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It became apparent to some lesbian & gay persons that aspects of Cornwall's LGBT social, gay health, equality & campaigning history were being re-written. Certain inconvenient truths about Cornish LGBT life of the late C20th & early C21st were being airbrushed out & erased entirely by those now in control & running the 'official'? recording of Cornwall's LGBT history. 'One Queer Gay Life' is a referenced record drawn from the Sprocket Trust small archive (press cuttings, documents, letters, photos, publications, etc.) of aspects of LGBT life in Cornwall others might prefer you simply did not know.

Sunday 26 April 2015

2007 CORNWALL LGBT PRIDE BEACH DAY

2007 
CORNWALL LGBT PRIDE BEACH DAY
 
 
 
August 2007: Cornwall Police once again targeted & arrested Lidbury at his home, just days prior to the Cornwall PRIDE Beach Day. (Arresting/search officers T. Charles 337, PC Martin 5007, PC Windsor 3406, PC Fellows 4432)
 
Lidbury was ‘Chair' of the 2007 Cornwall Gay LGBT PRIDE Beach day.  The lgbt steering group had voted unanimously NOT to invite or involve the homophobic Devon & Cornwall police, but to simply inform police as a necessary courtesy well in advance of the LGBT Pride beach gathering.
 
The LGBT gathering was subsequently put in serious jeopardy of cancellation as a result of the arrest of Lidbury as Pride Beach day ‘Chair’ just days before the beach day. PC Arron Piper put out false & misleading disinformation in the media. (Two years later police DC Parker admitted in writing there was evidence that the allegation made against Lidbury was false)
 
 
National LGBT newspaper Pink Paper

Aug 2007 Cornwall Gay PRIDE Beach Day at Hayle beach gathering successfully attended by over 140 people.  The weather Gods shined down in glorious sunshine & the Rainbow flag which had covered Lidbury’s former partner Andrew’s coffin fluttered in the sea breeze.
 
 
 
 
Due to ongoing intimidation of Lidbury by police the LGBT Pride beach day steering group, comprising of gay men, gay women & gay youth disbanded out of fear of further homophobic Cornwall police reprisals.

After months on bail, NO criminal charges, NO criminal prosecution & NO conviction resulted towards Lidbury.  During the prolonged period of bail Lidbury attempted suicide due directly & specifically to Cornwall police relentless misconduct & prolonged homophobic abuses.
 
Lidbury was subjected to repeated vehicle stops & un-logged police visits felt to be intended to harass & continue to violate his life as an 'out' gay man and those lives of other residents/tenants in his family home. (Similar common police abusive practice used in racist conduct by police against the Stephen Lawrence family, who police investigated the family for having made complaints against police for the bungled police investigation into murder of Stephen Lawrence) Revelations about undercover police conduct (2013)

Plus Police (DC Parker) choose to ignore: -

1. There were several eyewitnesses as to the falsehood of the allegation made against Lidbury
2. There was physical evidence ignored by police
3. There were TEXT messages from the false accuser admitting it was a false allegation!

Only Lidbury, an 'OUT' gay male was targeted & initially arrested by police, out of a group of several people all taking part equally in lawful activity. Such is the protected homophobic practices of Cornwall police. It is believed the police did not prosecute the false accuser, J Prior, as it would have raised serious issues regarding Cornwall police homophobic attitudes & practices against Lidbury as a gay man!
 
It was to be a further two years before police finally admitted in writing that there had been evidence (throughout) that the allegation made against Lidbury was indeed false & eventually recorded by police as a NO CRIME!”
 
Aug 2007: Queer West Publication. Editor Craig Denney. Cornwall victims of homophobia speak out.
 
Oct 2007: Queer West Publication 'Homophobia in the police in Cornwall'
 
Also Queer West Publication 'Hostile Police'  
Also Queer West Publication  'IPCC investigate police'
 
 
Attempted extortion & blackmail
Sept 2007: - Lidbury was subjected to an attempted extortion & blackmail attempt by M Pascoe. This immediately reported to Cornwall police. POLICE LOG REF: 603.11.09.07.  However, Cornwall police (Sgt. Rowe of Helston) refused to interview or take statement from a gay direct eye-witness present and dropped the investigation. Despite fresh complaints reported to various authorities, these further complaints along with many other previous complaints against Cornwall police including police ignoring historic Child Sex Abuse (1966-1970) have not been investigated!

There is some evidence to suggest that Cornwall police themselves (DC Parker) may have instigated the attempted blackmail against Lidbury.

Sgt. Rowe in front of a witness later targeted Lidbury, because Sgt. Rowe by his own admission “recognized Lidbury as a gay man who had made complaints against police”. Such is the police abuse culture protected within the Cornwall police force by senior officers up to the Chief Constables Office.

Dec 2007: Lidbury was voted 3rd in 'Queerwest' 'Person of Gay Influence in the Southwest'. An lgbt news publication run by Editor Craig Denney.
 
NB:  Year leading up to March 2008:- A request under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that there were over 1,200+ official complaints made AGAINST Devon & Cornwall Constabulary in that year. The 3rd highest of the 42 police forces in the UK.

Disgustingly, almost 25% of theses OFFICIAL complaints not investigated, or were buried or never finalized by the Devon & Cornwall police. Many of these complaints from LGBT persons. Further indication of the depth & level of continuing corruption & homophobic attitudes within Devon & Cornwall Constabulary under the command of Chief Constable Steven Otter.

2004/2006 Homophobic Independent Police Complaints Commission

2004/2006
Independent Police Complaints Commission
 
 
 
Lidbury’s complaints of multiple police misconduct lead to two separate but unsatisfactory 'partial' investigations by Independent Police Complaints Commission 2004/2006. Even the 'partial' investigation  resulted in numerous recommendations being made to Devon & Cornwall Constabulary of needed improvement of public service.
 
Lidbury also raised with IPCC in initial interview his having reported being a child abuse victim in 2004.  It was disregarded by the Independent Police Complaints Commission…and has repeatedly & continued to be ignored in subsequent communications to the IPCC up to 2015
 
Facts the IPCC did Establish
Regarding complaints made by a gay person in Cornwall, but little done about these incidents or the catalogue of other Cornwall police abuses highlighted:


1. IPCC established A Cornwall police officer lied about a (non-existent) signature in a pocket book. Abuser in the company of PC Tar (Camborne)
2. IPCC established Police failed to provide (withheld) legal court documentation. Abuse by PC Tar of Camborne
3. IPCC established Police failed to return a computer after it had been given the all clear by police forensics (police kept it for weeks in a lock up garage or similar) abuse by DC Anning
4. IPCC established Police did make un-logged (not recorded by police) visits to the family home (these were most intimidating to Lidbury’s elderly mother) abuse by PC Tar & another, also DC Crowe & DS Beckerlegge 
5. IPCC established Kept a gay person on a computer as a suspect AFTER the case had been NFA'd (no further action) abuse by DC Anning
6. IPCC established Failed to provide food for over 7 hours whilst a suspect was in custody. Abuse by Camborne custody officers
7. IPCC established Police failed to inform a gay suspect weeks after a case had been finalized that there was no further action. Abuse by DC Anning again
8. IPCC established There was no means to follow received mail into Exeter Middlemore police HQ within the internal system of the police headquarters, therefore no quality control by police on delivery of service

However the IPCC despite above findings of police abuse admit in their initial report they did not interview fourteen further witnesses regarding a catalogue of other complaints made!
 

Complaints regarding Cornwall police conduct IPCC choose NOT to investigate. 
These still remain buried to the utter frustration and angst of the gay victims of Cornwall police continuing homophobic abuses:-

1. Failure of ‘Duty of Care’ to a homeless 15yr old teenage gay youth (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse by PC Treloar & PC Fuller of Helston
2. Attempted blackmail of a teenage gay youth (UNINVESTIGATED) abuse by DC Scott of Camborne
3. Abuse of a gay teenager in a strip search & botched ‘Stop & Search’ (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse by PC Alexander & another police officer
4. Seizing of a computer leading to destruction of a gay businesses (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse DC Anning 4913 & senior officers
5. Failure to follow ‘TRUE VISION’ & CPS definition of ‘Homophobic Incident’ following serious physical assault of two gay/bi persons (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse by Three Helston Police Officers
6. Refusal to take statements from Gay/Bi witnesses (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse by Sgt. Rowe 3406 of Helston
7. Perjury by a police officer in Crown Court (UNINVESTIGATED) abuse by DC Scott of Camborne
8. Further un-logged visits by police officers to further intimidate complaint-ents against the police (UNIVESTIGATED) abuse by DC Crowe 4718 & DS Beckerlegge 4955
9. Refusal of a police Sgt. to take a witness statement from an adult gay eyewitness (a founding member of Cornwall's lesbian women's publication OUTBACK was witness to this police refusal) (UNINVESTIGATED) abuse by Sgt Rowe 3406 of Helston
10. Only an 'out' gay person was arrested out of a group of people equally taking part in lawful activity. No charges were made against the gay person. (UNINVESTIGATED) abuse by DC Parker who also ignored text messages from the false accuser ADMITTING it was a false allegation against the gay man & failed to return lawful belongings seized by police
 
Merely the tip of the corrupt, dishonest & homophobic attitudes & practices still to this day common place within the Cornwall police force. Members of the Lidbury household continued to be relentlessly targeted & intimidated by Cornwall police.

From 2004 Lidbury AS A VICTIM of crime had also reported to Cornwall police:-
 
  • Attempted blackmail/extortion
 
  • Theft & Criminal damage from the property
 
  • Multiple Vehicle Criminal damage
 
  • Threats of physical assault & violence (Death threats)
 
  • Intimidation & threats of arrest made by police against Lidbury’s pensioner mother

Cornwall police have done nothing to resolve these incidents due to involvement & role of their own police officers in instigating these offences & hate crimes against members of the Lidbury household
 
 
 
Devon & Cornwall Police Diversity Officers
The appointment of three new diversity police officers to the Cornwall police force was an immediate effect of Lidbury’s complaints made against the Cornwall police 2004/06 & the IPCC partially investigated catalogue of incidents. It was a futile & ineffectual gesture as the CIOS Diversity & Equality unit continued through the police website to pesecute Lidbury, both a a gay man & as a Child Sex Abuse survivor.
 
NB: The Devon & Cornwall COIS Equality & Diversity Unit was finally scrapped as part of austerity police budget cuts
 
In 2005: Lidbury had also raised concern with Devon & Cornwall police regarding class ‘A’ drugs being provided to one of his student employees by a gay man in Penzance.  Lidbury had also raised his concerns with the student’s college liaison. Devon & Cornwall police were disinterested.  The college & Lidbury agreed to enable the student to finish his qualification course then Lidbury’s former student employee left the employ of Lidbury.
 
The same former student employee was later arrested following suspicious death of a gay man who had supplied the youth with class ‘A’ drugs & with whom the former student employee was then living with in Penzance.
 
 
May 2007: Devon & Cornwall police repeatedly refused to acknowledge Lidbury raising with police his having been in a child peadophile ring.  Raped & sexually abused by a (named) teacher, clergy, police, amongst others when Lidbury was a 6-10yr old child (1966-1970). Devon & Cornwall police returned information sent to them by Lidbury, stating it was - ‘not their job’.
 
2007 Lidbury published three autobiographical memoirs.
 
  • Mr Hopkins Legacy:  Lidbury's own childhood sexual experiences. This book covers the true account of impact of homophobic discrimination and his awareness when as a youth himself of hatred towards gay people. His coping strategy when as a teenager in knowledge of gay discrimination. His sexual criminality, period in prison, then coming to terms with his gay sexuality. This is the first of three distressing and disturbing personal true memoirs about his life & later gay experiences in grossly HOMOPHOBIC Cornwall, UK
 
  • No Carrots in my Pasty:  The true traumatic experience of deep-rooted prejudice within Cornwall’s authorities towards those with HIV/AIDS and also gay people. Malcolm Lidbury’s true account of his fight in Cornwall for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care and legal equality for gay persons in the face of gross hostility and ignorance embedded in Cornwall. (In 1995 he was named by Gay Times as one of the top 200 gay people in the UK). Lidbury’s own Cornish partners HIV/AIDS diagnosis, their battles with Cornwall discrimination, public violence and violating abuses they suffered. With help of local press, radio & television, they fought back against the bigotry inherent & protected (still?) within Cornwall’s institutions & authorities!
 
 
  • A No Gay Zone: Following the death of his then partner, in 1996, Lidbury withdrew from gay & HIV/AIDS campaigning after being driven to his own attempted suicide. In 2004 asked to assist with a forum on LGBT opinion of the Criminal Justice Service, a protracted period of harassment by Cornwall Police followed. His home raided, arrested, two civil court cases, family & friends intimidated (death threats), assaults, his two businesses entirely destroyed by police and his life repeatedly violated. As result of Lidbury’s complaints, two Independent Police Complaints Commission investigations recommended in 2006 TWENTY-TWO (desperately needed) public service improvements to Devon & Cornwall Constabulary.
 
 
May-June 2007: Aspects of Lidbury’s gay life were researched as contribution to writing & performance of a London Drill Hall Theatre stage play - ‘A gay man’s guide’
 
Police attempted to have book publications by Lidbury removed, including that of ‘Hopkins Legacy’ about Lidbury having been sexually abused when as a child himself. Lidbury had considerably toned down record of abuse & child rape he ‘Lidbury’ experienced when as a child in 1966-1970 out of concern it could not be published.  Devon & Cornwall Police legal dept. tried to have both book & his blog references to Lidbury being child raped removed years previously.  The child rape also raised by Lidbury in video witness testimony given to police in 2010, evidence subsequently buried & covered up by police.
 
July 2006 DC Magnus Scott had requested a Risk Assessment Report about Lidbury.  The report author Helen Robinson report States 2.1 “Mr Lidbury claims to have been sexually exploited from an early age. Initially as part of a paedophile ring and later by a schoolteacher to whom his parents entrusted his care during school holidays”
 
Police also attempted to remove this youtube video made in 2010
 
12/13 The Devon & Cornwall Police PSD blatant lies  exposed by their own police report 2006 & elsewhere in police legal dept. action & prior legal threats to remove information of Lidbury being a CSA survivor from book publication & internet postings.
 
2013/4:  In response to complaint against police, Devon & Cornwall Police Professional Standards Department claimed/lied Devon & Cornwall police had no prior knowledge pre-2013 of Lidbury ever having been a victim of child sex abuse. The IPCC also ignored this police misconduct & dishonesty.

2006 Homophobic Police Civil Court Order

2006 - HOMOPHOBIC POLICE
& CIVIL COURT ORDER
 
Oct 2006: Misfeasance & disinformation was put out by police against Lidbury as a dissident equality campaigner.  Contrary to popular belief since 'Coming Out' as a gay man in 1989 Lidbury has NOT been charged, NOT been prosecuted & has NOT been convicted of ANY criminal offence in a Court of Law.
 
Acting Chief Constable Nigel Arnold brought a civil action against Lidbury in Civil Court.  This was a civil action by police, Lidbury had not committed any criminal offense.  He was not charged, not prosecuted & not convicted of any criminal offense in this civil action contrary to the manor in which disinformation was spread by police & certain other persons amongst the LGBT population.
 
Lidbury was an adult Gay Equality & HIV/AIDS campaigner for many years, as well as him being a Child Sex Abuse survivor of multiple child rape carried out against him by a teacher, clergy & police accomplices over a period of many years when Lidbury was a 6-10yr old child, abuse repeatedly covered up by police & authorities: 
 
Judge Rucker stated:- “He (Lidbury) has no insight into these matters and this is accompanied by implacable hostility to the authorities in general”
 
Lidbury "The judge was wrong . When you've been raped by multiple person over multiple years as a 6yr -10 yr old kid by a copper, teacher & clergy amongst others & every single bent, corrupt, dishonest, lying, scumbag Devon & Cornwall police officer you've ever encountered has colluded & collaborated in covering up not only that multiple repetative child rape, but also rampant homophobic prejudice & discrimination by numerous police officers, it tends to give one very sharply focused insight into these matters.  But yes, I do have implacable hostility to authority corruption, dishonesty, criminality & homophobia, ....especially that of police & including that of judges'"
 
Fagbutts
Police had previously  threatened legal action to prevent a gay community newsletter Fagbutts being published.  The bi-monthly gay publication ran for seven issues through  2006 - 2007.  Fagbutts a gay community newsletter raising concerns of homophobic hate crimes was in 2006 presented in evidence against Lidbury in Crown Court civil action.
 
Devon & Cornwall police & the court far more interested in covering up Homophobic Hate Crimes & institutional discrimination & prejudice exposed through the newsletter in Cornwall than Devon & Cornwall police were in tackling the hate crimes committed against gay persons. (NB: In the same manor as has since been exposed since the Jimmy Savile debacle how police have covered up historic child sexual abuse wholesale across the country & police have further victimised & persicuted CSAsurvivors.)  
 
Suppressed Evidence
Despite disclosure of thirty one defense witness & character statements on behalf of Lidbury, these were suppressed by police & denied submission to the court.
 
Gay Equality & HIV/AIDS Campaigning
Judge Rucker condemned and referred to Lidbury’s 20 year contribution to campaigning for LGBT equality in law & HIV/AIDS care treatment & awareness as - ‘Evangelical Proselytising’.
 
Gay Relationships
In reference to Lidbury being gay & his seven & a half year relationship with his former (now deceased) partner Andrew Smith, who Lidbury nursed in the last two years of his partner’s life when blind & dying of HIV/AIDS.  Also Lidbury’s subsequent six and a half year relationship with Rob M - Judge Rucker stated Lidbury (*being gay) would, quote:  “Never understand a real relationship”
 
 
 
 
Male Nudity in Art
In regard to Lidbury’s homocentric paintings the judge had referred to equal age of consent for homosexuals becoming effective with the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (effective 1st May 2004). This was blatantly wrong by the judge as age of equal consent of homosexuals became effective 1st Jan 2001. 
 
Age of consent not even relevant to paintings the police were attempting to have Lidbury prosecuted for.
 
 
NB: Unlike the age of homosexual consent which dropped from 18 to 16yrs of age (2001). The age at which a photographic image was deemed indecent where there was a sexual element (not nudity) was raised from 16yrs up to 18yrs with the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (effective 1st May 2004).
 
Previous to May 2004 it was perfectly lawful for a 16yr old to pose for nude photography.  Hence topless 16yr old female models lawful in the Sun newspaper prior to this date, May 2004.  Before 2003, British tabloids sometimes featured 16- and 17-year-old girls as topless models. Samantha Fox, Maria Whittaker, Debee Ashby, and others began their topless modelling careers in The Sun when they were 16, while the Daily Sport was even known to count down the days until it would feature a girl topless on her 16th birthday, as it did with Linsey Dawn McKenzie in 1994.
 
Again this new law related to photographs & was not relevant to paintings, which were clearly not photographic in nature. Again not relevant to Lidbury's paintings which were lawful & legal.  Nobody had ever modelled for Lidbury personally who was not completely within & compliant with the law current at the time. 
 
Gay Youth Homelessness
In the complete absence of any authority assistance in Cornwall to a gay youth living rough on the streets of Helston, Lidbury had been asked by members of the public & serving members of the Navy based at RNAS Cauldrose to assist the gay homeless youth. 
 
The Judge stated that there was ‘NO EXCUSE’ for Lidbury, or by proxy his mother, serving military of RNAS Culdrose, neighbours & members of the LGBT community or any of the public to help a young (gay) person’s’ living homeless on the streets.
 
Judge Rucker also described the public assistance given to a homeless Cornish gay youth (by numerous members of the public, members of RNAS Culdrose, Lidbury & Lidbury's 75yr old pensioner mother. Lidburys mother became the youths landlady from 2005 -2013, until he was 24yrs old ) as “GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE”.  This was despite total absence & complete refusal of any assistance to the gay homeless youth by any of the Cornish Authorities. Inc. Police, Youth Service, Social Service & Education Services

It was entirely ignored by the court that Cornwall police, Cornwall Social Services, Cornwall youth services & Cornwall education dept. had ALL been fully aware that the 15yr old youth had been living homeless & rough on the streets of Helston for 2 months, failing in their ‘duty of care’ & as none of the authorities had given assistance.
 
Cornwall Social Services failed entirely to meet a single one of their own objectives they set themselves at his case conference (Some papers held by Sprocket Trust archive).
 
Jim Walters, a Cornwall Social Worker aided by DC Magnus Scott even attempted to blackmail the gay youth, threatening to prevent access to welfare benefits. (This was tape recorded by Mrs Lidbury’s tenant Mr JC Smith)
 
The homeless youth had written numerous letters to his Lib Dem Mp Andrew George begging for help…he received no help at all from his Mp.
 
The authorities of Cornwall did absolutely nothing to help the homeless gay youth! This sort of homophobic abuse accepted norm by the Cornish authorities and abusive Cornwall police officers like those Lidbury has repeatedly identified & why Lidbury when asked to help the youth by members of RNAS Culdrose, stepped in to assist.
 
Cornish authorities & police attempted to cover up their ‘failure of duty of care’. 
 
NB: Ofsted
Whereas Andrew George Mp & the ombudsman had turned a blind eye to Cornwall Children’s Services failings. Subsequently in part due to the formerly homeless gay/bi youth own video campaigning on youtube his original video watched over 100,000+ & follow up video  watched over 70,000+.  Ofsted deemed Cornwall Children’s Services not fit for purpose.  Children’s Services in Cornwall were placed in special measures by the government. The Director of Cornwall’s Children’s Services Mr Dean Ashton resigned. Ashton’s resignation was cause for celebration in the Lidbury household.
 
The police role of ignoring the gay youth’s homeless state as a child (PC Treloar & PC Fuller) & police homophobic conduct & attitudes of DC B Woods & DC Magnus Scot ignored by Middlemoor police HQ, as is common corrupt senior police routine practice was swept under the carpet.
 
Police Perjury
2006:  DC Magnus Scott testified UNDER OATH in court that Lidbury had:- Quote: ‘dropped off the radar’ (became invisible to police) since 1988.  Police implying ‘under oath’ to the judge that Lidbury had gone underground & hidden himself.
 
NB: Please re-read Lidbury’s Gay equality & HIV/AIDS campaigning contribution since his coming out in 1989– onwards. Television, Radio, Press, Magazine, Documentaries, Inquiries, Conferences, Organizations & Groups – to gauge the extend Lidbury had become invisible?
 
Just how much more bloody visible could an ‘out’ gay person possibly be in a homo-retarded backward place like Cornwall?
 
NB: 2006: Police also testified under oath in civil court that Lidbury’s partner in 2005 Paul (Diddy) was fictitious & did not exist. (Lidbury’s then partner a member of the armed forces stationed at RNAS Culdrose).  Paul lived with Lidbury at the Lidbury family home, but maintained a cabin at RNAS Culdrose. Under Tony Hogg then commander of RNAS Culdrose,the mantra was “Homosexuality, it may be legal, but it’s still not allowed”).     (Tony Hogg is now Devon & Cornwall Police Crime Commissioner)
 
Aug 2007: Police subsequently arrested Lidbury’s former partner Paul (Paul having left the military) whilst he was visiting Lidbury on holiday for Cornwall LGBT Pride Beach Day (Paul, the same person who was non-existent according to police court testimony under oath in 2006).  An arrest which police later admitted in writing in 2009 was as result of false allegation & recorded as NO CRIME.
 
Apr 2011: police placed Lidbury’s former partner’s home (now living outside of Cornwall) under less than tactful police observation when Lidbury visited his former 29yr old former partner Paul to give him support. Lidbury’s former partner Paul had just been diagnosed with cancer.
 
2005: The last painting Lidbury ever completed was of his partner Paul (Who police testified under oath in court did not exist).

Subsequent to the relentless police homophobic intimidation campaign – on going “Lidbury no longer paints due to severe anxiety panic attacks”. Ref: John Morgan Consultant Clinical Forensic Psychologist Report: March 2011
 
Historic Child Rape (1966-1970)
2006: Police also vindictively used in civil court against Lidbury, therapy drawings Lidbury drew for counselling in 1988. Drawn prior to his ‘coming out’ as a gay man.  The drawings related DIRECTLY to Lidbury having been ‘raped & abused’ when 'he' was a 6-10yr old child (1966-1970).
 
Police in 2006: deliberately misrepresented & used these counselling therapy drawings by Lidbury of him as a ‘child rape survivor’, in civil court action brought by Acting Chief Constable Nigel Arnold. A bid by police to discredit & silence Lidbury as an outspoken gay adult & as child rape survivor. (Lidbury named on the Devon & Cornwall constabulary website as being vexatious.  The abusive police webpage about Lidbury finally removed in March 2015)
 
Judge Rucker made a Civil Court Order against Lidbury
 
Lidbury: "To be honest the Devon & Cornwall police officers & others, who have relentlessly persicuted & victimised me as a gay man, are a far lower form of abusive pondlife scumbags than were the child rapists who sodermised me for years when I was 6 - 10 years old"

2006/07 FAGBUTTS Cornish Gay Community Newsletter

2006 - Fagbutts: Cornish Gay
Community Newsletter
 
 
Fagbutts LGBT Community Newsletter
raised concerns about hate crime & police attitudes
 
May 2006: Concerned at the growing incidents of police homophobia & other hate crimes in Cornwall Lidbury along with some other LGBT persons began ‘Fagbutts’ community newsletter…’because Cornwall was the dog end of LGBT equality’. Initially Fagbutts was intended as a short report compiled by a few gay people about homophobic incidents in Cornwall.
 
 
“Great stuff! Well done. The issues you raise are really important and I would like to help you get coverage” , Peter Tatchell 2006
 
However the homophobic Devon & Cornwall police response to gay people in Cornwall raising concerns about homophobic hate crime via a gay newsletter was very, very different.
 
Devon & Cornwall Police 2006 Quote:- “The Constabulary will not tolerate such (*gay) publications nor the distribution of such publications and will take robust action against you should such documents be published and distributed in the future”
 
June 2006: Fagbutts Gay Community Newsletter. Front Cover. Cornwall LGBT History. Cornish Gay Equality Homophobia.
 
NB: Intercom Trust:
2006: Lidbury mistakenly approached the Intercom Trust in Devon for help & support as a gay man repeatedly subjected to police homophobia & hate crimes. Lidbury asked Dr Michael Halls of Intercom Trust to provide expert witness at Civil Court but was declined.  Lidbury raised with Andy Hunt of Intercom that he ‘Lidbury’ was a historic Child Sex Abuse survivor from a paedophile ring (operating in 1960’s -1970). 
 
Lidbury was then & subsequently repeatedly since, subjected to victimization from Intercom Trust to silence him as a multiple hate crime victim, as a victim & critic of homophobic police & as a victim/survivor of historic child rape & abuse.  Earlier ICT newsletter from 1995:
 
Intercom Trust began airbrushing out of Cornwall LGBT History (for 30 pieces of funding?) the long history of Devon & Cornwall police homophobia (- on going).  The Intercom Trust, & others appeasing too homophobic police & have worked to eradicate Lidbury (& others) from Cornwall LGBT history
 
 
Another Assault
24th August 2006: Lidbury was again violently assaulted Angel Hotel, Helston whilst playing pool with gay friends. The entire assault captured on CCTV.  Once again none of the other gay witnesses present (Purslow, Wilson, Midwood ) felt confident in involving Cornwall’s well-known & renowned homophobic police force.

Lidbury’s complaints of multiple police misconduct lead to two separate but unsatisfactory 'partial' investigations by Independent Police Complaints Commission 2004/2006. These resulted in numerous recommendations being made to Devon & Cornwall Constabulary of needed improvement of public service.
 
NB: Lidbury also raised with IPCC in initial interview his having reported being a child abuse victim in 2004, it was disregarded by the Independent Police Complaints Commission…and has repeatedly & continued to be ignored in subsequent communications to the IPCC up to 2015
 
 
 
 
 

2006 Cornwall Gay Assaults - 'A Lack Of True Vision'

2006 - HOMOPHOBIC ASSAULTS
' A LACK OF 'TRUE VISION'
 
 
 
May 2006: (Helston Flora Day) Lidbury along with another gay/bi male whilst attending Helston Flora Day funfair were violently assaulted at Castle Green car park. The other gay/bi male victim was bottled over the head, and then violently kicked in the head, face chest & stomach by assailants. Lidbury shielded the prone victim with his body, preventing attempts by the multiple assailants to stamp on the victims head. The assault witnessed by numerous persons, many of whom were also gay.

However when one victim reported to the police it was a ‘homophobic assault’, police told the victim to: quote “Shut up, be quiet, you don’t want to say that”. However Lidbury, who was the 2nd assault victim, knew as a gay equality campaigner this homophobic police attitude was entirely contrary to the 'True Vision' police policy on dealing with a homophobic incident & CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) policy on homophobic incidents.
 
True Vision Policy:

The three police officers attending the assault allowed the drunken assailants to leave the scene (police actually helped the assailants into a taxi). This was despite Lidbury having positively identified the assailants, to police. Lidbury drove the injured assault victim to West Cornwall hospital for stitches & x-ray. Directly due to hostile & prejudicial attitude of police attending the scene, none of the other several gay persons witness to the incident felt safe to come forward to homophobic Cornwall police.

Lidbury went the following day to the local Helston police station to provide a statement.  Lidbury was threatened by police if he (Lidbury) pursued making a complaint regarding the assault incident, they (police) would prosecute the other gay victim. The gay youth previously abused & targeted by police was amongst several witnesses who did not feel safe to come forward as a witness due to personal experiences of homophobic police in Cornwall.

Cornwall police have ALWAYS refused to identify the police officers responsible for this abuse.

The police intimidation regarding an alleged (false) allegation of a serious arrest able offence involving the other victim was most successful in intimidating him into not proceeding against the Helston police officers concerned. However Lidbury did proceed.
 
Despite considerable obstruction from Devon & Cornwall police (Three police officers at Helston police station refused to take Lidbury’s complaint or statement of assault) Lidbury eventually won as victim a court case against one of the assailants for ‘common assault’. No thanks to obstructive attitude of Devon & Cornwall police.

2006 Stop, Strip and Search Cornish Gay Youth

2006 - Cornish Gay Youth
STOP, STRIP & SEARCH
 
Feb 2006:  Rita Lidbury 74yr old mother of Malcolm Lidbury was verbally abused by Cornwall police (PC Alexander 4668 of Helston & police colleague) when Mrs Rita Lidbury went to give witness assistance to a gay youth being persecuted by police. The youth already a witness against police for other formal complaints to the IPCC of police homophobic conduct.

The youth was detained by police in a Helston Methodist chapel at a coffee morning. He was subjected to a partial strip search, sworn at, and then forcibly taken by police to a retail outlet.
 
The shop staff positively identified the youth WAS NOT the person who had stolen an item. Police then failed to give a stop and search form & failed to apologize to the youth or his pensioner landlady, Mrs Rita Lidbury. The reason police gave for targeting the gay youth was he had ‘Blue Hair’. This later denied by police, yet ‘blue hair’ stated by police as reason three times on ‘stop & search’ form eventually obtained from police having visited two police station & photo copy eventually obtained from police by post.
 
Stop & Search form:

It remains opinion of those involved in aiding the youth that police deliberately targeted the gay youth as he was a witness in formal IPCC complaint procedures against a number of other Cornwall police officers.

NB: The person who was actually responsible for the theft (Mr O***s) later detained & prosecuted.  Mr Lidbury tracked down Mr O***s, who in Aug 2007 apologized for the trouble ‘he’, Mr O***s caused to the gay youth being falsely accused & subsequently abused by police.
 
There has never been an apology from Cornwall police arrogance for the abusive intimidation & treatment by PC Alexander 4668 & the other police officer, neither to the innocent gay youth or his pensioner landlady.
 
 
 

2005 Homeless Cornish Gay Youth Sleeping Rough

2005 - Homeless Cornish Gay/Bi youth sleeping rough
 
 
 
 
June 2005: Lidbury was approached & asked by serving members of RNAS Culdrose to assist a homeless 15yr old gay/bi youth who was living rough on the streets of Helston, Cornwall.
 
Lidbury a gay equality campaigner of many years was shocked & angry to find Police, Social Services, Youth Service & Education Services ALL knew & were ALL aware the 15yr old gay/bi youth was living rough homeless on the streets.
 
None of the authorities had done ANYTHING to intervene or assist the youth. A local youth café had been providing free meal vouchers to the homeless youth.
 
Lidbury contacted a number of organizations on behalf of the youth. 
ALL declined to assist:-
#Intercom Trust (Exeter)
#Albert Kennedy Trust (An LGBT homeless youth charity. Cornwall was outside their remit area)
 
Lidbury also sort help from professional members of the LGBT community whom he knew personally within education & social services, but they also declined to assist the youth.
 
Jun 2005: Lidbury took the youth to Helston police station where the youth was questioned regarding allegation against the youth of criminal damage. Both Police PC Fuller 4446 & the youth requested that Lidbury sit in during the youth’s police interrogation.
 
Police later denied in police complaint proceeding & court that the interview took place.  However the youth was subsequently required to report to Cornwall Youth Offending team regularly … this as result of a police interview police later claimed in police complaint & in court proceedings did not take place?
 
During attending police questioning of the youth at Helston police station carried out by PC Fuller 4446 Lidbury established police were fully aware of the youth’s homeless status. PC Fuller claimed police had submitted a report to social services as to the youth’s homeless situation. PC Treloar was already supposed to be the family liaison police officer prior to Lidbury being asked to help.
 
NB: In 2006 in a civil action brought by police Lidbury was admonished by Judge Rucker for not taking the homeless youth to the authorities, when Lidbury clearly had done so which police denied in court.
 
Lidbury having campaigned against institutional homophobia for so long in Cornwall was utterly incensed by Cornish authorities’ homophobic responses & refusal to help a homeless gay/bi youth. Lidbury set about creating a voluntary support team for the youth, similar to that he’d recruited (RAIN Trust) for his former partner Andrew, when Andy had been declined any help by Cornish Social Services when as a gay man terminally ill living with HIV/AIDS 1994-96 (now deceased).
 
Lidbury recruited his neighbors, members of RNAS Culdrose, a mix of heterosexuals, lesbians & gay men & students as a broad base voluntary support network for the youth.
 
Lidbury’s partner, Paul (Diddy), a serving member of the navy stationed at Culdrose accompanied the youth to Cornwall Social Services case conference. The Social Services case conference failed entirely to meet a single one of their own objectives they set themselves.  The case conference adding to failure & physical abuse the youth had already suffered in his, the youth’s own family home & homophobic environment of Helston School.
 
No assistance was forth coming from authorities to house the youth, who was then ‘sofa surfing’  on the couch of a female member of the voluntary support team organized by Lidbury. The youth on his 16th birthday asked Lidbury’s pensioner mother for a rented room. Lidbury’s pensioner mother already provided room-to-let rented accommodation in her home, a former five bedroom B&B guesthouse.
 
The youth lived ‘on & off’ as a tenant of Mrs Rita Lidbury from 2005 - until 2013, until he was 24yrs old.
 
In the complete absence of assistance forth coming from Cornish authorities following the case conference to help gain employment or even provide further education for the youth.  Lidbury contacted the Skills Council and organised a modern apprenticeship for the youth in conjunction with Camborne College & made employment arrangements.  As a result the youth attained an NVQ level 2 qualification.
 
This is the Cornwall authority & Cornwall police abused gay youth, own video which he co-produced & created originally on his own video channel on youtube.
 
The youth made complaints about Cornwall social services & wrote many letters to his Mp Andrew George & the local government Ombudsman. He was ignored. (Many of the gay youth’s letters held on file by the Sprocket Trust LGBT archive).
 
The internal findings Cornwall Social Services own internal investigation blamed the gay/bi youth entirely for his being homeless & living on the streets at 15yrs old, his parents having moved 400 miles away to the north east of England leaving him behind. 
 
May 2009: VIDEO  ‘NO HELP for Homeless Gay Teenage Boy’ (22,637 views up to 2015)
 
Ten years later - 2015  -5,000 young LGBT people in UK living rough on streets  Gay Times Magazine LGBT Homeless Youth  

Sunday 12 April 2015

2004: LIDBURY- AFRICAN HIV AIDS CHARITY PAINTINGS - Cornwall

2004: LIDBURY- AFRICAN HIV AIDS CHARITY PAINTINGS
 
 
 
Lidbury had painted some watercolour paintings to be sold in aid of Global Natural Health Care Trust, an African HIV/AIDS charity.  The police having seized the artist (Lidbury) computer prevented the HIV/AIDS charity sale of the paintings.
 
Gscene publication ; Art on Ebay
 
 
Lidbury’s art businesses entirely destroyed by police actions of withholding Lidbury’s computer unnecessarily (fact established by IPCC) after it had been examined by forensics & been given the all clear as having no illegal material.  Lidbury had identified no less than fourteen persons (tenants, tenants friends & friends of Lidbury) who at one time or another had use of the computer unsupervised.
 
Lidbury’s Amenity Horticultural business was irreparably damaged by relentless police intimidation.  Despite being acknowledged by the IPCC this has never been addressed by Devon & Cornwall police.
 
NO criminal charges resulted against Lidbury, however not before Lidbury had again attempted suicide by alcohol & Carbon Monoxide poisoning. This was due to abusive & relentless persecutory police misconduct over false allegations made against Lidbury by police. In the failed bid at suicide Lidbury had attached a vacuum cleaner pipe with gaffer tape to his car exhaust leading through the car widow.
 
Over a decade of protracted period of conflict has followed from 2004 by homophobic Devon & Cornwall police from when Lidbury initially reprimanded DC Woods for homophobic comments. Lidbury being repeatedly & relentlessly targeted as a gay man by police.
 
 
GAY COMMUNITY COMPLAINT TO
INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION
Sept 2005: Other gay/bi men, friends of Lidbury were concerned at the way police complaints from gay people were ignored.  Over x200 signatures were collected in a petition, primarily gathered from within the Cornwall LGBT community at the ‘Eclipse gay nightclub’, Truro.  All 200+ signatures almost without exception expressing ‘NO FAITH’ in the Devon & Cornwall police complaints system.  The LGBT petition provided to Ian Bynoe Commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission
 
…and was promptly ignored by IPCC. (Copy of the LGBT petition to IPCC held in the Sprocket Trust Cornwall LGBT history archive)