WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE POLICE DO NOTHING?

Victimhood is compulsory in Britain

A middle-aged teacher is starting a six-month jail sentence today because she decided to fight back against "yobs" with a pellet gun. Linda Walker, 47, who teaches at a special school for children with behavioural problems, has been heralded as an example to other less energetic and caring teachers. Her life and career now lie in ruins after a moment of self-confessed madness when she pursued a group of teenagers she blamed for a campaign of vandalism directed at her home and family.

During the midnight confrontation near her suburban home in Urmston, Greater Manchester, she fired up to six rounds from the gas-powered air pistol into the ground close to the feet of her antagonist. She later confessed to police officers that she had acted "like a madwoman possessed" but complained that the activities of the youths had left her at breaking point.

Mrs Walker looked apprehensive in the dock at Minshull Street Crown Court, in Manchester, as the judge told her yesterday that she would serve at least three months before being considered for release. Her partner, John Cavanagh, 56, a lecturer at Salford College, watched from the public gallery as Mrs Walker, who has complained that the law always appears to be on the side of the "yobbos", was led to the cells to begin her sentence.

Mrs Walker shares her home in Urmston with Mr Cavanagh and her two 17-year-old sons. She has taught children with special needs for 25 years, rising to head of Food Technology and head of Year 11 at New Park High School, Salford, where her work has been praised by Ofsted inspectors. Her work has also won the admiration of colleagues. Nigel Haslam, a former head teacher, said: "She was very professional and thorough. She did a tremendous amount for young people. She worked all the hours that came and provided the students with many opportunities to succeed."

Beyond the school gates, Mrs Walker was being driven towards breaking point by groups of youths "terrorising" her neighbourhood. She logged a catalogue of complaints with officers, from abusive phone calls to thefts and vandalism.
Anonymous callers would abuse her son as a "poof". A wing mirror of her other son's car was broken off, the garden shed was broken into, ornaments thrown over the wall and fish stolen from her pond. The final straw came when she noticed that a five-litre plastic container of washing up liquid was moved from the back garden and emptied over her son's car in the driveway.

She was "fuming mad" when she rushed out of her house at night to confront a knot of teenagers 250 yards away. After an exchange of abuse she returned home to arm herself with a Walther CP88 gas-powered air pistol, which she had kept in her underwear drawer for four months since she had been burgled, and an air rifle.

She phoned the police to tell them that she was going to "shoot the f****** vandals. I've got an air rifle and a pistol and I'm going to shoot them."

Mrs Walker squared up to one 18-year-old, firing off several rounds from the pistol into nearby ground. The youth, Robert McKiernan, now 19, who has a number of convictions including burglary, told her that she was a "psycho".

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BUREAUCRATS LOOK AFTER THEIR OWN IN LAS VEGAS

Those employed by local government like to tell the taxpayers that no special privileges are gained from membership in the bureaucracy. "We're just like you," they purr as their salaries grow faster than Jack's beanstalk. But every once in a while, the bright light of public scrutiny reaches the dark office corners where secret handshakes and passwords are handed down, and common citizens are reminded of the perks enjoyed by insiders. Such was the case last week, when Edward G. Henderson, the former chief Southern Nevada administrator for the Department of Parole and Probation and a recovering alcoholic, had a driving-under-the-influence charge dismissed.

On Oct. 9, according to city of Henderson police reports, officers responded to a two-car accident at Warm Springs Road and Stephanie Street. Officers reported that Mr. Henderson walked with "an unsteady gait" and "had bloodshot eyes and appeared to be sleepy." Mr. Henderson said he had not consumed alcohol and was not under the influence of medication, yet he failed three roadside sobriety tests. He was arrested and jailed for a few hours.

It was the Parole and Probation official's second brush with Henderson police in less than two years. In March 2003, he drove his BMW into a CAT bus stopped at a traffic signal. Police couldn't locate Mr. Henderson immediately after that crash. He eventually pleaded no contest to charges equal to parking violations, paid a fine and went to traffic school. Shortly after his October arrest, Mr. Henderson was removed from his post and reassigned to special projects. The department gave no public reason for the move. A few months later, Mr. Henderson left the agency.

On Thursday, when Mr. Henderson appeared in Municipal Court in connection with the arrest, the prosecution's table was empty. No case against Mr. Henderson had been prepared. No one representing the city attorney's office showed up. Municipal Judge Ken Proctor dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. "This is absolutely unacceptable," said Sandy Heverly, executive director of Stop DUI. "There are a lot of unanswered questions here, and this does not send a very good message to the general public."

City Attorney Shauna Hughes says the case was assigned to an outside attorney for prosecution to avoid any conflicts of interest because her chief investigator had formerly worked with Mr. Henderson, and her investigator's wife worked for Mr. Henderson at the time. Ms. Hughes says someone dropped the ball; she hopes to revive the case. Meanwhile, residents will look at the timing of Mr. Henderson's transfer and "retirement" and the subsequent dismissal of his case and wonder whether another Good Ol' Boy struck a behind-the-scenes deal.

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