The Suffolk Hyde Affair - Doc 208 Advice for school Visits to Halesworth Fire Station

Interested in other Suffolk Firefighter tales and brigade social history then check out "SubO X" http://www.angelfire.com/droid/thesuffolkhydeaffair/subOX/


Defence team reflections to Doc 207

In two words "not unexpected."

The Suffolk HQ mole and general rumour mill had predicted that the prosecution would not go ahead as stipulated by Mrs Campbell in Doc 193.

Sadly in using her initiative Mrs Campbell had assumed the prosecution hearing would be at Lowestoft and did not confirm this before posting Doc 193 to Firefighter Hyde and his representative.

In particular, ACFO Seager had not envisaged the hearing taking place at any other location than Brigade Headquarters in Ipswich. All in all to hold the hearing away from Brigade Headquarters would mean isolating the presiding officer from ACFO Seager’s Command Power influence and direction.

The final straw and deciding factor on this was taken when the voluminous defence case file was received at Brigade Headquarters at approx 10.30 hours 2nd June 1999.

DO Graham Smith who shared an office with the presiding officer DO peter Ludford expressed acute concern to ACFO Seager over the content of the case file and his lack of confidence in the conduct of the case. Acting on these concerns and after further discussion ACFO Seager took steps to cancel the prosecution hearing for 7th June 1999 in favour of obtaining further advice and listing the case to be at Brigade Headquarters.