Only 24 Hours To Crack The Case (part 1)

24 hours sounds like a whole lot of time to deal with the investigation of an offence. Jack Bauer can save the world, or at least a medium sized city, in a day. A day can apparently make a great difference. A day is what we get to sort out a job.

“Lee” the “hardest” member of the Kappa Sports Massiv’ is waiting in the cells for me. Lee downed his standard ration of pills and potions last night. Along the way he shared in a bit of meaningless casual sex with “Gemma” a 14 year old who sees him as her ticket to the top. She thinks he really loves her. She is in fact just another clip on his mobile phone. Lee was just itching to show off the hard earned skills he picked up from a couple of attendances at the local kick boxing class and a lot of video games. Nothing personal, it’s just that Lee has bet his mates that the next person to come walking along the street, Lee can knock them out with just one spin kick to the head. Lee has watched UFC. Lee knows where to land the kick for maximum effect.

“Mike” is drunk, coming home from a party, walking to the taxi office when he has the misfortune to pass Lee. The first kick actually doesn’t knock Mike out. It just drops him to his knees like the good Sergeant near the end in Platoon. Mike slurs “I’m not from here” as his periphery starts closing in. He’s thinking that it must be mistaken identity. It is Lee’s second kick that sparks Mike out, face down. Lee takes his watch and wallet as trophies. Stamps on Mikes head more for the sake of completeness than anything. I mean, that’s just what you do, you stamp the head when they are down. Everyone does that. It’s soft not to. Gemma gets his mobile. Stand by your man. It is 2am

Passers by call the cops and the local Response Team know absolutely who has done this. Some passers by even name Lee. Response also know where Lee is really living rather than where he told the Social Worker, The Job Shop and the Custody Office. Response also know that Lee is on curfew. They go to the address where Lee and Gemma are usually found. Sure enough there they are, upstairs, in bed fully clothed apart from trainers, trying to run the “What, I’ve been here all night” routine. We don’t know about the mobile yet so only Lee gets lifted and lodged. He reeks of booze and he is slurring. No rights till morning. It is 3.30am

Mike gets the blue light special to A&E and what with everything else that’s going on we aren’t going to speak to him again tonight. Response will collect witness names and contact numbers. This team will leave an adequate night note but they are strapped out with other jobs. Mike is “not likely to prove” and so they aren’t going to be doing anything about getting statements or anything beyond a scribbled first account.

Mike inbound

Nightjack arrives at the nick. It is 9am and already I am loosing a big chunk of that 24 hour clock. Lee is still not fit, I have to find the witnesses and the victim and get some proper 8-10 page statements from them. I have to track down the CCTV, make sure that clothes are seized and booked in for forensics. It is 10am and we have a plan.

By the time all is safely gathered in and we have gone back to get the lovely Gemma for her part in the events, it is 3pm and we have a juvenile and her numpty boyfriend to interview. CPS Direct is now a distinct possibility.

(To be continued)