BTP CORRUPTION. The Inside Story.

[g.satchwell]

New book– ‘Rot At The Core.’ By Graham Satchwell & Winston Trew.




Reveals the extraordinary criminality within the BTP of the 1970’s and beyond - organised crime, large scale thefts, threats and intimidation, ‘fit ups,’ perjury and the culture that allowed it to thrive.

Written by former Detective Superintendent Satchwell & Winston Trew, one of the many BTP miscarriage of justice victims.

What they are saying:

'A compulsive read; uncomfortable and jaw dropping.' Jackie Malton. Former Met Flying squad DCI, writer and broadcaster.

‘A remarkable book’…’fascinating.’ Duncan Campbell, author and multi award-winning journalist.

‘Enthralling.’ Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate.

‘Fascinating.’ Stewart Tendler, former Chief Crime Correspondent – The Times.


Even before launch, two very well-known film companies have enquired about the dramatic rights

If any of my Forum friends would like a signed copy, please let me know soon. I will be pleased to send you a signed copy with a dedication of your choice. Just email me at [email protected]

Cost £18.80 (£15.99 rrp + p & p.) Hardback.


Otherwise available now for pre-order in all good bookshops and online. Publication date- 3rd May 2021. The History Press Ltd. ISBN: 9780750996181

PLEASE NOTE> PERMISSION WAS SOUGHT AND OBTAINED FROM THE FORUM MODERATOR FOR THIS ITEM TO APPEAR.

 

[DFJP]

Hi Graham. Having read your excellent book about the GTR, I was wondering when the South Coast Raiders novel might be published ? Best wishes - David

 

[g.satchwell]

Hello David, thank you for your generous comments about 'Great Train robbery Confidential.'
I have been thinking hard about the best time to release the novel. For the last few moths I've been preoccupied with writing, 'Rot At The Core.' it is published on 3rd May. Then I can return to planning the release of the GTR novel. I am thinking of late summer.

 

[Vespa]

Looks interesting, I come from 3 generations of police officers, allserved with clean records, that said there will always be bad apples everywhere, I've watched WPC56, the attitude and corruption of the time is pretty much standard for that era.

Read a few police books and this would be good to review.

 

[g.satchwell]

Hi Vespa, three generations of copper, you most certainly know the culture. Did you serve in Merseyside?

 

[Vespa]

Hi Vespa, three generations of copper, you most certainly know the culture. Did you serve in Merseyside?

I didn't serve in the Police Force myself, my great granddad, grandad and my dad did, they all served with distinction and recieved medals for it, you pick up a lot when they talk ogether.

I instead joined the Army Cadets another uniformed service and was awarded 2 medals, public service must run in the family.

 

[g.satchwell]

All good Vespa. Is your great grandfather still alive?

 

[Vespa]

Unfortunately no, he is part of our family history, his memory is kept alive

 

[g.satchwell]

Wouldn't it have been marvellous to speak to him now about his youth?

 

[Vespa]

Indeed, times were hard in those days, he left his coal mining job in Yorkshire, moved to join the local Police Force in my town which was once a joint Police and Fire service, when they separated he opted to serve in the Police, which then became a family tradition, I would have been the 4th generation but unfortunately I couldn't match the medical standards required, so tried to join the regular Army which was the same result, but got offered a posting in the Army Cadets instead and so continues the family tradition of public service albeit in a different direction.

 

[DFJP]

Hello David, thank you for your generous comments about 'Great Train robbery Confidential.'
I have been thinking hard about the best time to release the novel. For the last few moths I've been preoccupied with writing, 'Rot At The Core.' it is published on 3rd May. Then I can return to planning the release of the GTR novel. I am thinking of late summer.

Hi Graham

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Without giving anything away, is the forthcoming novel in any way seeking to provide a fictional account of the GTR ?

Best wishes

David

 

[RPI]

Hi Graham, strangely enough I've just finished reading "An inspector recalls", an impulse buy about 12 months back, enjoyed it so I'll look forward to your new book

 

[g.satchwell]

Indeed, times were hard in those days, he left his coal mining job in Yorkshire, moved to join the local Police Force in my town which was once a joint Police and Fire service, when they separated he opted to serve in the Police, which then became a family tradition, I would have been the 4th generation but unfortunately I couldn't match the medical standards required, so tried to join the regular Army which was the same result, but got offered a posting in the Army Cadets instead and so continues the family tradition of public service albeit in a different direction.

Sounds great Vespa, well done.

Hi Graham, strangely enough I've just finished reading "An inspector recalls", an impulse buy about 12 months back, enjoyed it so I'll look forward to your new book

Hi RPI, thank you very much for letting me know. There are few writers who make a living from writing books, most would literally get a better financial return by doing a paper round. The real reward in writing (for most published authors) is the satisfaction received when someone says they have enjoyed the read. So, BIG THANK YOU.

Hi Graham

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Without giving anything away, is the forthcoming novel in any way seeking to provide a fictional account of the GTR ?

Best wishes

David

Yes, it is a fictional account that tells the truth about one of the two gangs that made up the combined number of men who committed the GTR. My book focuses on the successful 'South Coast Raiders' and shows how they were drawn in to commit the TPO job.

 

[RPI]

Hi RPI, thank you very much for letting me know. There are few writers who make a living from writing books, most would literally get a better financial return by doing a paper round. The real reward in writing (for most published authors) is the satisfaction received when someone says they have enjoyed the read. So, BIG THANK YOU.

Won't say too much so that its not a spoiler for anyone else, but towards the end I found it fascinating events that went on in and around a certain accident on the GWML in the late 90s as its a section of line that I work over on a regular basis, its quite reassuring in a way to see the lessons learnt.

 

[g.satchwell]

Won't say too much so that its not a spoiler for anyone else, but towards the end I found it fascinating events that went on in and around a certain accident on the GWML in the late 90s as its a section of line that I work over on a regular basis, its quite reassuring in a way to see the lessons learnt.

Thank RPI.

 

[AntoniC]

This will be my next purchase for my Kindle ( I love your other books !).

 

[g.satchwell]

This will be my next purchase for my Kindle ( I love your other books !).

Hi Tonic, It's very kind of you to say that, thank you.

 

[AntoniC]

Hi Tonic, It's very kind of you to say that, thank you.

My pleasure, I love a good read and your other books havent disappointed me so far !

 

[plugwash]

there will always be bad apples everywhere

The question with any organization, but particularly those in a position of power/authority is do they deal with the "bad apples" or do they enable them.

 

[Vespa]

The question with any organization, but particularly those in a position of power/authority is do they deal with the "bad apples" or do they enable them.

There is no option, they have to deal with them or lose public confidence and trust, what allows them to florish is weak leadership, strong leadership is not afraid of being unpopular and prepared to do the right thing, there is more governance now than there were in the 50s, 60s and 70s even up to the 90s where the old guard and it's culture is still lingering but fading, it's not perfect today at least there is a process in place to deal with it such as PACE and recording devices for evidence on mobile phones, CCTV, emails, screenshots, body worn cameras etc, its a lot harder to get away with corrupt behavior.

I've watched WPC56 it's very much of its time, it's fairly accurate, you get a mixed bag of bent coppers and decent officers thrown together then you add women to the mix, the culture had difficulty adapting to these changes.

An interesting program is going be broadcasted on BBC2 April 14th 21:00 -22:00 hrs Wednesday "Bent Coppers: crossing the line"

In my organisation we have governance, safeguarding, security and background checks, DBS clearance, an appointed designated safeguarding officer, a complaints procedure, all those has reduced any malpractice to the minimum possible, you will never be able to stop it entirely, past checks is no indication of future behavior or you simply haven't been caught out yet.

 

[AntoniC]

Long serving civil servant here and I have know someone who was jailed for 3 years for generating false tax refunds totalling £123,000 (luckily I didnt work in the same office and so wasnt involved in the investifgation).
I have been told the investigation was long and complicated and also implicated that persons family ( they were not involved).
If fraud or any type of bad behaviour is suspected its treated very seriously and dealt with as such.

 

[g.satchwell]

There is no option, they have to deal with them or lose public confidence and trust, what allows them to florish is weak leadership, strong leadership is not afraid of being unpopular and prepared to do the right thing, there is more governance now than there were in the 50s, 60s and 70s even up to the 90s where the old guard and it's culture is still lingering but fading, it's not perfect today at least there is a process in place to deal with it such as PACE and recording devices for evidence on mobile phones, CCTV, emails, screenshots, body worn cameras etc, its a lot harder to get away with corrupt behavior.

I've watched WPC56 it's very much of its time, it's fairly accurate, you get a mixed bag of bent coppers and decent officers thrown together then you add women to the mix, the culture had difficulty adapting to these changes.

An interesting program is going be broadcasted on BBC2 April 14th 21:00 -22:00 hrs Wednesday "Bent Coppers: crossing the line"

In my organisation we have governance, safeguarding, security and background checks, DBS clearance, an appointed designated safeguarding officer, a complaints procedure, all those has reduced any malpractice to the minimum possible, you will never be able to stop it entirely, past checks is no indication of future behavior or you simply haven't been caught out yet.

There is no option, they have to deal with them or lose public confidence and trust, what allows them to florish is weak leadership, strong leadership is not afraid of being unpopular and prepared to do the right thing, there is more governance now than there were in the 50s, 60s and 70s even up to the 90s where the old guard and it's culture is still lingering but fading, it's not perfect today at least there is a process in place to deal with it such as PACE and recording devices for evidence on mobile phones, CCTV, emails, screenshots, body worn cameras etc, its a lot harder to get away with corrupt behavior.

I've watched WPC56 it's very much of its time, it's fairly accurate, you get a mixed bag of bent coppers and decent officers thrown together then you add women to the mix, the culture had difficulty adapting to these changes.

An interesting program is going be broadcasted on BBC2 April 14th 21:00 -22:00 hrs Wednesday "Bent Coppers: crossing the line"

In my organisation we have governance, safeguarding, security and background checks, DBS clearance, an appointed designated safeguarding officer, a complaints procedure, all those has reduced any malpractice to the minimum possible, you will never be able to stop it entirely, past checks is no indication of future behavior or you simply haven't been caught out yet.

Hi Vespa, Re the forthcoming BBC programme, 'Bent Coppers' Here is a copy pdf the email I received from the man who made the show,
"Hi Graham,

It has been a while since I spoke to you about our police corruption
series and I hope this note finds you well in these most difficult times.

The series is now called Bent Coppers: Crossing the Line of Duty. The
first episode has been scheduled to transmit on April 14th at 9 pm on BBC
2 to tie in with the new series of Line of Duty. Films two and three will
be broadcast on the 21st and 28th of April.

I want to thank you for all your valuable insight and help when I first
began researching the series it really helped me to understand the era
and the devastating consequences of police corruption.

I hope you get a chance to watch."

Needless to say, Vespa, I am looking forward to it.

Long serving civil servant here and I have know someone who was jailed for 3 years for generating false tax refunds totalling £123,000 (luckily I didnt work in the same office and so wasnt involved in the investifgation).
I have been told the investigation was long and complicated and also implicated that persons family ( they were not involved).
If fraud or any type of bad behaviour is suspected its treated very seriously and dealt with as such.

Yes, that's how it should be of course.

 

[Vespa]

Watched all three episodes of Bent Coppers: Crossing the line.

Fascinating stuff, BTP doesn't really feature in the program, it mostly focused on the City of London Police and Metropolitian Police, Sir Robert Marks certainly got the ball rolling with his A10 anti corruption squad and the changing of Police culture from non uniform led like Detectives and flying squads to a Uniformed led organisation, this broke the power of detectives and the culture of being a "firm within a firm" with its own rules and culture.

With the introduction of PACE and internal professional investigation disciplinary panel, things are much better than it used to be, it's harder for bent coppers to hide their activities.

 

[g.satchwell]

Watched all three episodes of Bent Coppers: Crossing the line.

Fascinating stuff, BTP doesn't really feature in the program, it mostly focused on the City of London Police and Metropolitian Police, Sir Robert Marks certainly got the ball rolling with his A10 anti corruption squad and the changing of Police culture from non uniform led like Detectives and flying squads to a Uniformed led organisation, this broke the power of detectives and the culture of being a "firm within a firm" with its own rules and culture.

With the introduction of PACE and internal professional investigation disciplinary panel, things are much better than it used to be, it's harder for bent coppers to hide their activities.

That's a reasonable view Vespa, but in truth D.S Ridgewell (BTP) was referred to numerous time in first programme (of 3). In addition, Winston Trew (co-author of my latest) appeared at length in Ep 1 (a victim of Ridgewell) and (out of context somewhat) in both the second and third programmes. But as the series progressed, I do agree agree, things were concentrated on the Met, and then because of Countryman, on the City (COLP) and then the Met again.
I also agree it is harder to get away with corruption today, but the development of preventive measures, in every aspect of crime, has rarely if ever, stopped the most determined criminals (whether in uniform or otherwise).

 

[Vespa]

Indeed corruption will still happen as long as you have human nature in the mix, just take look at recent news of bent coppers, the biggest difference now compared to then is a greater chance of being caught and cases brought out in the open exposed in the media.

As with most crime you have the main motivators.

Money
Power
Sex
Revenge

Better psychological profiling catches them out, from how they lived their lives, you can work back to their motivators and convict them.