The Judge nodded sombrely, he did not look remotely surprised by the decision. He looked at the accused, then at the witness, and finally across at the Jury. “Case dismissed,” he said. “Court rise.”
Chapter Forty
“Some breaking news that is reaching us here at Sky News centre, and in the past few moments, the court case against the school teacher Philip Pollard has just been dismissed. Our crime reporter Carole Lindsay is outside Preston Crown Court, Carole, this is a shocking turn-up?”
“Yes, well, maybe to the viewers at home, but it hasn’t really come as a huge shock to those of us who were in court. The trial, which was scheduled to last two weeks has collapsed after just one day, as the prosecution service realised that there was no evidence of any crimes committed.”
“This is a real surprise Carole. To remind our viewers, Philip Pollard was standing trial accused of abduction and child-grooming after taking his pupil, Darren Jenkins away in a motor-home for a week in May. There was lots of evidence that Philip Pollard did take the boy, so why has the case been dismissed?”
“Well, the boy in question has maintained throughout the investigation that no sexual contact, nor talk of sex was ever a part of the story, so the charge of sexual grooming was always going to be a difficult crime to prove. However, the charge of abduction did look much stronger because there was, as you say, plenty of evidence that Philip Pollard did indeed take the boy away in the motor-home without parental consent. However, it has been revealed today in court that Darren had effectively run away from home and he explained to the court that the reason Mr Pollard was with him that week was to look after him.”
“If that’s the case, that no crime has been committed, then why has Mr Pollard been on remand in prison for six months? Surely these matters should have been dealt with prior to any charges being brought against him?”
“Yes, well in normal circumstances, the Crown Prosecution Service would have made a decision as to whether the case against Mr Pollard was strong enough for a realistic chance of prosecution. However, as Mr Pollard gave police officers no information in any of his police interviews, choosing to provide ‘no comment’ answers to the investigating officers, the CPS went into this trial with none of the information which has come to light today. And, I’m… yes, I’m just hearing that Philip Pollard is about to come out of the court…” Carole Lindsay turned around and looked back at the huge glass doors at the entrance to Preston Crown Court.
There was a moment of confusion for Sky News’ viewers, as they realised that this breaking news story was catching everybody by surprise, not least the broadcasters. After several awkward seconds of silence and camera focusing, Philip Pollard walked out of the building, alone, and into a rapturous round-of-applause from the crowd of people who had come up from Stalybridge to witness the trial for themselves. He waved, and smiled at them all, as one young lady ran towards him and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
He looked emotional and extremely drained as he approached the press, who were hastily creating a scrum before him.
“Hello!” he said, and smiled for the TV cameras. “Today, as you will be aware, the case against me has been dropped. I’d like to say that I have been extremely well treated by the police officers and by the prison service staff whilst I have waited for this trial.”
People were streaming out of the court building behind him and a crowd began gathering around the back of Mr Pollard as he continued talking to the cameras, photographers and reporters.
“I’d just like to make a few points about my time in prison. Firstly, I know that it has probably been hard for my family and friends, hearing the press talking about me the way they have. But, I just want to say that I am glad that they did. The idea of a sexual motivation for my actions was a very plausible theory to explain what I did and I applaud those reporters who didn’t shy away from making those assumptions public. If people with such influence had been fearless in speaking their minds so publicly during Cyril Smith’s time as an MP, or when Jimmy Savile was abusing young people, or during the Rochdale and Rotherham grooming scandals, then a lot of innocent young people would have been saved from the horrors that they were left to endure. So, I applaud the press for being fearless in that regard, however inaccurate and baseless those theories turned out to be.”
The crowd behind Mr Pollard began applauding and shouting encouraging remarks over his shoulder. The mood was jovial and victorious amongst many of them, former pupils and colleagues, who’d come up here to Preston, desperate to be proved right about their belief in Mr Pollard’s innocence and his principles.
“When I came into teaching thirty-six years ago, I wanted to make a difference to the lives of the kids that I was going to teach. I have always wanted to make a difference and I think that in a small way today, I might have finally done that. If any teachers watching this news programme start to think a little differently, a little more positively about challenging students, then I think my six months in prison will have been a small sacrifice.”
Once again, the crowd were cheering and applauding the former-teacher, lots of them were patting him on his back and shoulders.
“Schools, teachers, the whole education establishment is built around the foundations of right and wrong. What the teacher says is right, what the school says is right, and pupils are instructed very early on that nothing the school does is ever wrong. But that’s not always true, as we all know. Gary Lineker, one of Britain’s best loved football players of all time was told by his school master that ‘he must devote less of his time to sport if he wants to be a success.’ And that he ‘can’t make a living in football.’ David Bowie was told by his tutor that ‘he needs to learn that music will not make him a liveable wage.’ John Lennon’s school report stated that he was ‘on the road to failure. He is hopeless.’ These school reports were spectacularly wrong, as we all know. And the way that we educate some of our pupils is wrong, too. I’m so glad that I have had this opportunity to help one of my students, rather than turn a blind-eye to his problems. It is turning a blind-eye and excluding these kids, giving up on them and setting them up to fail which is encouraging the suicides, the homelessness and the addictions of so many thousands of people whose only crime was to be themselves inside an institution that hasn’t worked out a way to include them, yet. Let’s all try and remember that every class, in every year, in every school, has at least one kid who just isn’t capable of learning in the same way as the others, just like one of the kids is better at singing, and one is better at drawing, and one is better at latin. Let’s try and work out a better way of accepting that fact, and finding a positive solution, rather than tormenting them, and then throwing them on the scrap heap at fifteen years old. Thank you.”
There was a round of deafening applause and cheers of jubilation all around as the crowd went crazy, several were chanting “for he’s a jolly good fellow” jumping up and down behind Mr Pollard. One of the faces in the crowd suddenly stepped forward and took Phil Pollard’s hand. It was Sandra Pollard.
He quickly pulled his hand away.
Chapter Forty-One
Miller was sat in his office, buried deep beneath a pile of files which he had ignored for far too long. He had been working on them all day, but the pile just didn’t seem to be shrinking.
He looked pissed off when he heard a knock at his door, but nobody could see the expression, it was well hidden by the tower of paperwork.
“Hi Sir,” said Rudovsky.
“Hi Jo,” said Miller without looking up. He seemed in a mood.
“What’s up with you?” she asked, picking up on the bad vibes.
“Aw, nowt. Sorry Jo. I just don’t seem to be getting anywhere with this lot. It’s doing my head in, I’ve been at it for five hours and the pile looks bigger now than it did when I started.”
“Do I look like I work for The Samaritans?”
“Ha ha, sorry. What’s up?” Miller smiled at Rudovsky, it wasn’t her f
ault that he’d allowed this paper-work to build up so spectacularly.
“Just wondered what you’re doing on Wednesday?”
“You know what I’m doing Jo… I’m in court.”
“No, you’re not!”
“Yes, I am. It’s Philip Pollard’s trial this week, possibly into next…”
“Think again. It’s just collapsed. Prosecutor has just discontinued.”
“Shut up!” Miller looked genuinely surprised by this unexpected, but good news.
“No, you shut up.”
“Bloody hell! That’s a turn-up!”
“I know, and it gets you out of court on Wednesday, so you can stop being a grumpy bum.”
“What happened?”
“Well, not sure exactly, just got a news alert on my phone. But its looking as though Pollard has just done this to bring attention to kids being excluded or something. It was a stunt by all accounts.”
“What… so that’s why he no commented us! He told me and Keith it would all make sense when it came to court.”
“Stick it on Sky News, come on.”
“Aw Jo, I can’t. Honestly mate, I need to get this sorted…”
“Come on Sir, don’t be a drip.”
“No, seriously, I’m in the zone here. I’ll watch it when I get home, they’ll have a better report then anyway, it’s all a load of shit when it’s breaking news.”
“Fair enough. Well, anyway, I thought I should let you know…”
“Yes, I appreciate it. Oh, Jo, that reminds me, there’s a parcel at reception for you. Forgot to tell you earlier.”
Rudovsky looked surprised. Miller continued to look at the file he was reading.
“Have you ordered summat?”
“No.”
“Oh, well, anyway, I passed the message on. See you later.”
“Sir.”
Rudovsky left Miller to his paperwork, surprised that he didn’t seem too interested in the Pollard case collapsing at Preston Crown Court. She decided to head off down to reception and pick this parcel up.
“Hiya Judy, Miller said there’s a parcel for me?” said Rudovsky to the kind-faced receptionist.
“What’s your name and rank?” asked Judy. Rudovsky looked confused.
“You what?” asked Rudovsky, wearing a look of bemused confusion.
“I need your name and rank. It’s procedure.”
“Oh my days! Honestly! Where will the anally retarded formality in this place end? My name is the same as it was this morning, when you said, ‘good morning Jo.’ And my rank is the same too.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give out any packages unless I have your full name and rank.”
Rudovsky looked as though she was starting to get annoyed by this nonsense, but thought better of starting a row.
She rolled her eyes dramatically as she said, “Name Jo Rudovsky, rank, Detective Constable, SCIU.”
Judy looked down under her desk the internal post was kept, then glanced back up. “No, I’m sorry, there’s nothing for you.”
Rudovsky looked at Judy and smiled. “Is this a prank? Miller just told me that there’s a parcel here for me.”
“No. I’m sorry. There’s nothing for a detective constable here. There is a package for a Detective Sergeant Jo Rudovsky…”
“Detective Sergeant…”
Judy handed the package across. Sure enough, it was addressed to DS Jo Rudovsky.
“Congratulations, Jo.” Judy started laughing as Rudovsky stared back at her, her mouth was wide-open.
Suddenly, a round of applause broke out from the balcony upstairs, as Miller and the rest of the team applauded their new DS.
Rudovsky was shaking and tears were streaming down her face as she looked up at her colleagues above. They were laughing and pointing at her, singing “for she’s a jolly good fellow.”
Jo ripped open the package and saw her new ID badge and warrant card, with her new title. For the first time ever, Jo Rudovsky was completely lost for words.
Epilogue
Darren Jenkins and his mother Dawn have moved into a council house in Aberdeen, not far from her parent’s home. She continues to work in the Co-op. Darren has started an apprenticeship in helicopter maintenance at Aberdeen Heliport, and is doing very well. His father, Michael, hasn’t been in touch with him, or Dawn since the trial. He is still on a final warning at work and is still convinced that ADHD is a made-up excuse for bad parenting. Nobody has had the heart to point out that if this was true, it means that he is a bad parent. And that his parents were bad parents too.
No action was taken against Daniel or Jess Pollard following the collapse of the case. The brother and sister are back to sending the occasional text here and there.
Philip Pollard has left the teaching profession and now spends his time visiting schools and talking to the pupils who find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks. He has appeared on several TV and radio shows talking about his experiences, and trying to promote a greater understanding of the problems that disruptive kids face in a classroom environment. He has written a best-selling book on the subject, which is part biographical and part self-help, aimed at teachers and parents of disruptive kids. He is planning to write another one for the pupils affected by the issues that he has championed.
The government have held several high-profile meetings with Mr Pollard in an attempt to gain a greater understanding into the issues involved in educating children who don’t have the same response to mainstream education as the majority. Mr Pollard, and the education minister are confident that a positive solution to this recurring problem is found, and that the 35 pupil exclusions per day in England can become a thing of the past.
Philip and Sandra have separated for good.
The End
I’d like to dedicate this book to my mum, Mary Anne, who through no fault of her own, spent a lot of time in Headmaster’s offices throughout my school days.
I had quite a lot in common with Darren Jenkins when I was a youngster. As I’ve got older, I’ve come to realise how frustrating it is to have a child who would rather make fart-noises by cupping their hand in their arm-pit, than working hard on getting great exam results.
Sorry. I won’t do it again. I love you xxx
Proof of Life Page 30