Need advice

[shocked...]

I have to answer bail on the 26th of this month and I am scared, petrified in fact. I have been coping fine since the last time I answered bail in September but now that the final bail date is looming, the final one being before I find out whether I get charged, its so hard. I am really scared, I don't want this to be happening; I sometimes feel like I want to end it all.

I would like to ask a few questions if someone would like to offer some advice.

1. If the CPS decided not to go ahead with the case, would the police or solicitors tell you in advance?

2. If the worst should happen, would I be able to take my planned holiday to Germany a week before xmas?

3. Can someone give me a cuddle?

Thanks...

[largactyl1]

Hi Shocked, I guess you're up all night as well.

I can't offer you any answers to your questions as I know nothing about the law. I really feel for you, and I understand that you sometimes - wanting an end to this horrific situation you find yourself in - feel suicidal. As others have said, suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem. This horrible time will come to some conclusion. I know when A. has been nearing various (postponed) bail dates, his anxiety levels, depression and thoughts of hurting himself increase even beyond what he has been feeling for the past 3 1/2 months. I think there must be some kind of traumatic stress syndrome going on for the falsely accused as so many have the same horrible symptoms.

I can't help thinking, that as you have studied the law in depth that you must feel a deep sense of betrayal in something you believed in. I feel very angry with the justice system -and I'm sure most others do. I feel so insulted by women (and men) who would invent stories for whatever reason, or even just fail to take responsibility for getting wasted and have casual sex by mistake (when I was a student I would frequently take the walk of shame on a Sunday morning, hungover and dressed in last-nights going out clothes!). What the hell does the law expect - a consent form? Mainly I'm so furious with A.s accuser. She truly sickens me. Arghhhhhhhh. Sorry....rant over.

I read this quote yesterday, and it really made sense to me:

"There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice." Charles-Louis De Secondat, Baron De Montesquieu, 1742.
Not sure what context he wrote it in though.

Have you been to the Doctor to talk about how you are feeling and see if s/he can prescribe you something to help with your symptoms?

Anyway, very best wishes to you
Jen

[Casehardened]

1. Most folks experiences are that they get a phone call a few days before the bail date to advise of NFA, and if they are to be charged the solicitor gets the call so he can arrange to be there. I don't think that there is a hard and fast rule about this (apart from having to attend bail if nothing is heard)

2. I guess you mean IF you are charged; in this case you will have to go to the magistrates court for committal and they will set fresh bail conditions which may involve travel restrictions

3. I suppose its ok for me to give you a virtual cuddle, but I am certainly empathizing and sympathizing with your feelings at this time. Very best wishes for good news!

[Shatteredhusband]

Shocked,

Can't help with the advice needed. I was recently arrested and my first bail date is not until January. Good luck with your bail date. Sometimes I find it useful to imagine what it would be like if the false accuser were caught out by the police. The least I would hope is that they would spend a good bit of time inside that police cell which was soul destroying for the 29 hours I had to endure.

It is strange that none of us in life ever know what is just around the corner. I was so incredibly happy a few days before this happened to me. The difference between the optimist or the pessimist in us is what determines how we enjoy life at the time. So instead of focusing on the worst possible scenario, think about the best possible outcome. The reality is likely to lie somewhere in between.

[shocked...]

Thanks for clearing a few things up fo rme. Oh well, I guess I have to sit tight until Friday and just try to not think about it too much; hello Southern Comfort.

[Rights Fighter]

Hopefully the duty sol will put in an appearance.

Keep coming back for support.

[shocked...]

Yeah the duty solicitor has been very good gprs me offering me support ant comfort which doesn't seem to be the norm. He said he doesn't see this case going any further as the Police decision to arrest me had no basis other than one police man's suspicions and he largely doubts his competence. Nevertheless, I respect the difficult work a policy officer has to undertake and I wish that the justice system which I hold close to my heart will prevail. Lesson learnt though I am afraid, no more one night stands.

[shocked...]

So as I was preparing to answer bail, the day before, my solicitors ring me and they inform me that they are changing the bail date...AGAIN! I wouldn't mind if they told me a couple of weeks in advance but they are telling me a day before! I have booked my tickets for the train and this happens. Absolutely ridiculous! Then the nerve of them, they change the time to 10:30 am! Thats just perfect, It takes me around 4 hours to get to that city and public transport doesn't even run that early near me! What do they think about when they do these things. I am so annoyed with them. This isn't even the first time this has happened! This is the third time that they have informed me the DAY BEFORE that they are changing the bail date. But as soon as I say it will be impossible for me to turn up at 10:30 am they start acting with an attitude. If they didn't chop and change the arranged date which THEY set in the first place, none of this would happen! Why are they so arrogant! Grr, they irritate me!

[Casehardened]

So as I was preparing to answer bail, the day before, my solicitors ring me and they inform me that they are changing the bail date...AGAIN!

I'm assuming you mean they are rebailing you for a further period of time rather than simply switching the actual date.

The only comfort you can draw from all this is that your case can't be uppermost in the OIC's mind; he has probably forgotton all about it until he looks in his diary the day before. He then phones the CPS to find they still haven't considered it and then makes the phone call to your solicitor.

If your file was always open on their desks it could be more worrying

[shocked...]

I'm assuming you mean they are rebailing you for a further period of time rather than simply switching the actual date.

The only comfort you can draw from all this is that your case can't be uppermost in the OIC's mind; he has probably forgotton all about it until he looks in his diary the day before. He then phones the CPS to find they still haven't considered it and then makes the phone call to your solicitor.

If your file was always open on their desks it could be more worrying

I suppose there is a silver lining to this! My solicitors exact words were "the CPS are making them jump through more hoops"...what on earth does this mean?? But I can't rely on what she says(she being the secretary) as she has said so many wrong things to me!

[Casehardened]

I suppose there is a silver lining to this!

I am reminded that my solicitor had arranged to meet me 90 minutes before the time of my first bail appearance, presumably for a briefing session as this would have been the first occasion that I would have met him. When this was deferred, on subsequent occasions it would have been 10 minutes prior, and it would have been with a junior partner!

I was upset about this at the time but, with the benefit of hindsight, I guess that his wisdom and experience indicated that if I wasn't downed on the first shot I was likely to escape unscathed.

Sorry about the reminiscences but there is some little hope to be had when there are continued rebails.