vehicle from Boschat’s pumps.
38. The second witness supplied information to the effect that calls from the police which should have gone to the other recovery firms were in fact going to Boschat.
39. On 31 March, police spoke to another witness called LE Claire, who had been at an accident where a driver wanted to call another breakdown firm, but the police officers had tried to insist on Boschat being called. He told police that he knew of other people who had been told by police officers that they used Roy Boschat even when they didn’t have to.
40. A check was made of the record of call outs and it was found that whereas there were three main operators looking for police business, Boschat was at times, getting nearly 90% of that business. An instruction was made that the rota should be adhered to and each of the three contractors called out in turn.
41. In October 2005, allegations were received from the two other main contractors on the island that they were being unfairly disadvantaged by virtue of the fact that they were getting little business from the States of Jersey Police. They again alleged that this was due to a corrupt relationship between two police officers and Mr Boschat. They again named one of the two police officers as Constable Sean Osmand. They alleged that the officers received cheap or free diesel for their private vehicles, were given the use of four digit number plates, and that both officers had been to Boschat’s villa in Spain free of charge.
42. The investigation was recommenced, and the records of who police called out in respect of breakdowns were checked once more. It was found that despite the previous warning, Boschat still received over 90% of the call outs. An instruction was issued ordering officers to adhere to the strict rotation policy which was in place. A covert investigation was launched but was curtailed shortly afterwards when the member of the public referred to in para. 2, fell out with her employer and went to work for Roy Boschat. Shortly after that, police were told by her ex-employer, Edward Pippon of No. 1 Recovery, that she had warned Boschat the police were looking at him and his police friends.
43. In November 2005, a further complaint was received from the two contractors stating that they were being driven out of business by virtue of the fact that Boschat was still getting almost all of the calls. Police records confirmed this, and investigations revealed that the system was being manipulated by some officers going to accidents and breakdowns and calling Boschat on their private mobile phones. They were then falsely entering on official records that the member of the public had called Boschat themselves. The most regular offender was Constable Sean Osmand.
44. Enquiries continued, and it became clear that Boschat was friendly with a number of police officers. Information was also received that many officers had received free services from him in clear breach of integrity guidelines and policies. These services included free holidays at his villa in Spain, the towing of vehicles, and on a couple of occasions, the towing of boats back from France. I took a decision however, that because of the different attitudes to this behaviour by previous senior officers now retired, and where officers might have had no corrupt intent, they should be given the opportunity to reveal such transgressions without fear of penalty. Accordingly, DI Alan Aubert, Head of PSD, sent out an e mail to all personnel requesting that any person who had been in receipt of items such as free holidays, use of his Spanish Villa, or towing services should declare them. This was sent out on 24th May 2006. It was followed by the same declaration in force orders on 7th June, and the deadline was set for the 18th June.
45. All in all, sixteen or more officers came forward, including one of the officers who was a suspect along with Boschat. They were all offered immunity from discipline, although not from criminal proceedings. The officer who was an initial suspect with Boschat made full admissions and gave a statement of his knowledge of other officers’ dealings with Boschat. There was no evidence of criminal offences in relation to him. (name edited out) …… did not come forward.
46. Officers who had worked with (name edited otu) …… gave statements saying that (name edited out) …… and Boschat had enjoyed a close relationship, with Boschat giving free loan of various vehicles to (name edited out) ……, together with the supply of various services. They had also exchanged vehicle plates and registrations, some of which were later to be the subject of criminal proceedings as (name edited out)……had checked these on the police systems. (name edited out)……had bought vehicles off Boschat which had been recovered in the course of their work and joint misuse of the police systems and procedures.
47. In an attempt to make the breakdown call out system fairer and to reduce our vulnerability to allegations of corruption, I gave orders that in future all tow companies were to be called out in strict rotation and that it had to be through the Force Control Room. I then found out that in order to circumvent this instruction, (name edite out) ……was using his mobile phone to call Boschat. I ordered that this was to cease.
48. On a number of occasions we were able to see from billing on (name edited out) ……mobile phone that he had contravened this instruction and had called Boschat to the scene of incidents on his mobile. This included instances where he did not tell the FCR that there was a need for a tow away, and even occasions where he told lies to the Control Room by stating that no tow truck was called when he had brought Boschat out by means of his mobile phone. Members of the public gave evidence confirming this. On occasions he made false entries in police documents to this effect.
49. On one occasion (name edited out) …… was recorded telling Boschat to submit “f—ing silly bills.” This was on an evidential audio source.
50. A file was submitted to the Attorney General seeking the prosecution of (name edited out) …….and Boschat for Bribery and Corruption. However, the new corruption laws, which would have made a prosecution much easier, were not in place, and no case was brought. I however, then decided to prosecute (name edited out) …… for a number of less serious offences for which the Attorney General’s authority was not needed. (name edited out) ……was charged with offences of Misuse of Computers, and was convicted of five such charges in the Magistrates court, including one where he publicly labelled an innocent member of the public as a drink driver in order to try and escape the charge. A police officer who gave evidence on his behalf but who was forced to retract her evidence in court as “an error” was given words of advice for poor judgement. (name edited out) …… is now a convicted ex police officer.
51. A post script to this is that a female police employee whom (name edited out) …… was having an extra marital affair with pleaded guilty at a Discipline Hearing to carrying out unauthorised and improper checks on the police computers at the request of (name edited out)…….
52. Boschat gave evidence on behalf of (name edited out) …… but admitted in the witness box, under oath, that he had asked his friend (name edited out) …… to carry out illegal checks of vehicles on the police computer systems. A few days later he approached another police officer and made admissions of a similar nature.
53. Authority was sought to charge Boschat with inciting a police officer (xxxxxx) to carry out improper checks and disclose information from the police intelligence systems. This authority was granted by Mr Laurence O’Donnell, a Legal Advisor working at Police Headquarters, although one of the Attorney General’s staff. Arrangements were made to do so.
54. Thirty minutes before Boschat was due to be charged, the Attorney General ordered that he should not be. It emerged that he had been visited by two politicians who had connections with the case who asked him to stop the charging. These were Deputy Sarah Ferguson and Deputy Colin Egre. Both of these politicians were associates of Boschat and both had served in the Honorary Police with him. Both had met with him, Gregory, and other corrupt ex officers frequently and with them had conducted a high profile media campaign to stop the Professional Standards anti corruption enquiries. Ferguson and Egre have recently publicly admitted their roles in this saga.
55. I challenged the Law Officers Department about this turn around and the effect it would have on our efforts to combat corruption. I was told by Laurence O’Donnell that the Attorney General merely wanted to review the evidence and would come back to me in a few days. I questioned the need for the AG to take this unusual step when one of his most senior lawyers had already given authority to charge. The days turned into weeks without word from the Attorney General.
56. Several weeks later, at the beginning of March 2008 I e-mailed Laurence O’Donnell and asked him what the current situation was with the AG’s considerations in respect of Boschat. I know that Laurence immediately forwarded my e mail to the AG. I did not even receive an acknowledgement.
57. On Saturday -29th March 2008 I sent another e mail to Laurence O’Donnell in which I told him that I had received a query from the Guernsey Press about Boschat. I told Laurence that the media were asking about the charges against Boschat and the fact that politicians had intervened in his charging. I said that I had confirmed that he had admitted under oath in open court that he had instigated a search of police systems by a convicted cop and that we had the transcript. I confirmed that following advice from the Law Officers we were within a short time of charging him. I told Laurence that I had confirmed to the media that Boschat was not charged on the instructions of the Attorney General and that this followed a visit from two politicians who were close to Boschat. I confirmed that the AG had not been back to us. I told Laurence that the media were preparing a story and were linking it to the allegations of interference with police operations. I told him I felt I had no choice but to confirm what I did or I would have been misleading them.
58. On the morning of Monday 31st March 2008 I received instructions from Laurence O’Donnell that the AG had given us the authority to charge Boschat. At a meeting with the AG in the presence of my Chief Officer, I asked the AG why he had not got back to us until the media intervened. He replied, “I forgot about it.” From charge until August 2008, Boschat was granted a number of adjournments at court for rather unusual and surprising reasons. As widely predicted, a few days after I left the island on retirement all charges were dropped against him and he was awarded costs.
59. During this enquiry, Boschat wrote dozens and dozens of abusive letters which he has sent either to me or to others about me. They were sent to the media, to politicians, and included mention of my home and car being firebombed, and many letters circulated widely by him accusing me of lying and of having “a sick and twisted mind.” Throughout this he continued to be strongly supported by a number of Jersey politicians. I was accused of breaching his human rights. He, Gregory, and three other corrupt ex officers made formal complaints which have all so far been found to be vexatious or unsubstantiated. The one exception is the complaint by Boschat which because of the drawn out legal action has not finished yet.
60. It was sometime around this period, that the Chief Officer Graham Power, so alarmed at the overt attempts to control our operational activities, took advice from HMIC, and, I believe, another Chief Constable of one of the off shore islands.
61. An interesting postscript to this was the overwhelming support of many involved in that commercial area in Jersey. One example was a letter from the Managing Director of ‘Bel Royal Motors’ who thanked me for the action I had taken over the accident recovery services. He said that the system was now much fairer and that because it was now done on customer satisfaction and quality, companies like his could benefit.
62. Another one of the group who complained about me and who was active in the meetings with Boschat, Gregory, and the politicians above, is a former police officer and civilian member of staff by the name of Robert Roscouet. He is a man who was forced to resign from the service for making Racist remarks to a Portuguese police officer, having already had a record of inappropriate comments to colleagues. At the time this occurred I was Head of Operations and had no part whatsoever in the discipline proceedings which followed. These were dealt with by my predecessor. The only connection that I had to this case came about because the detective officer who had the courage to report him had his property vandalized in the CID office. I, together with the then Superintendent Pearson, gathered the whole of the CID together and warned them that if there was one more incident of this nature we would send every one of them back to uniform and rebuild the CID from scratch. Other than that I had only one further connection with this man. This was when he went to the Jersey Evening Post at the time when Boschat and Gregory, together with Deputies Ferguson and Egre were trying to drum up publicity for their malicious complaints. Roscouet, for some bizarre reason told the JEP that I was involved in his “unjustified sacking.” He then handed over the whole file of his case to the newspaper, including, inadvertently I presume, the record of his previous discipline matters which contained details of his previous inappropriate behaviour. I think that I issued a press statement of a fairly bland nature which drew attention to the fact that he himself had delivered documents describing his record of racist behaviour to the press. Other than this, I was not involved with in any way with the case of Roscouet.
63. Although I will cover the Abuse enquiry in detail below, it is worth noting that shortly after we went public with it, the sister of Roy Boschat sent letters and e mails to most of the news desks of British newspapers rubbishing the investigation and trying to smear me, stating that I was “guilty of abuse.”
by Linda Corby.
