Donald Neilson The Black Panther.

[Bellman]

Well what can i say except thanks again, i appreciate all the time and effort you have taken to help me. I will follow up your leads (work permitting) I realy hope you get all the information you require to finish your own very worthy project.I hope you get to read this before you leave.Good luck Andy, and thanks again.

[iansmithofotley]

jetwalking wrote: I only came on this website to look for some info for police collar numbers - after having my third post censored/ removed - I have decided it is not the web site for me. This is my last ramble. I have tried to help you Bellman- and I wish you all the best with your enquiries for the future- Good luck.Ian (I know that you will read this) - thank you for the interesting dialogue and information it was a pleasure to read your posts. Hi jetwalking,I am sorry to seeing you leave the site, I have enjoyed reading your posts and I am grateful for your support.I feel quite guilty about what has taken place because I was the one that replied to your very first post on the site, in the first place. Your thread (elsewhere) commenced:“Hello everyone - can you help please. I am new to this forum- so please be patient! I know that there is some extremely detailed police knowledge/input on this forum - and I have spent ages reading their threads to try and get the information that I need.”I posted information, which I thought was helpful and then there was an unhelpful, inconsiderate and inappropriate post by a third party. I responded with a short post to the effect that if people were not interested in other peoples’ posts then they were not obliged to read them. There were obviously further posts by the third party and yourself, which prompted the moderators to withdraw them. Personally, I didn’t see them but I am very saddened about what has happened.I think that ‘Secret Leeds’ is a great place and over the past four years, I have learned so much from the people who have contributed, and not just about the City of Leeds, it’s places and people, but on other subjects too. I have been highly impressed with the knowledge and wealth of information, which has been given openly and freely. I have also marvelled at the quality of the tremendous photographs, which members have posted and their enthusiasm about their subject matter.Public forums and discussion sites are for everyone, if they wish to be involved. Some people just like to read and not post, some people like to post when they think they have something of value or interest to contribute, and some people post for other reasons. Providing posts are not offensive, and in the case of this site – relevant to ‘Leeds’, then there are generally no problems. Most people read what is of interest to them and there is no necessity to read every thread, or every post, or make a comment.I try to post on topics that I have knowledge of, or if I feel that I can make a useful contribution. I try to make my posts as interesting as possible and in language, which is easy to understand. I am aware that my posts tend to be lengthy, but I enjoy writing them and always try to be as thorough as possible. As previously mentioned, people do not have to read them, or make comment.In relation to your original post (elsewhere) about Sergeant Michael Hawcroft’s murder, I have contacted former officers that I know, from the Bradford area, and I will post further information (for you to read) if I get any.Ian    

[chameleon]

Please forward any comments about the running of the site to Admin or a moderator for forwarding, as has been repeatedly requested. Such matters are not dealt with on the board. Thank you.

[Bellman]

I try to post on topics that I have knowledge of, or if I feel that I can make a useful contribution. I try to make my posts as interesting as possible and in language, which is easy to understand. I am aware that my posts tend to be lengthy, but I enjoy writing them and always try to be as thorough as possible. As previously mentioned, people do not have to read them, or make comment.In relation to your original post (elsewhere) about Sergeant Michael Hawcroft’s murder, I have contacted former officers that I know, from the Bradford area, and I will post further information (for you to read) if I get any.IanHi IanI enjoy and appreciate your informative posts, im also glad you enjoy doing them. I think you said previously you cannot comment on Neilsons case, can you tell me why? Is it because you know nothing of the case? Can you not tell me because of rules governing ex-officers? I have done a lot of research but i do not move in your circles. In the 1960-70s i imagine a police officer would sometimes only have a hunch or notion that would allow an initial tug. Its my understanding that today that tug would not happen for various reasons, lets just say you almost need a solid case before arrest. The burdon of proof has changed a lot over the years.I can go on forever about Neilson, as a layman i have so many notions about him and his wife Irene. One notion is, when Neilson was arrested in Mansfield he first played games with police talking in false accents etc. One of the first questioning officers calles McNaught obviously had an idea he had the black panther in front of him. This was because of the tools, weapons etc the prisoner had on his person. Protocol and Neilsons slow responses meant it was 36 hours before his house was searched.Irene Neilson had already burned stolen Postal orders from an earlier robbery in the fireplace before police arrived, however suspicions were confirmed when a postal order had lodged up the chimney and was retreaved. Irene was arrested and went on to admit cashing over 80 postal orders, she claimed she was forced into this. As far as im aware Irene says she only realized from the press reports that her husband could be the black panther at the point of arrest(if this is true why was the news they possibly had the black panther in custody released before the search)During the search of the Neilsons house itmes were found indicating plans for crimes, also detailed sketches including one of a public house close to where Neilson was in Mansfield when the two officers first spotted him looking suspicious. These items were not locked away, they were apparently just left around possibly in drawers etc for anyone in the house to view.As well as carefully planning his crimes i believe Neilson to some extent planned his capture, others, or another knew what he was up to all along. Although his fate was sealed by the enormity of his crimes he still tried to play the legal system and to some extent did this, even down to the tears. He did try to argue his 30 year tarrif so as to some day be released. This was a massive and complicated case, were things left on the file? After all many very major crimes were solved in a blink of time, so who cares about the other minor stuff (in comparison) or people loosely involved? Neilson was not just a one off armed robber, he was a deadly time bomb, the type of person that should never have a gun in his hand. I say this because my belief is he did not have to carry a gun on many of his crimes. For instance he broke into 15 houses during the night 2 weeks before his capture. This beggers belief, Was he so scared of being caught he would kill anyone who came at him during his crimes. If Neilson was carrying a gun on his 400 house breakins its a wonder he never killed before, or did he? He probably was not only breaking into houses at all in the early days of his crimes. Im absolutely sure Neilson would have been questioned about further serious unsolved crimes during his years in prison.