CPS Blunders Set Violent Gang Member Free

The Evening Standard bring us this taste of what happens when cultural enrichment and diversity meet judicial incompetence:

A judge has attacked “hopeless” prosecutors in London after a man accused of stabbing a father who was protecting his son walked free from court.

Bashier Hussein, 20, was due to stand trial for allegedly knifing Everald Carter at his home after a gang came looking for the victim's teenage son.

But the case against him was thrown out after the judge ran out of patience with the Crown Prosecution Service's failure to provide key documents.

Judge Peter Birts QC told Snaresbrook crown court that although the alleged attack was “a most appalling incident” he was being forced to abandon the trial because of prosecutors' “unjustifiable delay” in providing transcripts to the defence.

He accused them of having “sat on the case since late 2007” and said that their inability to respond to requests for the transcripts amounted to an “intentional failure to comply with the court”. The case, which will prompt renewed concern about the effectiveness of prosecutors in London, follows a warning by the Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service that hundreds of criminals in the capital are walking free because of similar failings.

Mr Carter's wife, Michelle, today said that she and her husband had been let down by the prosecution.

“The CPS have been completely incompetent,” she said. “They've never apologised to us. It is so disappointing to come this far only for these people to walk away. We were hoping to finally get some closure and have our day in court, but it looks like we will never get that now.”

Hussein, of Plaistow, was charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm after being arrested over the incident at Mr Carter's house in Barking in October 2007.

The alleged attack happened after up to eight youths arrived looking for Mr Carter's teenage son after a row at Leyton Sixth Form College over a firework. Mr Carter, who works with the business development unit of the CPS, attempted to reason with the gang but was stabbed in his leg and groin area.

His son, then aged 16, saved his life by using his shirt to stop the bleeding. Mr Carter, who still has trouble walking, spent months recovering, while the family has been forced to move out of their home because of fears of another attack.

Mr Carter's 74-year-old mother Gurzel said it was “a disgrace” that his alleged attacker had been allowed to walk free. “I thought my son was going to die. When Everald was stabbed I cried and cried. He was trying to protect his son. How could the system fail so badly?”

Hussein, who is known by his rap name “Sketch”, is understood to be part of the Greengate gang, which operates near West Ham football stadium. Their rivals are the Lego Manz crew.

As the new tourist posters have it - come to London and see the world.

But if you don't survive, don't say you haven't been warned.