Conversations with members of the UDA - whilst at HMP Hull...

[mike tesko]

"So, what happened after that", I asked him, "he says, "police are swarming all around the car", said he, "pointing guns at us through the windscreen and glass of the car doors", says he, "they were yelling at us to keep our hands on the dash where they could see them", he said, and then police opened the car doors and took hold of us and bungled us both out of the car, and flung us down into the mud on the ground", he says...

[mike tesko]

"So, what happened after that", I asked him, "he says, "police are swarming all around the car", said he, "pointing guns at us through the windscreen and glass of the car doors", says he, "they were yelling at us to keep our hands on the dash where they could see them", he said, and then police opened the car doors and took hold of us and bungled us both out of the car, and flung us down into the mud on the ground", he says...

"Jim", I says, "did it ever cross your mind at that stage", I said, "why police had got you pinned down in the mud at gun point", says I, "considering you had only given a lift to a mate", I said, "helping a friend into town to do a bit of shopping", and he says, "with the benefit of hindsight", he says, "it's now easy to see that my mate was up to no good", said he, "He must have planned to rob that post office", he says, "but honest to god, Mike", he says, "I knew nothing about what he had been planning to do", he said, "or what he had done"...

[mike tesko]

"It was terrifying, Mike", he said, "very very frightening being dragged out of my car by police, who thrust me down into the mud, with guns pressed against my body", he said, "they were shouting at me to lay down and to keep still", says Jim, "I mean there was nothing else I could do, except stay down and not move", he says, "with police officers on top of me, and guns probing my body", he said, "and then I was pulled up to my feet and handcuffed with my hands behind my back like I was some kind of a criminal", said Jim...

"I had mud all over the front of my clothing", he said, "mud on my face, mud in my eyes, and mud around my mouth", said he, "It must have looked a pretty sight me standing there covered in all this mud, being handcuffed by armed police", he said, "as if the police had collared a master criminal or somebody", says Jim, "when all I had done if the truth be known", he says, "is that I had given a lift into town of a mate who asked me to do him a favor", said he...

I says, "what happened then", and Jim, he says, "I was placed into the back of an unmarked police vehicle and driven away from the scene, to some police station, or other", he said...

[mike tesko]

"It was terrifying, Mike", he said, "very very frightening being dragged out of my car by police, who thrust me down into the mud, with guns pressed against my body", he said, "they were shouting at me to lay down and to keep still", says Jim, "I mean there was nothing else I could do, except stay down and not move", he says, "with police officers on top of me, and guns probing my body", he said, "and then I was pulled up to my feet and handcuffed with my hands behind my back like I was some kind of a criminal", said Jim...

"I had mud all over the front of my clothing", he said, "mud on my face, mud in my eyes, and mud around my mouth", said he, "It must have looked a pretty sight me standing there covered in all this mud, being handcuffed by armed police", he said, "as if the police had collared a master criminal or somebody", says Jim, "when all I had done if the truth be known", he says, "is that I had given a lift into town of a mate who asked me to do him a favor", said he...

I says, "what happened then", and Jim, he says, "I was placed into the back of an unmarked police vehicle and driven away from the scene, to some police station, or other", he said...

I says to Jim, "Jim, didn't you say anything to the police about the way they were treating you, as they took you away from the quarry", and he says, "of course I did", he says. I then said, "what did you say to them", and he replied, "I was trying to tell them that the keys were still in the ignition of my car and for them not to leave my car like that, because somebody might come along and nick it", said he...

Upon hearing this, I burst into laughter...

[mike tesko]

On another occasion, the following conversation was struck up between Jim and myself:-

"Mike", he says, "Mike, the police have told lies about allegedly seeing me leave my motorcar, and go into the post office to rob it", he said, "but I never left the car", said he, "Mike, they are trying to stitch me up for being the robber, and they are now saying that my mate was the getaway driver and that he never left my car", he said, "they are trying to blame me for doing that which my mate must have done", said he...

[mike tesko]

On another occasion, the following conversation was struck up between Jim and myself:-

"Mike", he says, "Mike, the police have told lies about allegedly seeing me leave my motorcar, and go into the post office to rob it", he said, "but I never left the car", said he, "Mike, they are trying to stitch me up for being the robber, and they are now saying that my mate was the getaway driver and that he never left my car", he said, "they are trying to blame me for doing that which my mate must have done", said he...

"Why would they want to do that", I asked Jim, "it makes no difference anyway whether you were the robber, or the getaway driver", I said to him...

[mike tesko]

"Why would they want to do that", I asked Jim, "it makes no difference anyway whether you were the robber, or the getaway driver", I said to him...

"If it was a joint enterprise", I says, "it doesn't matter which bit part role you played in the robbery, it still makes you guilty of robbery", I said...