Chantal undertook her first “interview under caution” on Tuesday, a recorded interview with a suspected offender who is cautioned at the beginning of the interview so that the evidence can be used in court. In this case it was a landlord who had failed to licence his “House in Multiple Occupation”, basically a large house with shared facilities, often favoured by students. These are a particularly risky type of accommodation, because shared houses generally have a greater risk of fire, and it is further to the nearest escape route, hence they are licenced and inspected to ensure adequate fire precautions, as well as facilities, are being provided.
In the Noise Team we regularly undertake such interviews, sometimes before prosecuting a commercial establishment, but much more commonly for domestic noise nuisances when previous warnings haven’t worked, and we are using the interview to “focus the mind” of the offender, since the next step is to obtain a Magistrates warrant to enter the property and remove sound systems etc. – quite a serious invasion of privacy.
Two of us do the interview, one leading and asking the questions, the other operating the CD recorder. I always have a problem if I am operating the CD recorder, when my last job, after ejecting the CDs, is to seal the “master copy” using a large wrap around sticky back label. First I have trouble peeling off the backing paper, and then it sticks itself to the table, my elbow, the other half of the label and to the wrong bit of the CD case. It doesn’t exactly encourage a serious and professional atmosphere. I’m not very good with Sellotape either. I always ask Chantal to wrap my Christmas presents.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
