You now need to stop trying to run this case yourself and let Jackson Yamba take over completely. At this stage the situation is far beyond “DIY complaint” territory. You have:
– An ongoing criminal allegation with a crime reference number.
– A certificated enforcement agent who has almost certainly abused his certificate.
– A company that has unlawfully seized and is detaining your vehicle.
– A potential injunction and a substantial civil claim.
Every extra call or email you make directly to LME, PPS, Thames City, or the police risks muddying the waters, creating inconsistent statements, or giving them something to twist. The whole point of instructing Jackson is that he is now your mouthpiece. From here on:
– You should not be phoning the police yourself to “update” the log.
– You should not be arguing law with random call handlers who will just parrot “civil matter” because that’s all they know.
– You should not be contacting LME or PPS at all, other than through Jackson.
On the
@DWMB2 point: there is no real inconsistency. The Met has logged the matter as a crime and given you a crime reference number. That means, institutionally, it is being treated as a potential criminal offence. The fact that some call handler on a different day says “it’s civil” just shows that individual has not read the file, does not understand PoFA, and is speaking from habit rather than law. Call centre opinions do not change the legal reality.
The legal reality is this:
– It is only a “civil matter” if the car was seized lawfully under a judgment and warrant.
– Here, there is no judgment and no warrant.
– The clamp and tow therefore fall squarely within s54 PoFA and, on any sensible view, within the Theft Act as well.
– That is criminal. The Torts Act does not rescue them.
What you should do now is very simple:
1. Give Jackson a clear summary of your most recent contacts with the police and LME (including the “civil matter” nonsense and the latest LME email).
2. Tell him you do not intend to have any further direct dealings with anyone and that you want all communication with the police, LME, PPS and Thames City to go through him.
3. If the police call you, take their details and politely say that your legal representative, Mr Yamba, will respond and provide all further information.
You have done more than enough. You’ve gathered evidence, forced a crime report, exposed the misuse of the Torts Act, and identified the enforcement agent and his certification. From here on the best thing you can do to help your own case is step back and let Jackson run it.
For now, I’d keep your focus firmly on your own case now and not get drawn into trying to get involved with someone else’s. It is useful for your solicitor to know that this may not be an isolated incident at Thames City, so do mention to Jackson that you’ve heard of at least one other resident who was clamped and towed with no judgment or warrant and paid £3,000 to get their car back.
Beyond that, I would not go any further yourself. If you manage to identify that resident, the best advice you can pass on is simply that they should get proper legal advice in their own name, ideally from the same specialist you are using. You can tell them you’ve instructed Jackson Yamba at Contestor Legal and suggest they contact him directly with their paperwork and payment history so he can assess whether the removal in their case was as unlawful as yours and whether those losses can be recovered. But you should not try to advise them on chargebacks, complaints or claims yourself – let Jackson deal with that, and keep this thread clear and focused on your case.
