Free Steve Topley!

A campaign has begun to free a man detained by police since 11th April for allegedly making a threatening comment during a DWP interview. According to the campaign website, police were called to Steve Topley’s ESA interview by DWP staff who then escorted him to the QMC where he was kept late into the night and denied contact with his family, despite medical staff finding no reason to detain him. He was arrested by police later that night and charged with “threatening behaviour”. Magistrates denied Steve bail, even under strict conditions, and he has since been remanded to Nottingham Prison. His court case will take place on 26th April at Nottingham Crown Court. The campaign is asking people to contact Steve to let him know that he’s not alone and to let the authorities know that they are concerned about his health and well-being.

Links: FreeSteveTopley | How to help

From the FreeSteveTopley site:

Steve Topley is a 49 year old man living in Hucknall with no previous convictions for violence, and is a kind and gentle Father, Brother, Parent and Friend. Steve has struggled to find work in recent times due to multiple conditions that affect his employability but he remains positive in outlook and is independent and compassionate. He has a heart replacement valve, and has survived cancer but is minus one of his kidneys due to this. He is on a strict medication regime including warfarin to help stabilise his blood levels, and maintain a safe blood pressure. He suffers from Reynard’s and if cut his body struggles to form clots in his blood.

His treatment so far has been appalling! he has had hardly any communication with his family and his solicitor is passing on his case to another, as yet unnamed, lawyer who is not in contact with his family. The Police and Prison service has been uncooperative and unhelpful in sharing information with concerned relatives, clean clothes and medications have not been passed on to him from his family who are fearful for his physical and emotional well-being. Steve is totally innocent of any crime and it appears the legal system is attempting to criminalize him and deny him his freedom for no reason!!!

How to help

Steve Topley is currently imprisoned at; HMP NOTTINGHAM, Perry Road Sherwood NG5 3AG. His prisoner number is A2129CX.

Steve needs to know that he’s not alone and people are aware of his plight. Imagine how frightening it would be to have your liberty taken away and denied bail and put in Prison for something you have not done? Anything that you do can help to highlight Steve’s case and lift his spirits. Even a message of support to his Facebook page will show him that he’s not being forgotten. Read the details of his plight here and spread the information as far and as wide as possible.

There are ways to contact Steve and send donations to him in Prison to make his situation a little more bearable, and show him the outside world is thinking of him. The following web site is really useful; insidetime.org Click on the regimes link and search HMP Nottingham. Theres lots of information here about how to send a donation directly to him, (Postal Order is accepted at Nottingham Prison) his prison number is above.

Also there is an e-mail address for Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) here; Tel: 0115 912 3320 Email: pals@nottinghamcity.nhs.uk

To raise concerns about Steve’s well-being and health; Prison Healthcare Manager: Margaret Richardson Tel: 0115 8723000

You can contact Steve via e-mail directly by going to emailaprisoner.com it is really easy to sign up for an account, load credit in seconds and send him your message of support! e-mails cost 30p and are delivered in the usual mail and delivered by the prison staff. Again you will need his prisoner number at the top of this section.

Links:

Free Steve Topley