Yes, your point 3. Normal VAT or other tax avoidance/evasion issues wouldn't have anything to do with the police in any way unless it had gone beyond appeals and was then taken to court - and this wouldn't have been a surprise. A bit different if it was some sort of serious crime ring where surveillance and a covert investigation was going on of course. And a proceeds of crime thing seems very likely - perhaps there was unfinished business that the police were hoping to stumble on and nail him with?
Gah, if only there were a simple way to find out what happened in court last Friday, it isn't a state secret, should be open to all! I bet even in the local paper they don't bother with 'today in court' columns these days.
Latest: Dave is still at Wakefield and his wife hasn't seen him yet 'cos of the rigmarole of getting in (as Pete outlined). Seems the magistrate has given the police until 29 April to give him a good reason to keep him on remand or he will be released, otherwise it will be September 
I've written to the two venues where the 16thSS were to show in May cancelling bookings. In any case Gaz, Trev, John and Ian have decided they don't want to do German stuff any more and I reckon Gaz and John will be doing Vietnam from now on.
Oh FFS. The airsoft circle of life continues....
All because they've been to Birkenau? FFS, what a bunch of poofs!
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
Its somewhat shallow thinking - Germans=bad. Extermination camps demonstrate man's latent (and realised) inhumanity to man, not that Germans are evil.
Absolutely. Well, that's quite a few Germans we'll not have at future events then!
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
Had a call from Keith. Dave B rang him from nick! No more detail I'm afraid but Dave sounded chipper and said he couldn't understand why he was on remand. BUT he is there because of high security (not because of lack of spaces elsewhere) and is in a small wing of eight or so other bods. His wife will be visiting tomorrow. Review date is 29th April.
Just out of curiosity, any more info on this?
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
No, nothing. I assume that he wasn't bailed. So that is that, to all intents and purposes. Very intriguing though as it can't have been anything to do with tax or business, its got to be something more heavyweight.
A bit more news on the DB front (telecon between Dave & Keith). Dave is in court this Thursday or Friday (still no idea of the charge) and barrister is going for a complete dismissal. Don't ask me to elaborate or pick holes in the statement as that is all I know!
Ta for the update David.
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
Latest:
Dave B has been released on bail today - next hearing in July and going for aquittal. (The delays have been because they were waiting for the original magistrate to become available).
He was held as a double Cat A prisoner (apparently meaning if he were moved it would need armed police escort etc ) - Keith asked him directly why he was put in such high security and the answer was because of the people he knows it was felt there was a high risk of him being spirited away
'Kin hell!
Does that mean he's coming to Jedburgh then? 
Just had a long conversation with Dave B. Fook, don't know where to start!
Excuse the holes or inaccuracies as I'm trying to remember what was said:
It seems this was initiated by the police Asset Recovery section and the charge was something like Conspiracy to organised crime & money laundering. The CPS didn't want to take the case forward but the police appointed an independent barrister. The Judge initially was doubtful over the evidence initially presented and set a time limit for next review. Because of Dave B's supposed wealth the police said there was a risk of him effecting a escape so was made Cat A. The court appearance was for plea submission but Barratt's barrister refused a plea and asked for an absolute discharge to which the judge agreed as no evidence had yet been put forward although the police asked for more time. The court session in July formalises the arrangement, as I understand.
This all seems to hinge on cash and Paypal being spent on a hobby. The police were trying to say he had half a million quids worth of gear (he's actually spent something like £40,000 in total). They presented evidence from forums of his postings (that RIPA I had served was to do with Barratt!). Barratt supplied evidence from his accountant for business records (they closed the accountants down for three days to seize evidence!) and of course they had Paypal/Ebay records and well as bank stuff. They questioned all his garage suppliers to see if they were supplying him because they had been threatened.
Dave B assures me (I have no reason to doubt him) that cash was accumulated from property sales and legal, formalised businesses over the past 24 years. One could speculate that someone in the force had a big grudge but triggers definitely are buying a lot of kit through Ebay and buying stuff with cash and a very visible profile on the web. Very worrying given it would have been much simpler (and cheaper!) just to ask for evidence of the source of income and the true level of expenditure and assess whether there is a case to be made from that. It seems they worked the other way around, charge first and gather evidence later.
So, nothing to do with violence or past convictions, which is a bit of a relief.
Dave B & John should be coming to Jedburgh, all being well. He now has to try and recover the stuff from the Asset Recovery people which he is trying to do amicably although they are considering counter action against the police if things go tits up.
I think that about covers it!
What an absolute cluster-fuck.
Lets hope Gadge doesn't have a friend in the force who would pass our private forum posts over to him! 
TYhanks for the update Dave.
As for this?
Lets hope Gadge doesn't have a friend in the force who would pass our private forum posts over to him!
Well, gadge doesn't have any friends! 
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
Bloody hell, his Brief could crucify Plod in the courts if he so chooses.
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
methinks the cash for a Tiger when his finished arse raping plod ....Good news though, he's not a cunt !
jeez I... sold him that Gaz as well.....it was well worth the £250,000 honest John 
This ebay thing rings another bell wityh me . "Paps" on ASCUK was abig mil landrover fan, and did a lot of searching for Milan and Rapers bits on Ebay....and got a visit from the MOID not civvy Plod who went throughy his collection to ensure he had reciepts for everything and none of it was squaddy stolen or live . Freedom eh ...?
There is an absolutely HUGE problem with MoD gear being nicked - the figures are into the tens of millions of pounds worth of kit being stolen per year, so its no surprise that MoD Plod are interested.
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........