Statements by Witnesses
The police sent me copies of three witness statements. I would like to have questioned these witnesses in court, but as the CPS quashed the case after sitting on it for five months, I am printing extracts from these statements. Anything in square brackets is my comment or question, not part of a statement. The reader might like to work out what questions they might put in court to the second and third witnesses. At the bottom of this page is a link to a page which suggests that photographing cars is not necessarily a sign of madness.
Extracts from Statement of Malcolm Gordon McCombie 11/8/04
On 7th July 2001 we moved into 23 Patcham Mill Road, Stone Cross, Pevensey. As the property did not have a sufficent TV ariel and no existing fm ariel, I arranged for an engeneer to complete this work.
On 14th August 2001 Tectonic attended my property and fitted the new ariel. The ariel was fitted to the eastern face of the house. The boundary of which ajoins 11 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey, East Sussex Having completed the task of installing the ariel the engineers departed. During the installation of the ariel the engineers attended 11 Blatchington Mill Drive; to obtain permission to erect the necessary ladders from that property.
[One can see from the next paragraph that the "witness" was not present when the aerials were erected. Yet this "witness" asserts that "the engineers attended 11 Blatchington Mill Drive, to obtain permission to erect the necessary ladders from that property." There are two points of interest here. First, the quaint police jargon, the word "attended": the other two witnesses also use this word, a circumstance on which I will comment in a page on my complaints about Sussex Police. Secondly, the two bungalows are each one metre from a six-foot high fence which marks the boundary between them. As the bungalows are built on a slope, my bungalow is roughly a foot above the neighbouring property. Clearly it would have been impossible for a ladder with its foot on my side of the fence to rest against the wall of a bungalow two metres away on the other side of the six-foot fence. A Sky fitter, however, had earlier put a ladder on my property, without my permission, when he was intending to put a satellite dish on the side of the McCombies' property, near the front, where there is only a three-foot high picket fence. The plan was changed,
and the dish was fitted to the front of the bungalow, in contravention of a covenant in the McCombies' Land Certificate.]
At this time I was still working in london, upon my return home I was informed that My neighbour; Mr Geoffrey MADDEN had attended the address objecting to the location of the ariel.
[He was evidently misinformed, as my objections were voiced at 21 Patcham Mill Road, not 23.]
During late 2002 through to mid 2003 Mr Madden was seen by us on several occassions to be carrying a digital camera during the hours of darkness. He was seen to be taking Photographs of neighbouring property's. On one occasion Mr Madden was seen by a neighbour to be photographing my property. I believe this neighbour was Mr WARRIN; 21 Patcham Mill Road.
[There are several questions that one would want to ask here, about the number of occasions, how the witness recognised a "digital" camera if it was dark, how a hand-held camera could take pictures if it was dark unless flash was used, why someone should take photographs of properties in the dark if he had the opportunity to take them when it was light . . . . The "one occasion" that is mentioned is misleadingly put in the wrong paragraph: it belongs three paragraphs down, in the paragraph about a clematis which had grown into the roof of my garage.]
On 17th June 03 at 0200Hrs I was in the sitting room of my property. This has patio doors which overlook the rear garden. Due to my illness I have had fitted 'Dusk till Dawn' lighting at the side's of the property and on the garage. The side lights illuminate some of the garden from where they are positioned. From where I was sitting I could clearly see Mr Madden walking slowly down the eastern side of my garden. Due to my illness I was unable to object to what he was doing. I watched him for a few moments and went to wake my wife. Upon waking my wife She went into the garden to look round. However he had left. I reported the incident to the police on 17th June 2003. The serial number I was given being 639. During this period I was informed by numerous neighbours that Mr Madden had been referring to my wife and I together with Mr & Mrs Maybry as 'The neighbors from hell.'
[This is preposterous. What would have been the point of this? Was the garden damaged? Was the person alleged to be walking there trying to harass McCombie by walking in his garden at 2 a.m.? How would such a person know that he was being observed? Did McCombie have a light on, so that he could be seen? If so, seeing anything in the garden would have been very difficult, particularly as the security light is halfway along the side of the bungalow, so that only a narrow channel of rather dim light reaches into the back garden. Could McCombie have been asleep at the time? Had he taken any drugs in the preceding hours?
As to the last allegation, how many neighbours have slandered me in the way that McCombie suggests? I deplore the use of the phrase "neighbours from hell", and only remember it being used (in the singular form) by Mrs Mabry to me in January 1999, and more recently by Mabry himself when he endorsed what his wife had said earlier.]
In June 2003 Mr Madden expressed his dislike of changes I had made to my front Garden and to treless I had attached to the rear wall of the Garage. From the plans I understand [understood? - handwriting unclear] this wall to be owned by myself. Mr Madden however had his own views.
[What McCombie refers to as "the Garage" is in fact my garage, which is one of a pair of semi-detached garages. The rear wall of my garage is adjacent to the McCombies' property. The rear wall and nearly half of the side wall of the McCombies' garage are adjacent to my property.]
I was informed by my neighbor Mr WARRIN that on 20th September 2003 Mr MADDEN was seen walking up my drive with a piece of wood. He used this piece of wood to hit the top of the plant off. This plant being a Clematis.
[I broke off one stem of clematis which had grown into the enclosed roof of my garage by forcing its way between a ventilation strip and the soffit to which it is attached. I sent a photograph illustrating what I had done to Eastbourne County Court the same day.]
On 24th July 04 whilst I was out in my Garden I saw Mr MADDEN a discussion ensued in which Mr MADDEN Said "I have mentioned you on my website. You are a henpecked zombie and, your wife is a fat slob." This insulted me and alarmed me. I believe he refered to me as a 'hen Pecked' Zombie' due to my medical condition An incident occured due to this which has been dealt with seperately by the Police.
[There was no "discussion". "Zombie", as I pointed out when interviewed by PC Francis, rhymes with "McCombie". The "incident" mentioned was that my side gate was smashed open, six people invaded my back garden, three of whom, including the complainants, assaulted me. The almost incredibly incompetent way in which the police dealt with this will be commented on when I draw up a list of complaints about Sussex Police on another page.]
As a result of this I have viewed Mr Madden's web site. In whole I find the website http://myweb.tiscali/co.uk/ggmadden/ distressing, harassing and insulting. It also shocks me
with the lie's and falsehoods Mr Madden has published. In particular the page entitled 'Neighbours' where Mr Madden states 'I think of McCombie as the poor hen pecked Zombie, and his wife as a
fat slob.' is disressing and harassing. The further web pages entitled 'McCombies'; 'McCombie lies'
and 'The McCombie's language' are all harassing and insulting, containing numerous false hoods.
2 On 2nd August 2004 I saw a neighbour I know as 'Tina' who lives in Blatchington Mill Drive. She said to me "Have you seen the rubbish that mad man has written about you" We discussed what she meant and she informed me she had given a letter to Mr Maybry that had come from Mr Madden. When I went to Mr Maybry's he gave me a letter dated 2nd August 2004. I produce this letter as exhibit labeled MGC/S in evidence. The letter informs the 'Neighbours' of the Web Site and the Subjects it covers. I find this extremely distressing, alarming and insulting
[I sent this letter to neighbours because I had been assaulted for the second time by an ex-policeman, I had been assaulted also by Mr and Mrs McCombie, and it had become evident that with PC Francis as the "investigating officer" the police would do nothing whatever to deter the threatening behaviour of these people. McCombie himself had told me that I would have to watch my back if I did not move out of my property. I wished details of my predicament to be made available to neighbours, as it might afford some measure of protection from these uncouth people.]
I find Mr Madden's behaviour alarming and harassing. It also concerns me that he may have a mental instability, which may degenerate and cause serious harm to myself or my wife. I have also seen my Doctor, as my blood pressure is affected by stress.
Extracts from Witness Statement of Tina Ann Andrews (HOME MAKER) 22/8/04
I am the owner of 10 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey East Sussex, BN24 5QA. I have lived at this address for the last 5½ years.
Towards the end of July 2004 about 10.00hrs I, my husband Ian, Michelle CURTIS and Brian IZZARD were standing on the private drive. I believe it was a Saturday. We were standing opposite number 5 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey. I saw a car come up the drive and pull up behind the garage to number 15 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey. This is the house of Mr Maybry. I had not seen the car before and believe it may of been people viewing the property as it was up for sale. After a few minutes a second vehicle arrived and parked behind the first vehicle to arrive. After a couple of minutes I saw Mr Madden of 11 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey. Mr Madden came out of his house and stood by his front door. Mr Madden was holding a camera. Without speaking to the people in the car or to Mr Maybry he began to take photographs. He appeared to be taking pictures of the visitors to Mr Maybry's. I thought his behaviour extremely odd and to be frank I thought 'nutter'. I could not understand why he was taking pictures.
I can only guess that it was because the vehicles were parked on the shared access drive.
Having read the letter [a letter from me dated 2nd August], I discussed what to do with the letter with Michelle. We decided to give the letter to Mr Maybry. I and Michelle attended 15 Blatchington Mill Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey. Mr Maybry was not in so I gave the letter to his daughter. Since receiving the letter I have viewed the website http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk. I thought the website was slanderous. I could also see where the neighbour problems had arissen from. I thought where Mr Madden says 'hen pecked zombie and fat slob' was disgusting.
I have never personally had any problems with Mr Madden or any disagreements. In fact I don't think I have ever spoken to him. I am willing to support any police action and attend court if necessary.
Extracts from Witness Statement of Michelle Patricia Curtis (Secretary) 22-08-04
I currently live in BLATCHINGTON MILL DRIVE, PEVENSEY, EAST SUSSEX and have done so for roughly 6 years. I would describe the area that I live in as a small quite cul-de-sac.
Everybody in the cul-de-sac seems to get on with everyone excluding Mr Geoffrey Madden who lives at number 11 BLATCHINGTON MILL DRIVE.
I have never personally had any problems with Mr Madden but am aware that a lot of the neighbours have had problems because of Mr Madden. Towards the end of July 2004, I believe it was
a Saturday at roughly 10.00 hours. At this time I was standing outside the front of my house with husband partner Brian and two of our neighbours Tina and Ian ANDREWS.
At this time a car entered the cul-de-sac and drove up to Mr Marby's house and parked on the driveway of number 15 directly in front of the garage. Straight after this another car arrived and also parked on the driveway of number 15 directly behind the first car. Everybody within the two vehicles
got out and approached the door of number 15. They entered the address and I assumed that they were there to look at the house.
We continued with our conversation and roughly 2 minutes past when all of a sudden I noticed Mr Madden open and come out of his front door. His stood in front of his door and turned and started taking photographs of the two vehicles that had just arrived.
Due to the things that I had been told by the majority of my neighbours, I wasn't surprised to see Mr Madden taking photographs. However I did think that he is such a strange man. Mr Madden had stayed outside taking photographs for roughly 2 minutes. When he had finished Mr Madden just
turned and walked back into his property.
After this date I didn't really have anything to do with Mr Madden until Monday the 2nd of August 2004. At roughly 16.00 hours I was at home with my partner when Mr Madden attended the address and gave my partner a letter.
I am happy to assist the police with their investigation and will attend court if needed.
Footnote: What purport to be the witness statements of Malcolm Gordon McCombie and Tina Ann Andrews were evidently written by the same person, which would explain why the standard of McCombie's written English here is a little lower than that evident in his letters. Here are copies of the opening paragraphs of the two statements:
