Suspect who disappeared from hospital

Reference is made to the article titled Man Vanishes After A Night In Custody (December 21).

We feel that the title of the article is misleading as it gives one to understand that the man had vanished immediately after being detained for the night in police custody.

The Times was already informed that, in the early morning, Terry Embleton was conveyed to hospital after complaining of chest pains.

It was later on in the day, after being admitted to hospital and long after having been released from police custody, that Mr Embleton absconded from hospital.

May we also point out that the complaint made by Mrs Embleton with The Times regarding the language used in a text message sent by the investigating officer is being investigated and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken as required.

The Police Force endeavours to ensure that all its members be ethically correct both in their manners and language when dealing with the public.

Editorial note: It is always wrong to judge a book by its cover or its title. Had The Times wanted to say or imply that the suspect was in effective police custody when he disappeared, the heading would have been different, possibly, Man Vanishes While In Police Custody.

The word “after” in the title was used for a purpose: to indicate that the man vanished subsequently to being in police custody.

It must be acknowledged that the two most senior police officers were very cooperative with The Times in this case. It was thanks to such cooperation that The Times could report that “It would appear that the man... walked out of Mater Dei Hospital at some point last Wednesday”, a statement that clearly shows he was not in police custody for, otherwise, he would not have been free to just walk out.

The Times also quoted the police media relations unit saying that Mr Embleton had been released from police custody upon his admission to hospital.

The police authorities are urged to visit the European Court of Human Rights’ judgement John Anthony Mizzi v. Malta (November 22, 2011), which, among other things says: “The Court has previously held that the criterion of responsible journalism should recognise the fact that it is the article as a whole that the journalist presents to the public.”

Having said that, any inconvenience to the police is regretted and their cooperation is appreciated.