Fathers 4 Justice - Richard ' Fred Flinstone ' West

Letter from my MP

2009-06-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

New Fathers 4 Justice activist Richard West in Court Thursday 25th June,Woking Magistrates Court. Surrey.

2009-06-22T02:56:00.000-07:00

New Fathers 4 Justice activist Richard West in Court Thursday 25th June,Woking Magistrates Court. Surrey.

FUN DAY...with New Fathers 4 Justice,s Mr Incredible featuring Special
Branch aka CLEVER TWIG.

All very welcome, bring your suits, whistles, and picnics.

Richard West, mobile aka Mr Incredible invites all to the fun day on Thursday when he will be attending the first court hearing .

To answer the charge leveled against him.

Just to recap:
One arrest
Approx 500 personnel items seized, including banners,loud hailers, my son's mountain board equipment, even a pair of my girlfriends HIGH HEELS, AND ANN SUMMERS OUTFIT
Four officers from Devon
Three special branch officers from Surrey HQ
Two custody suites
Three different police stations
Three different counties
The CPS
One defence lawyer, ( so far )
One barrister
26 hours in the cells
Hundreds of road miles
Terrorist style bail conditions
All that is missing is the partridge in the pear tree....!

And why?

Because of a telephone threat to expose an NHS trust for the child abuse, which Mr Incredible believes would be proved by the joint app under the Freedom of information act.

Of which both parents and child concerned, agreed too.

And has previously ordered by District Judge Levi in Reigate County Court, Surrey.

Mr Incredible is to face a charge under section127 (1a) & (3) of the
communications act 2003....(designed for obscene phone calls).

The taxpayers of Britain are funding this show, and admission is FREE

Richard West answers his bail Spiderman style!!

2009-06-15T03:01:00.000-07:00

After getting a court order to see medical documents Richard West is STILL being denied them by the Surrey CAHMS. Richard made a firm phone call to a 'Patient Affairs Manager' and she made a complaint to the Police!!

Richard West from Ottery St Mary was arrested by Special Branch and driven two hours to Reigate Police Station, Surrey. Last Friday at Woking Court he was charged and bailed to appear at Exeter's Heavitree Police Station every Saturday and Swindon Police Station twice a week.

Now Richard has to appear three times a week appearing on bail for a section 127 offence of Section 127(2) of the Communications Act 2003, Using public electronic communications network in order to cause annoyance, inconvenience.

Is this good use of Police money and you would have thought special Branch have better thing to do with their time and resources.

These bail condition are a gross infringement of Richard's human rights

All Mr West and his ex wife want is for Surrey CAMHS to reveal his sons medical report.During Richards private family law case, Judge Levy ordered CAMHS to disclose case notes to Richard, but they refused to do so.

What have they got to hide??

Rich was charged with such a lame offence his brief has never even heard of it and is being forced to sign on 3 times a week at various police stations so he showed Plod in Swindon today exactly what he thought of their attempts to curb his protesting days... hahahaha..

He is currently on bail till at least fathers Day, after which the charges are expected to be dropped..

Another protester and activist slammed with the law in a bid to stop the demonstrating and encouraged others getting ready for non violent direct action.

Expect the unexpected

Father arrested after chaos threat

2009-05-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

Father arrested after chaos threat
Friday, May 01, 2009, 16:03

A DEVON fathers' rights activist has been arrested after he threatened to bring chaos to two major organisations.

Richard West was taken into custody after police raided his Ottery St Mary home.

Officers seized his Mr Incredible stunt costume along with other items used in his Fathers 4 Justice protests.

The 42-year-old was taken to Heavitree Road police station before being transferred to a police station in Reigate, Surrey.

Police in Surrey said Mr West — who recently scaled a 50ft mast on the outskirts of Exeter in a protest — had been arrested in connection with making threats to cause criminal damage.

Mr West is believed to have issued the threats to the NHS and social services after they refused to disclose medical case notes.

Fellow Fathers 4 Justice activist Jolly Stanesby said: "I spoke to Richard before he went into custody in Reigate. We don't know how long he will be held or whether he will be charged.

"He issued an ultimatum to social services and told them that they had until the end of the month to give him the records, which he is legally allowed to see as he has a court order allowing him access to them, but they have still refused.

"He told them he would stage a protest if they did not comply.

"The police arrested him after raiding his house. They took his protest costume and some other irrelevant items. We believe he had no other option than to do something about the fact he is being refused access to these medical notes."

Police in Exeter arrested Mr West at around 8pm on Wednesday. He was being quizzed by officers at Reigate station yesterday.

Police there say they are investigating threats to cause criminal damage but would not confirm where the threats related to.

A spokesman for Surrey police confirmed the arrest had been made.

They said: "A 42-year-old man from the Exeter area was arrested by Devon and Cornwall officers in connection with a Surrey police investigation into threats to cause criminal damage.

"The man was brought to a Surrey police station and Surrey police are continuing with the investigation.

Breaking News Fathers Rights Protestor on Top of Pylon A38 Exeter Haldon Hill where Ben Bradshaw MP is holding equality meeting today

2009-02-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

Breaking News Fathers Rights Protestor on Top of Pylon A38 Exeter Haldon Hill where Ben Bradshaw MP is holding equality meeting today

New Fathers 4 Justice activist Richard West has climbed on Pylon at Exeter Racecourse this 8am morning where Ben Bradshaw is hosting an equality meeting today.

Over the past two year Ben Bradshaw MP has consistently refused meetings with members of New Fathers 4 Justice when all we are trying to do is enter in to some constructive dialogue with him in his capacity as Minister for the South West

Harassed By The CPS

2008-07-03T14:06:00.001-07:00

ACCUSATIONS of harassment have been levelled at the Crown ProsecutionService this week by an Ottery man following his own successfulappeal against similar charges.

The accusations were refuted by the CPS on the grounds that it was their duty to continue summoning someone until advised otherwise.Fathers for Justice campaigner Richard West, of Piccadilly Lane, made the accusations after being 'bombarded' with letters, some without official stamps and signatures.

The letters in question, one containing a photocopied signature, were all sent after May 19, the date he received confirmation that the Crown would be inviting the court to allow his appeal.

Mr West, 41, said: "I believe this abuse of the system is tantamount to harassment."They continued the bombardment even though they knew I had a hearing impending.

Where is the regard for tax payer's money? I consider itto be harassment."

He said that, hypothetically, if he was to totally disregard bona-fida appeals in the Crown Court he would consider himself to bebreaking the very public order laws he would appeal against.

The appeal in question was lodged after Mr West was convicted ofharassment under section 4a of the public order Act of his ex-girlfriend and mother of his estranged son and daughter.He later won his appeal against the conviction which sentenced him to 100 hours unpaid work in December 2007.

To matters relating to this offence he was further arrested onwarrant last month after not attending the work scheme after healleged notices had been sent to a wrong address.

A Cornwall and Devon probation spokesperson said: "He was sentencedto unpaid work which he failed to carry out. Until advised otherwise it is our duty to carry out this work under the law of this land.That is not harassment.

They added that once advised by letter by the CPS that Mr West had won his appeal they then notified him that he didn't need to attend court.

Chaos at Bristol fathers 4 justice protest, 13 June 2008

2008-06-14T05:53:00.000-07:00

Dozens of employees were evacuated from a Bristol family court today when Fathers 4 Justice campaigners stormed the building and a fire alarm was set off.Court and construction staff huddled outside Bristol County Court, in the high-rise Greyfriars building in the city centre, and waited for the fire service to arrive.

Around 30 banner-waving protesters dressed as various superheroes stopped at the courts during a street demonstration through Bristol in support of fathers' rights.

Around 10 protesters dressed as Spiderman, Batman, Superman and The Incredibles forced their way into the court and chanted "What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now."

A fire alarm was activated, although court staff could not confirm who was responsible, and nearly 100 staff flooded into the street outside.

Two police vans arrived, along with two fire engines, and the men soon left the court building and continued their march.

The demonstration was joined by two campaigners who scaled the roof of deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman's home in Herne Hill, south London, earlier this week.

Jolly Stanesby and Mark Harris, both from south Devon, started the rooftop protest on Sunday and continued for more than 24 hours. They have since been bailed by police.

Mr Stanesby, from Ivybridge, said: "We always have a little get-together before Father's Day to put our message across."

Fathers 4 Justice is a civil rights group which campaigns for parental equality and a father's right to see his children.

Mr Stanesby added: "Just because my ex decided to move on to another boyfriend shouldn't mean I don't get to see my child.

"Her new boyfriend can see my child as long as he likes, whereas I have to apply and have boundaries. I have to have checks, doctor reports... The courts are corrupt."

Mr Stanesby said he and Mr Harris have written to Ms Harman to request a meeting with her.

He said: "She's Minister for Justice and Minister for Women - how can those two things go together?"

Mr Harris, from Plymouth, said opening family courts to the public was one of the focal points of the Fathers 4 Justice campaign.

He said: "Open up the courts so people can see the ridiculous decision made against fathers. I was once sent to prison for waving at my daughters."

The march started at The Pithay and moved up to Perry Road via Corn Street and Colston Avenue, where the group unveiled a new poster campaign.

The poster showed an image of a child dressed in a superhero costume and read: "If this little superhero doesn't see his daddy on Father's Day, he doesn't see half his family."

Richard West Cleared

2008-05-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

Car's 'rocket of love' backfired on father

2007-11-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

Nov 21 2007
By Mhairi Macfarlane

A FATHER who set up a fake rocket launcher on a camouflaged car as a "message of love" to his two estranged children has been sentenced for causing harassment.

Richard West, 41, parked the Rover with a rocket on the roof outside his ex-partner's house in Rushetts Road, Woodhatch.

It was decorated with slogans, such as "Daddy loves you both always".

West, who has restricted contact with his two children and is a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner,argues that it was simply "a message of love" to his children.

At Redhill Magistrate's Court last Thursday, Gordon Grace, prosecuting, said West visited his ex-partner, Tracy Rowland, on October 6 last year and startled her when she returned home with West's youngest daughter and her child from her present partner.

West's other child, a son, was at school at the time of the incident.

Mr Grace said: "She was horrified it would blow her house up and was scared for the safety of the children.

"She was panicking because she didn't know what the defendant was doing there, or what he was going to do next."

The court heard that Ms Rowland called the police and gave them West's car registration number.

Mr Grace said: "She tried hard to be calm so not to upset the children, but her daughter went very quiet and didn't say a word.

"Ms Rowland went to her mother's house in Woodhatch and the girl began asking if her father would be arrested again. Her mother didn't want to lie, and said he probably would be.

"She says she and her partner were very shaken by the events, and are on edge and worried about further repercussions from the defendant."

Andrew Stephens, defending, said: "This whole incident comes out of the breakdown in family relationship.

"He has always - and still wants - contact with his children. Most of the contact he has is through presents sent to them. The last present was a toy rocket, so that is why he took a rocket there that day.

"He is a strongly committed man who has been prevented from having contact with his children. He is as committed and loving a father anyone could wish to have.
"In the eyes of the law he's done something wrong, but in his eyes he's trying to be a good father to his children."

West insists he meant no harm and was trying to communicate with his two children, with whom he allowed only indirect contact after a court order was made against him.

West, who now lives in Ottery,St Mary,Exeter,pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing and was convicted of harassment.

On Thursday, he was sentenced to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work and was ordered to pay court costs of £450.

Ottery Advertiser

2007-11-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

YABBA-DABBA-DOO! FATHERS FINED FOR STONEHENGE STUNT

2007-10-12T02:36:00.000-07:00

8:00 - 12 October 2007

Magistrates yesterday met the Flintstones when a pair of look-a-like Freds sat in a courtroom dock decked in trademark orange and black spotted sabre-toothed tiger garb.

The Two Freds - one of whom was allowed to carry his club - were the first people in the country to be tried for scaling Britain's favourite piece of rock, Stonehenge.

Salisbury Magistrates' Court doubled as Bedrock as the duo, both members of the Fathers4Justice pressure group, defended their stunt at the 4,500-year-old stone circle earlier this year.They were accused of unlawfully climbing a national monument contrary to the Stonehenge Regulations Act of 1997 and the Ancient Monuments Act of 1979.

Father-of-one Jonathan 'Jolly' Stanesby, 42, of Ivybridge, Devon and dad-of-two Richard West, 40, of Ottery St Mary, Devon, both pleaded not guilty.

The F4J activists, campaigning for changes in the law to give fathers from split relationships better access to their children, claimed they were innocent because they did not know it was illegal to climb Stonehenge.

In a bizarre twist, Stanesby insisted on being addressed throughout the proceedings as "Mrs Hodge" having changed his name by deed-poll to Margaret Hodge, the former Children's MinisterLast week he was cleared of false imprisonment after handcuffing himself to Mrs Hodge for 20 minutes in 2004. Ironically, Mrs Hodge is now Culture Minister whose remit includes Stonehenge.

The two defendants and another F4J activist David White had a yabba-dabba-doo time when they spent more than seven hours on top of Stonehenge on February 22.The court heard that just after 9am the trio, armed with a ladder, negotiated a perimeter fence before dashing to the monument and scampering up the stones.Security guard Christopher Gibbs said he gave chase.
"

I got to the stones as the last one was climbing up."As security guards gathered in frustration below, the men revealed their Fred Flintstone costumes and unfurled a 30ft banner bearing the slogan 'Drag family law out of the Stone Age'.

Prosecutor Philomena Creffield said: "This is a monument of world renown which is protected against people climbing on it to ensure that it is not damaged and is preserved for future generations."

Referred to in court as Fred One, Stanesby, a child carer, told the bench: "Stonehenge has been climbed on for hundreds and thousands of years."

A veteran of many F4J stunts involving the Tamar Bridge, York Minster, Severn Bridge, Blackwall Tunnel, the High Courts, Trooping the Colour and the National Lottery, he added: "I was not aware of signs there saying we weren't allowed to climb it."

Fred Two, Richard West, said he had seen numerous photos of people standing on top of Stonehenge, and was unaware climbing it was illegal.He said the pair had gone to great lengths to ensure the monument was not damaged, including wearing soft shoes and greasing the ladder.

They were each fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 costs while West was told by chairman of the bench, Richard Arundell, that he could reclaim the banner confiscated by police.The sentencing is unlikely to enamour F4J with members of the pagan community.

Tensions between pagans and leaders of F4J have sparked an angry row over the desecration of two iconic monuments.The radical campaign group says it has received death threats from people claiming to be pagan after slogans supporting its cause were daubed on Glastonbury Tor and parts of the Cerne Abbas giant painted purple earlier in the summer.

Yesterday, Fathers4Justice said it had carried out a full investigation into the incidents, revealing it believed someone had committed the acts with an ulterior motive, as part of a smear campaign aimed at tarnishing its reputation.

Morgan Rhys-Adams, Pagan Federation member and Glastonbury resident, said: "We cannot condone violence in any way and the Pagan Federation would want to completely disassociate itself with any kind of death threats. It is not our way."

At a previous hearing the Third Fred, David White, 29, of Southampton, was told to pay £320 after admitting the offence.

FATHERS GROUP PROTEST HALTED

2007-07-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

FATHERS GROUP PROTEST HALTED

18 June 2007

A Devon Fathers 4 Justice protestor has failed in a bid to handcuff himself to the Queen’s carriage at the Trooping of the Colour ceremony.

Richard West, 40, from Ottery St Mary, and another campaigner were stopped by police before they were able to scale security barriers along the Mall on Saturday.
It follows a protest at last year’s event where a protester got within twenty feet of the carriage before withdrawing.

Speaking to the Echo, Mr West, who was wearing a concealed Fathers 4 Justice T-shirt, said that the aim of the planned demonstration had been to raise public awareness of the group’s campaign.

“It would have caused a great deal of debate both for and against the issue of family courts,” he said.

“The planned protest was about raising public awarness.”

He said that the group hoped to stage a number of protests in the coming months.
Arrests at Trooping the ColourPress AssociationSaturday June 16, 2007 5:23 PM
Fathers 4 Justice campaigners promised to up the ante after nine arrests were made at Trooping the Colour parade. Thousands of spectators watched the Queen marked her official birthday.

The Queen was watched from one of the windows in the Horse Guards building by Prince William, dressed in military uniform, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York, and her grand-daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

An F4J spokesman said the latest incident had involved the intention of someone handcuffing themselves to the Queen’s carriage. The spokesman added that F4J had previously engaged in dialogue but it was now a “war of attrition”.

The Metropolitan Police said that the arrests were made to prevent a breach of the peace as part of a large proactive policing operation. Seven men and two women were later released without charge after the ceremonies has concluded.

Friends and relatives of the 1,100 troops taking part filled the stands in Horse Guards in Whitehall for the annual event which showcases the British Army at its ceremonial best.

In changeable weather conditions that threatened rain but also brought sunshine, the Queen, now in her 81st year, performed her duties on the parade ground with a composure that comes from years as Sovereign.

The Queen’s arrival in Horse Guards was greeted with cheers and clapping from the hundreds of people who lined her route along The Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade.

She travelled with the Duke of Edinburgh in a pristine 1842 ivory mounted phaeton carriage. On horseback behind her were the Prince of Wales, who is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Kent, Colonel of the Scots Guards.

The procession was accompanied by a Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, made up of Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their silver and gold breastplates and plumed helmets.

The Queen’s first duty was to inspect the troops marching in the parade, four of the five Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division - the Welsh Guards, Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards and theColdstream Guards - who wore their bearskin hats and red tunics.

Fathers Rock Stonehenge

2007-05-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

Richard West Found Guilty

2007-04-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

Richard West, 40, of Ottery St Mary, was found guilty in court today charged with wilfully obstructing the highway during a Fathers 4 Justice protest at a judge's house near Exeter last November.

Richard West had to be forcefully removed from the steps of Exeter Magistrates after he held up a banner in protest at the courts decision to conditionally discharge him for 12 months and a £100 fine.

We are disgusted and appalled with the magistrates decision ignoring the Police assult on Richard during his arrest. The Police and CPS have pursued this case with vigour , yet no action was taken against Judge David Tyzack after he committed as serious firearms offence at the same protest.

This is British Justice !!

The CPS & police are sending out a clear message picking out an easy target. We hear their message loud and clear and if they want to provoke us in to more non violent direct action in Devon and Cornwall then that's what they will now get!

They clearly want us to be on roofs and landmarks rather than on the ground trying to help them out and we here this message and will oblige them.

Expect a swift response - We are all now very angry

Fathers dress as Santa's for protest

2006-12-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

Campaigners dressed as Santa Claus to stage a festive protest during an Exeter Cathedral carol concert.Eight members of the campaign group Fathers 4 Justice stood outside the landmark building during the Lord Mayor's carol service yesterday.

During the protest, they held placards saying "Put the father back into Christmas".

They said the Church of England had failed to speak up about the problem of family breakdown.

Fathers 4 Justice member Jolly Stanesby, 39, who recently climbed onto the roof of a judge's house, attempted to scale the cathedral wall before police grabbed him.

But none of the campaigners disrupted the service, which was attended by hundreds of people.

Richard Adams, Fathers 4 Justice co-ordinator for the South West, said: "It went really well and people were very supportive of our cause."

A spokesman at the Bishop's office said: "Bishop Michael Langrish has a deep concern, care and passion for the wholeness of family life."

Friend of rooftop Santa hits out at reaction of police

2006-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

Express and Echo (Exeter)

November 30, 2006 Thursday

The elements have caused a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner to take a lower profile in his protest on the roof of a judge's house near Exeter.

Dressed as Santa Claus, Jolly Stanesby was happy to strike poses alongside the chimney of Judge David Tyzack's house at Farringdon on the first day of his protest.

But when heavy showers descended yesterday, he retreated under a tarpaulin.

Meanwhile, a heavy police presence remained around the house as Mr Stanesby prepared for a second night on the tiles of Glebe Lodge.

The veteran of high profile protests roped himself to the chimney early on Tuesday and efforts by police to talk him down proved fruitless.

As first revealed on the Echo's website www.thisisex eter.co.uk, the 37-year-old registered child minder from Ivybridge climbed on to the roof in protest at court rulings over the amount of contact he can have with his child.

He used a ladder to reach Judge Tyzack's roof, where he unfurled a banner that read "Put the Father back into Xmas".

Judge Tyzack QC has incensed Fathers 4 Justice supporters with rulings about access to children.

Mr Stanesby's friend, Richard West, 40, from Ottery St Mary, was arrested on Tuesday for wilfully obstructing the highway near Glebe Lodge.

Mr West, who is also part of Fathers 4 Justice, said he was already awaiting trial for public order offences in Surrey.

Yesterday, when he attended Ashfords Solicitors in Sowton to discuss a family matter, he wore a Santa Claus costume.

He said: "The last thing I heard, Jolly was still up there and there was still a police presence. I think he hopes he has enough provisions to last him a week. There may be a decision to bring him down today, but that is to be decided.

"I am disgusted by my treatment by the police. I think they completely over-reacted and excessive force was used.

"I am a peaceful protester and want to bring awareness of the situation with many fathers and their children.

"When I went to Ashfords dressed as Santa, people in virtually every other car showed their support by shouting out Fathers 4 Justice.

"It is really encouraging and I am convinced we are making an impact."

A police spokeswoman said: "If he wants to make a formal complaint it will be investigated."

Mr West has been released on bail pending further inquiries until December 21.