Home | Friday 23rd May 2008 | Issue 633

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SKELTON'S IN THE CLOSET

New information is slowly coming to light about Sussex Police’s attempt to censor ‘On the Verge’ – the Smash EDO movie (see SchNEWS 625). Initially Chief Inspector Laurence Taylor put out a statement denying all police involvement. The very next day Sussex police P.R. dogsbodies issued a press release stating “Brighton and Hove Police were aware that ‘On The Verge’ was being shown at the Duke of York cinema. However, we do not become involved in, nor do we have knowledge of, the law relating to film certification. That is a matter for Brighton & Hove City Council. However, a junior officer, who is not based in the city, alerted the city council to the showing and they advised the cinema of its responsibilities.”

More recently thanks to diligent inquiries by one SchNEWShound the name of the officer involved has come to light. The man responsible for contacting Brighton Council’s environmental health officers was one Detective Constable Ian Skelton. Now Ian isn’t based in the city it’s true but he’s not exactly a maverick lawman patrolling a rural backwater either. In fact his base of operations is Sussex Police HQ in Lewes, all of seven miles up the road.

Following the Brighton hoo-ha, the film received police attention wherever it was shown around the country. Sussex Police then denied involvement in a campaign, telling The Guardian “To confirm, we haven’t sent a circular to other police forces.”

Sussex Police are being charmingly coy about exactly which department DC Skelton works for but his rank indicates that he’s probably in a plain clothes outfit. SchNEWS wonders how SPECIAL a constable Ian really is, but don't want to BRANCH out into unwarranted speculation.

More news soon as the Freedom of Information wheels grind their slowest – we expect a full and accurate explanation sometime after the London Olympics.

* See also SchNEWS 630

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