Police slammed for 'heavy handed' response after quizzing constituents

Dorset Police are slammed for ‘heavy handed’ response after an officer was sent to the homes of retired teacher and yoga instructor to find out their ‘intentions’ as the women registered to speak with their MP about sewage

• Fran Swan, 70 and Beverley Glock submitted questions about sewage spills
• Retired teacher and yoga instructor wanted to quiz West Dorset MP Chris Loder
• Campaigners accused Mr Loder of attempting to intimidate his constituents

A police force has been slammed for its ‘heavy handed’ approach after an officer turned up at the homes of two women who wanted to quiz their MP on sewage spills.

Retired teacher Fran Swan and yoga instructor Beverley Glock both tried to register for a meeting in a nearby village, hosted by West Dorset MP Chris Loder.

But after they submitted questions about sewage in the online registration form, Mr Loder wrote to say the meeting was specifically for villagers in Chideok – but said he would ‘see what he could do’. 

And at 7.30pm last Thursday, the night before the meeting was due to take place, a police officer arrived at Ms Swan’s home to ask the 70-year-old about her intentions.

Retired teacher Fran Swan, 70, and Beverley Glock were asked by a police officer of their ‘intentions’ as the women registered to speak with their West Dorset MP Chris Loder about sewage spills

The women both tried to register for a meeting in a nearby village, hosted by West Dorset MP Chris Loder (pictured) who has been accused of attempting to intimidate his constituents

Ms Swan said: ‘I was flabbergasted and outraged. We live in the middle of nowhere and suddenly a WPC in full uniform turns up.’

She added: ‘I would have liked this rare opportunity to speak to my MP about people’s concerns and the ongoing sewage problems.’

Mrs Glock, who was not at home when the officer visited her property, said: ‘It was intimidating and I felt disturbed to know police were looking for me.’

The west Dorset coast is one of several areas across the country which has been swamped by a series of sewage spills.

And campaigners have accused Mr Loder of attempting to intimidate his constituents.

Charles Watson, founder of environmental charity River Action UK, said: ‘Ms Swan and Mrs Glock are examples of the hundreds thousands of British citizens who are desperately concerned about the deluge of untreated sewage being pumped into our rivers and onto our beaches.

‘By visiting these women after dark at their homes, these police took a totally heavy handed approach and it suggests this MP was using intimidation tactics to supress freedom of speech.’

Mr Loder told the Mail it was necessary for him to inform the police about ‘anything out of the ordinary’ as he and his family have received threats in the past.

The Tory MP added that it was ‘unusual to receive the interest of two people who were not invited to attend a localised surgery’, and cited the murder of Sir David Amess who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery in 2021.

Mr Loder said it was necessary to take precautionary steps to ensure his and his family’s saftey, citing the murder of Sir David Amess (pictured) who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery in 2021

Mr Loder said sewage spills were discussed at the ‘full and frank’ meeting. 

It is understood the MP did not instruct officers to visit the women’s homes.

But Anthea Simmons, editor of local news site West Country Voices, said: ‘While what happened to Sir David Amess was a tragedy it should not be used as a fig leaf to stop constituents speaking to their MPs.’

Ms Swan lives five miles away from Chideok in Fishpond, while Mrs Glock is seven miles from the village in Lyme Regis.

Both women are frequent visitors of Chideok, which lies in an area of outstanding national beauty.

A Dorset Police spokesman said officers from its neighbourhood policing team ‘wished to understand the intentions’ of the women ‘to ensure that public safety was preserved and any lawful protest could be facilitated’.

He added: ‘Dorset Police would like to apologise if the attendance of a police officer to the home address of individuals going to the meeting caused alarm.’

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