Military Ceremonial Duties Prompt Police Query
NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
With news reports that large numbers of service personnel will visit the Isle of Man in connection with ceremonial duties at the Tynwald ceremony the Celtic League have asked the Manx police if criminal allegations involving a visiting serviceman on similar duties some years ago (though not connected to Tynwald Day) were ever resolved.
Tynwald Day is the Manx National Day and involves a ceremony at which laws were promulgated at the ancient Tynwald Fair Field at St Johns in the west of the Island.
There was always a limited military presence to provide an honour guard for the Islands Lt Governor, one of a number of remnants of the Islands colonial status.
From 1979 the military presence was stepped up, displacing the traditional Fairfield celebration from the front of the Tynwald site to fields to the north of the Hill.
In the 1990s protests led it to the involvement of the military being scaled back.
However since that time military ceremonial involvement, like a rash, has slowly increased.
Text of letter to IOM Chief Constable below:
Mr G Roberts
Chief Constable
Isle of Man Constabulary
CPHQ
Douglas
Isle of Man
02/07/2013
Dear Chief Constable,
With large numbers of United Kingdom military personnel predicted to be on the Isle of Man over the next few days in connection with ceremonial duties I was reminded of the case of Che Awembeng Collins
Mr Collins was a serving British Soldier who took part in a military parade on the Isle of Man on Saturday 28th August 2010, with his Regiment. Later that day he went out socialising in Douglas and it was alleged he committed a serious sexual offence. Mr Collins was bailed by the Manx Court into the care of the Military but subsequently absconded from his barracks and failed to answer bail.
Was this case ever resolved?
That is was Mr Collins returned to the Isle of Man to answer the charges against him?
Yours Sincerely,
Related link on Celtic News here:
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
02/07/13
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