Cockle picker team wins Justice Award

The team working on the prosecution of the Morcambe Bay cockle pickers has secured the top award in this year`s Justice Awards.

The Justice Shield was presented to the police-led team of agencies behind Operation Lund for the most exceptional justice performance of the year. The team won the trust of frightened and traumatised witnesses whose families in China were being threatened by trafficking gangs.

After a massive two year investigation producing over 1.5 million documents, and a six month trial presented using the latest IT equipment and hearing from nearly 150 witnesses, the gangmaster was convicted on 21 counts of manslaughter in March this year.

PC Richard Allen from West Yorkshire was awarded the outstanding contribution to tackling youth crime. He is behind a wealth of projects in the Kirklees area, all connected with improving self-esteem for young people and encouraging positive behaviour. Whether it’s drugs education for Islamic young people, teaching road traffic law to those who want to become drivers, or promoting the dangers of alcohol misuse, he ensures young people in Kirklees are getting good information and good messages that encourage them away from anti-social behaviour.

His anti-robbery campaign across ten schools this year saw school crime reduce by 80 per cent. And he has got young people interested in the Criminal Justice System by organising 42 weeks of work placements for young people across the range of justice agencies.

Other winners across the 14 categories in the Justice Awards include: David Aldridge, an ex-offender and drug user, for his work as a volunteer in the probation service helping others overcome their drug dependency. The Pier Project in Merseyside whose targeting of persistent offenders in the Wirral cut burglary by 57 per cent and vehicle crime by 56 per cent in two years. Bob Brooks, a manager at Preston Crown Court and logistical brains behind several high profile trials including the James Bulger case, the Harold Shipman trial and the Morecombe Bay case.

All the winners, chosen from over 650 nominations, were presented with their award today at a ceremony in London, hosted by broadcaster and journalist Fiona Bruce.

The winners received their awards from Baroness Scotland, Home Office minister for Criminal Justice and Offender Management.

She said: “I have been moved and impressed by the dedication that staff and volunteers nominated for these awards have shown towards people who come into contact with the Criminal Justice System.

“The awards show that agencies and individuals across the country have gone that extra mile to protect communities from crime, deal compassionately with victims and witnesses, and address offenders’ behaviour to try and prevent re-offending.

“These awards prove not only that people within the Criminal Justice System are working hard and achieving measurable results, but all parts of our community have a role to play in our alliance to create a fair and effective system we all want to see.”