looking for some help

[sisternumber1]

is there anywhere on the net that I can look for advice about a legalish problem that has nothing to do with money or banks or credit cards, but a lot to do with online reputation and I suppose incitement to cause harm. needs not to be an open forum like this one, need to talk to some one desperately and soon. nothing to do with any of my other threads and problems - or at least I hope so.

 

Thanks

[sisternumber1]

hi I am sorry I know its the wrong place to post this - not sure where the right place is:(

[kia]

i think its the right place but i cant help just lend a sympathetic ear to listen im sure if i bump it for u someone will help xxkia

[tiglet]

What exactly is the problem, sister?

[kia]

tiggy will help if she can im sure :Dxxkia

[sisternumber1]

What exactly is the problem, sister?

 

some one is trying to trash the reputations of five members of my family on face book, down to addresses and telephone numbers, in cluding businesses names and addresses. Have now passed it on to the police and asked facebook to remove as well. there are two people who have threatened to destroy me, one has been ongoing for years and the other is recent. Police say as usual its not their problem and suggest I take out an injunction, as if that will work, she has had as far as I am aware two police warnings, so she moves to another area and starts again. whenever Social services get too close that is also her tactic. Try hard not to see this as my problem but sometimes its bloody hard. We work hard, we support ourselves, and there is always some thing or some one to try and trip you up. there must be something that can be done short of shutting up shop moving and changing our names, would ruin our business. Our businesses may not be making us rich but at least they have a steady income built on my OH reputation, when he returns tomorrow he will be absolutely furious that this has started again, we can do with out it. It never ends, and I havent a clue what exactly I have done other then work hard, support my girls, look after my very ill child and thats been going on now for more then 20 years, and this person keeps going on and on about something that I do not know anything about. She has never worked, and now she has discovered the internet about six years ago, she goes looking for information and send emails. Her name and her address are blocked, but sending things via facebook isnt done in her name so they get through. Its bliss when I havent heard for 6 months. I am assuming that this is all coincidence and the two evil women have not some how met up and are egging each other on.

 

Sorry this has turned into a bit of a rant, but none of this is in anyway my fault.

[sisternumber1]

just want some peace - there is enough going on without this extraneous nonsense - here are some people whom it doesnt matter what you say to them, or tell them they are never going to believe you, and there is nothing that can be done to prove or disprove anything because it all goes back in the mists of time when we were very young. Life is too stressful. It is all an impossible situation.

[tiglet]

OK, firstly - what has facebook done to address the problem? They should be able to trace the IP and remove the person from their system.

 

Secondly - the police DO have a duty to investigate this - this is harrassment and harrassment is a criminal offence. Take all of the evidence down to the local nick and if they won't/don't help, ask to speak to the Inspector on duty. My sister is looking up the relevant laws to quote at them over the weekend (she's high up on the civillian side) so hopefully with a little more ammunition you will get some results that way.

 

An injunction seems like a good idea - however, you are unlikely to be granted it without a police investigation in support of your application so that really needs to be your first port of call.

 

What exactly is this person saying? Feel free to PM me the details if you don't want them on an open forum and I will respond on the forum without revealing any details you have given me.

 

You will, as Kia so rightly says, get a lot of support on the forum which really does empower you, so you have already taken the first step along the path of getting this sorted.

[tiglet]

Also, if what this person is saying is incorrect, you may wish to consider suing for libel.

[revolting peasant]

Also, if what this person is saying is incorrect, you may wish to consider suing for libel.

 

I agree with the sentiment and indeed the principle but as a cautionary note, I tried to sue someone for libel once after an unsworn statement almost cost me my kids and my job! My solicitor, despite the clear evidence would not take on the case without £15,000 up front. Legal aid is not available for such cases and in most instances the "offender" has few assests anyway so there is little to achieve.

 

Libel claims are for rich people trying to get richer!

[tiglet]

Indeed - I would only recommend this as a last resort.

[kia]

was going to say all you really want is for the harrassment to stop for now maybe think about the libel thing when youve got the harrassment stopped cos if it were me id just want peace of mind for a bit and by taking them for libel it would also mean facing them again so id cross that bridge after u get main problem sorted cos it sounds as if you have had a number of stressful years to deal with and given time and peace you will be able to think straight hopefully the police will be more helpful cos sometimes they are useless do have to say push them there must be something they can do im sure keep us informed xxkia

[tomterm8]

 

Libel claims are for rich people trying to get richer!

 

Libel claims are for rich people trying to get poorer.

 

:grin:

 

Basically, the strategy is to get a soliciter to write to the ISP of facebook, and also facebook itself, and threaten a libel action if they do not control the libel.

 

However, you'd have to be ... um, mad... to actually take someone to court on a libel case. £15,000 is very small change; some libel actions end up costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

 

I think the law you would need to quote to the police would be the protection from harassment act.

[kia]

yep i agree about the libel thing and unless u got some clear cut evidence to back your story it could be uphill struggle but yes the police definately do that nice one tom term :)xxkia

[Scouse Paul]

Customer Support | Facebook

 

Thats the link for reporting harrassment on Facebook.

 

I would go back to the police if I was your because what they are doing is harrassment and amongst others things it is illegal and it is in breach of your human rights as well.

 

You might not get far under the human rights issue thought as the Human Rights court in strasbourg has got a massive backlog of cases but i would speak to the police and press full charges

[kia]

thank u paul :)xxkia

[sisternumber1]

some answers in reverse order

 

Paul - have done that did that almost as soon as I received the first link on my works email - so far facebook have done b****** all. Have had her struck of hotmail, unfortuantly Virgin did not take it that seriously so she still has that account, yes I know that she still uses her ntlworld address at the moment, its on her facebook thingy.

 

The police have already had there knuckles wrapped over not investigating this trying to remember how many years ago I suppose three or so - the outcome of that is that another officer had to sit with me and take down my statement after the previous one had gone and lost the original, listen to the recordings (on that occassion she made 13 telephone calls to my works answer phone and threatened to kill me), she then sent to me at both home and work, and to a couple of neighbours these very large envelopes with the most obscene accussations on the outside of the envelopes - the upshot of that was that our police force got in touch with their police force (Cumbria) and a warning was issued. what came back to me was there was no point in pursuing it any further as she has mental health problems - not kidding! she has now moved into the Cleveland Police area.

 

Know enough about the law not to go down the libel action avenue.

 

Although we work, we really do not make a lot of money, a lot of people wouldnt work for what we make, but it helps to be virtually self employed in our circumstances.

 

I despair of getting an injunction, because she will not ever let it be, no matter what any one says to her, and she does not take any notice of the police she never has, they are the enemy, this has been going on for years, before the internet it used to be letters and telephone calls.

 

Tiglet I will pm you shortly

[tomterm8]

some answers in reverse order

 

Paul - have done that did that almost as soon as I received the first link on my works email - so far facebook have done b****** all. Have had her struck of hotmail, unfortuantly Virgin did not take it that seriously so she still has that account, yes I know that she still uses her ntlworld address at the moment, its on her facebook thingy.

 

The police have already had there knuckles wrapped over not investigating this trying to remember how many years ago I suppose three or so - the outcome of that is that another officer had to sit with me and take down my statement after the previous one had gone and lost the original, listen to the recordings (on that occassion she made 13 telephone calls to my works answer phone and threatened to kill me), she then sent to me at both home and work, and to a couple of neighbours these very large envelopes with the most obscene accussations on the outside of the envelopes - the upshot of that was that our police force got in touch with their police force (Cumbria) and a warning was issued. what came back to me was there was no point in pursuing it any further as she has mental health problems - not kidding! she has now moved into the Cleveland Police area.

 

Know enough about the law not to go down the libel action avenue.

 

Although we work, we really do not make a lot of money, a lot of people wouldnt work for what we make, but it helps to be virtually self employed in our circumstances.

 

I despair of getting an injunction, because she will not ever let it be, no matter what any one says to her, and she does not take any notice of the police she never has, they are the enemy, this has been going on for years, before the internet it used to be letters and telephone calls.

 

Tiglet I will pm you shortly

 

The thing about an injunction is that, if she doesn't keep its terms, she WILL eventually go to jail... you would be able to bring contempt proceedings yourself.

[Scouse Paul]

If the police will not do anything then take out an injuction, the punishment for breach of an injuction is prison.

 

I would also suggest getting her sectioned under the mental heath act as she clearly does have mental health issues and she needs the proper treatment

[kia]

it does sound as if the system has let u down over the years and i do symphathise (spelling cant spell that)could she get her sectioned though wouldnt that need to be family but she has threatened u so maybe they could do it from that you will get the help u need from this site though emotional and practicle :)xxkia

[sisternumber1]

.

 

I would also suggest getting her sectioned under the mental heath act as she clearly does have mental health issues and she needs the proper treatment

 

this is easier said then done, whom do I tell that she needs sectioning? i havnet been actively in touch with her since 1986 for some very good reasons. In fact I would do almost anything legal not to be in touch with her ever again. Like all such people nothing touches her, she has no conscience, she has no empathy, she is totally and utterly "self", there is no one outside of self except as the "enemy" or at least that is what I get from the limited exposure I have had with her since 1986. On one occassion before the advent of computers in every home, she telephone me in such a bad way, that I actually got Social Services out to her because she was threatening to do away with herself and the children, social service with police in tow duly arrived on her doorstep to find her in fits of laughter because I had taken her seriously, but they had to go because of her past history. I changed my telephone number the next day on the advice of the police.

 

she does have treatment from time to time we believe - every time she gets in touch again (gets through all our filters) the first comment that is made by my OH is "they have let her out again"

 

Ah well a hot toddy and to bed and not to dream about her, I would much rather use my meagre sources of energy sorting out my daughters problems.

[renegotiation]

Maybe signing up to Facebook under an alias would be an idea? You could tell all your friends it was you and set your profile to private.

[sisternumber1]

Result I hope - Facebook support have just been in touch - thought that I would check emails prior to going to bed, and there was an email from them asking further questions, have answered them and hoping for some action.

[tiglet]

Well done for that sister.

 

Thanks for your PM - you are very brave.

 

This certainly needs to be escalated by the police - they cannot use mental health issues as an excuse - this really is serious harrassment.

 

It sounds as if facebook won't be the end of it, so I believe an injunction will be the best way forward, in conjunction with a police investigation. Yes, in all likelihood she will be arrested for breaching the injunction at some point in the future - that is her problem, not yours. She might even get the help she needs.

 

If the police do arrest her for harrassment, she will be examined by a doctor and, if necessary, sectioned if they believe her condition warrants it. If not, and she is charged, a judge can order her to receive psychiatric treatment.

 

It is difficult not to have some sympathy for her but this may actually be a way to force her to confront her issues and get better and you never know what the future may hold from that. Either way, you are entitled to have your quality of life undisturbed, so you need to keep pushng the police on the harrassment front and also go to the court and make the application for an injunction.

 

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

[sisternumber1]

thank you tiglet - I believe this time we will go the injunction route - and if the police hae not been in touch by the middle of the week I will again chase them - my name is getting very well known at the local nick:D

 

What I havent really said anywhere so far is that for at least 30 years she and I were extremely close, I used to look after her eldest when she went to be cared for under section, I used to help both practically and with "loans" of money, none of which were ever repaid nor did I really ever expect them to be, but we had to have the word loan put in there so that she did not see it as charity. The event that led to the end of the relationship was one that no mother would tolerate for her children.

 

Its sad but with hindsight oh so inevitable.

 

Still on facebook, but I suppose even they do not work and moderate on a Sunday.

 

And its not raining here so I can get a load of my washing and housework done!