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I can scarcely believe what the BBC is reporting.

John Palmer, the most notorious, blatant, outright criminal in Britain that I can bring to mind, is reportedly dead as a result of being shot several times in the chest in his garden. And it took the police six days to notice he was shot?

He was the Timeshare chap, the "much of the three and a half tons of stolen gold has never been recovered" Brinks-Mat smelting chap, and jury verdicts of Not Guilty are scattered through his criminal record. As is very peculiar police behaviour.

Here's one of the peculiar police bits: Police 'ignored Brinks-Mat tip' two days after raid - Home News - UK - The Independent

And, though it makes no mention of John Palmer, Kenneth Noye: the day I killed | UK news | The Guardian is all about it too. Including a Detective Constable killed while on duty in a garden.

For those with short memories:Palmer rose to become ranked alongside the Queen in the 105th slot on the Sunday Times Rich List. He owned a West Country mansion, a French chateau with its own golf course, a £750,000 yacht, a collection of Porsches and Ferarris, restaurants, a private Lear jet and a fleet of the type of turboprop-powered helicopters used by the military.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1332114.stm

Six times!

SIX times.

John 'Goldfinger' Palmer 'killed by professional gunman' - BBC News



Who was timeshare king John 'Goldfinger' Palmer? - BBC News

and if I may constructively criticize...

"having left school at 15 a serial truant who learned to neither read or write" isn't what the BBC mean. Their intention is "learned neither to read nor write". Quite a different matter.

Even I remember being taught "Either, Or - Neither, Nor".

The coroner has spoken at the inquest. Why it takes this long I have no idea, but the pronouncement is a masterpiece of understatement.Greater Essex Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "I am sure that Mr Palmer was unlawfully killed."

John 'Goldfinger' Palmer was 'unlawfully killed' - BBC News

Although, in order to retain an open mind, one has to accept the possibility of his inadvertently walking in front of a lawful firing range at the very moment when 6 different participants were all firing at the same target. Such a tragic accident.

He was in his own back garden!

In a statement, Essex Police said its officers were "given information that Mr Palmer had recently had surgery and that this could account for his injuries.

"However, they did not carry out a full examination of the body, which would likely have raised suspicions about his injuries," the statement continued.

"They also did not call an inspector to the scene to confirm their assessment, or check Mr Palmer's antecedents on the police national computer.

"Given the full circumstances of the information they were presented with at the time, it was judged that this did not amount to gross misconduct and they have been given management action for failing to fully comply with Essex Police policy on dealing with sudden deaths."

John 'Goldfinger' Palmer murder: Paramedic's concerns ignored - BBC News







One wonders whether police training these days amounts to much more than adequate fecal hygiene before starting their shift. Perhaps matters would improve if the application process demanded at least one pass grade at Key Stage 2.