If this is your first visit, check out the community guide. You will have to Join us or Sign in before you can post.
Severe PTSD and legal issues
bigboyblew
Member Posts: 3 Listener
I was medically pensioned from the Police Force some 14 years ago with severe PTSD. For the past years I have only been able to venture out as far as my local Sainsbury's where all the staff knew of my mental illness, In the latter part of summer 2017 the store was plagued with youths riding pedal bikes on one wheel right at the front of the store, This caused me huge distress as the sight of an uncontrolled bike travelling towards my face used to scare me , .. I made several complaints and nothing was done , It came to a point that started to look online to find ways that the store could use to disperse the youths, I entered the store so happy that I had found details of desist to harass so I approached a duty manager and she dismissed me complaint totally , she spoke down to me , made false allegations against me and in the end caused me to break down in tears and sob like a child. I had one of the worst panic attacks ever , I was take to the pharmacy and given a private room so I could cry in private. I was there for about an hour until I had composed myself . Three weeks went by and I had heard nothing so I again complained, However this time I was told I had threatened someone with a broken bottle , this is a total lie and I have evidence to prove it , I was told that the original female manager had been caused grave upset by my behaviour. ( crying and sobbing ) , I was further told if I approached that manager again I would be banned , I couldn't stand the thought of having my only socialisation in a safe place and suffered an even more severe panic attack , I was left to ring 999 myself for an ambulance and the managers all went to their offices and left me alone on a plastic chair sobbing and crying , I had sweat dripping from my brow, I was placed right next to self scan and the store entrance , Everyone who entered or left the store could see me by which time I was flanked by security guard. I managed to gain composure prior to the Ambulance arriving and sought refuge again in the pharmacy , I could not believe the way I had been treated , Three days later I was handed a letter from the manager saying I was now banned from every store in the UK due to my behaviour which I was told was unacceptable despite it being a side effect of PTSD. . I have battled and battled to seek vindication via the legal department at head office, I was told the ban remained. I appealed and the ban remained, . I wrote hundreds of thousands of words explain my condition and 70% of my emails were ignored, Not once did the store head office mention my diagnosed mental health even after supplying evidence , I also obtained video footage of the youths some 130 days later doing the same thing. I videod the youths and also made calls to the police which were recorded on my phone, . The Police stated I would not be committing an offence by entering the store and they even dictated a notice for me to hand to any staff stating that the officer had given me legal advice and I was not committing an offence . Within minutes the Police arrived after responding to a 999 call which they stated I was in the store and threatening to bottle someone again. I was grabbed by the Police and escorted off the premises. I showed them the notice that the officer had told me to present to the store. The Police refused to read it . I have been in a legal argument with the head office legal team and although I sent them all the audio and video recordings they still refused to allow me entrance, The store changed its in store pharmacy to Lloyds and I received a letter stating I could still get my prescriptions if I reported to customer services and then told to wait in the foyer. I felt totally disgraced having to kneel on the floor in the cold foyer to sign my prescriptions on a plastic chair , I am so sorry to say that during this period of time I made 3 attempts at taking my life due to being treated like a freak. . Head office were made aware of this and still stated it was my fault for getting upset at the original manager I reported it too. I was also stitched up by the security guard who made allegations regarding a phone call he overheard , he stated I was overheard saying I will wait for the **** outside and also that I was going to get revenge , I am happy to say I had that phone call recorded yet despite sending it to head office they refused to believe the recorded call and still enforced the ban . My mental health has been so badly affected I have had to have an MRI of the brain , I have had my medications changed and still head office supported the staff above me . I was going to ask the Police to enforce hate crimes but not one officer out of 7 contacted got back to me at all , I was left helpless. I am still very distressed at what I can only describe as mental torture and abuse of the disability act and equality act , The legal team say they are not breaching the equality act by making me ask to stand in the foyer and be treated like a second class citizen . I am appalled and it has taken me so much courage to share with you perhaps only half of what they have done to me. I am no longer the man I was , At the age of 52 I stood outside the store while a member of staff sold poppies , she was evil and vile to me and shouted through the entrance at me that I WAS A DISGRACE. I'm very sorry for serving my country for 14 years it must be a huge embarrassment to you that I served to protect the public and received 7 commendations for outstanding bravery, I just don't know what to do now , I no longer want to go to the store as this will cause flash backs , do I have any legal rights or does any organisation exist to assist me in making a complaint and deservedly receive compensation from a court for 7 months of hell , . I'm sorry I cant write anymore as I'm too distressed, I hope I havnt wasted anyones time .
Replies
You certainly are not wasting anyone's time here - you're entitled to every moment of attention anyone can give you and I'm here and listening, desperately hoping that we will find ways to make life easier for you.
I am honoured to meet you, and it is those who have done you so much hurt who are a disgrace.
It is, sadly, very late, so I'm going to keep this short, but I'll hang around a little longer in case you need to get back to me.
Other members of the community will be in touch with you in due course - it's quiet at present only because of the time - but I'm here for you if there is anything I can do or say.
Have you been in touch with your MP, by the way?
Very warmest best wishes to you, and the greatest respect,
Richard
I hope we can help you. It certainly sounds as thought you could benefit from some support on the legal side of things, and so Citizens Advice may be a good organisation to contact. You can find your local branch on the CAB website. As Richard says, it also may be a good idea to contact your MP. You can find your MP and their details on this UK Parliament search.
Please do keep us updated and let us know how you get on. I really hope this helps you to make a start and at the very least, help you to find some peace for yourself. I'm sure many of our community members will be sympathetic towards your story too, and happy to talk: you may like to meet @zara0365, who has also discussed PTSD on the community.
Believe me I know where your coming from, I'm disgusted to be even living in this country. I now know after reading your thread and confirms to me I can't trust this anti social country and we seem to have No rights anymore and nobody really cares for other human beings anymore.
I never thought in my wildest dreams many years ago I would be on my own trying to deal with all this sort of ****.
God bless my heart goes out to you.
I created one of the campaign election videos for Labour, and Jeremy Corbyn,
This is a new version of Emeli Sande, Hope "You Are Not Alone
You can see the video here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P5o8hRHh9IY
I jad had a fantastic working life much like yourself Helping serving the public and I now feel what a waste I perhaps should have thought of myself more than others. But I was a caring person but since my downturn I have to now think of myself now and not others part disabled people like ourselfs.
Always remember if we can help here just ask. Stay safe.
I created one of the campaign election videos for Labour, and Jeremy Corbyn,
This is a new version of Emeli Sande, Hope "You Are Not Alone
You can see the video here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P5o8hRHh9IY
Stay safe.