I picked about among the items I noticed that a few of the plastic casings were broken and CDs scratched. Noticing my discontentment, Holder weakly apologised and said that I should ask for a form in order to make a claim. It wasn’t about the money to replace the damaged CDs, it was the fact that we had had them for years in safe keeping and in five minutes in their care they were ruined. I worried for the rest of our possessions, especially those that were irreplaceable and had only sentimental value.
When she left I called Jeremy with the list of what had been returned and told him about the damage. I explained that we could make a claim and he said that we should wait until the end of the investigation in case there was anything else we might need to claim for.
Four days later, on 28 February, it was my birthday. I had bought cakes for my colleagues at work and as everyone came to visit me at my desk and wished me a happy birthday, for a moment I forgot all my troubles. Jeremy had taken time out to get me a gift and book dinner and, for the first time in months, I was the focus of attention. But our conversation always drifted back to talking about the case. I told him that we had toaccept that we were in a predicament out of our control and we would just have to go along with it. There was nothing we could do and we should leave it all in the hands of our solicitor.
Stephen Bennett was also pursuing Hopkins to find out when the computers would be analysed. He reiterated to them that the computers were required for both our personal and business use and that the continued retention of equipment was causing us serious financial loss. Their repeated excuse was that they were suffering from a backlog of work and were short-staffed, but that was no comfort to us. However, the pressure asserted on the police seemed to have paid off because on 19 March we received a letter telling us that Jeremy’s case had been moved up the list and was next to be dealt with.
Since Christmas we had been trying to resume as close to a normal life as possible. Jeremy seemed to have made a big effort to throw himself into work and I really had to get to grips with the details of my job, plus my boss’s to get ready for that promotion the following September. Every time Jeremy called me at work to update me on any news, I shook with nerves. I felt like a great weight was resting on my chest, it was so hard to breathe and my concentration was not consistent. I was glad to have confided in John as he supported me wholeheartedly and sympathetically.
On 14 April we received a letter from our solicitor stating that he had been in touch with Hopkins to ask what the situation was regarding the return to bail date currently set for 26 April. We had hoped that on this date Jeremy would go to the police station and be told that the case was at an end. However, it appeared that forensics had not completed their reports and it was now certain that this date would be rescheduled. We were bitterly disappointed to hear about this set-back as obviously we just wanted to get our possessions back and move on.
21 April was our fifth wedding anniversary. We agreed not to do presents and cards; we were far too tired and stressed. As much as it couldhave been a pleasant distraction to go out for a meal, we just spent the evening quietly at home.
A few days later, on 26 April, which would have been the date to return to bail, Jeremy just happened to call his solicitor to find out that he had gone on holiday for two weeks. He asked the assistant if there was any news on a new date but she said that he would have to attend Watford Police Station in any case. Jeremy was distraught because he had been led to believe this would be done administratively, and if he did not turn up he could possibly be in breach of his bail conditions. This meant that he had to leave the shop yet again, though at least the phones would be answered by the temporary bookkeeper, we
When she left I called Jeremy with the list of what had been returned and told him about the damage. I explained that we could make a claim and he said that we should wait until the end of the investigation in case there was anything else we might need to claim for.
Four days later, on 28 February, it was my birthday. I had bought cakes for my colleagues at work and as everyone came to visit me at my desk and wished me a happy birthday, for a moment I forgot all my troubles. Jeremy had taken time out to get me a gift and book dinner and, for the first time in months, I was the focus of attention. But our conversation always drifted back to talking about the case. I told him that we had toaccept that we were in a predicament out of our control and we would just have to go along with it. There was nothing we could do and we should leave it all in the hands of our solicitor.
Stephen Bennett was also pursuing Hopkins to find out when the computers would be analysed. He reiterated to them that the computers were required for both our personal and business use and that the continued retention of equipment was causing us serious financial loss. Their repeated excuse was that they were suffering from a backlog of work and were short-staffed, but that was no comfort to us. However, the pressure asserted on the police seemed to have paid off because on 19 March we received a letter telling us that Jeremy’s case had been moved up the list and was next to be dealt with.
Since Christmas we had been trying to resume as close to a normal life as possible. Jeremy seemed to have made a big effort to throw himself into work and I really had to get to grips with the details of my job, plus my boss’s to get ready for that promotion the following September. Every time Jeremy called me at work to update me on any news, I shook with nerves. I felt like a great weight was resting on my chest, it was so hard to breathe and my concentration was not consistent. I was glad to have confided in John as he supported me wholeheartedly and sympathetically.
On 14 April we received a letter from our solicitor stating that he had been in touch with Hopkins to ask what the situation was regarding the return to bail date currently set for 26 April. We had hoped that on this date Jeremy would go to the police station and be told that the case was at an end. However, it appeared that forensics had not completed their reports and it was now certain that this date would be rescheduled. We were bitterly disappointed to hear about this set-back as obviously we just wanted to get our possessions back and move on.
21 April was our fifth wedding anniversary. We agreed not to do presents and cards; we were far too tired and stressed. As much as it couldhave been a pleasant distraction to go out for a meal, we just spent the evening quietly at home.
A few days later, on 26 April, which would have been the date to return to bail, Jeremy just happened to call his solicitor to find out that he had gone on holiday for two weeks. He asked the assistant if there was any news on a new date but she said that he would have to attend Watford Police Station in any case. Jeremy was distraught because he had been led to believe this would be done administratively, and if he did not turn up he could possibly be in breach of his bail conditions. This meant that he had to leave the shop yet again, though at least the phones would be answered by the temporary bookkeeper, we
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