Eric Arthur Gotts

[Albert H]

Eric Gotts - nemesis of many London stations - has died at the age of 92. Apparently Faecesbook is full of messages about it (I haven't seen them because I don't do FB- I have a life!).

Eric was a persistent menace to many stations, and did all he could to get them off the air. On occasion, he was less that honest in Court (I got off one charge because he was shown to have lied!), and sometimes he used rather underhand tactics. We just had to be smarter than he was (and we mostly were).

Many are saying "good riddance", but I found him (mostly) to be a worthy adversary. However, I admit that I disconnected the Emergency Telephone in a tower block lift, and then switched off the supply to that lift whilst he was between floors on the way to raid our station. He was there for several hours until Plod could find a Lift Engineer at 3 am who was willing to go there and re-energise the lift!

He was (probably) also the first victim of the biological counter-measures we employed against rig thieves (Shigella is particularly nasty!).

Many station operators - particularly from the 70s and 80s - will have stories about Eric!

[famefm]

The main man against the 1970s and 80s pirates and was definitely one of a kind and I don't think anyone today has an agent like him at ofcom now

[Wk-end]

We all might of hated the dti but...... But radio would'nt have been the same without them if it was easy.

[famefm]

I don't think anyone after Eric's people were as harsh and some of the 80s equipment and studios cost a fortune and were taken away and never returned to the owners ever again

[rigmo]

a typical indoctrinated soldier... there is nothing human about him...

[LeeCavanagh]

Alan clayton was was the name i remember from the north west, no longer there.

[Nick Catford]

A number of people have commented over the last few days that he was only "doing his job". I disagree - Jim Crow was doing his job, Brian Williams was doing his job, Brian Copsey was doing his job. Eric Gotts was a zealot doing far more than his job required of him to get the pirates off the air. I spoke to his former colleague Brian Copsey at length in 2009 about his time in the Post Office/DTI and what he thought of Gotts. He didn't have a good word to say about him and said that nobody in the department liked him and eventually Brian Copsey couldn't work with him any longer and resigned.
I first met Eric Gotts in 1969 when, in the London area, raids were led by Assistant Executive Engineer Stanley William Smith and three Technical Officers, Eric Arthur Gotts, Brian Charles Williams and Victor Arthur William Frisbee. In 1970 Smith moved on and Gotts took charge of the raids. If he managed to catch people he was often violent and abusive. On one occasion, on 2nd January 1977 Radio Jackie was broadcasting from a field at Malden Manor in Surrey. One person, Michael D was standing by the transmitter while other staff were acting as lookouts walking around the site with others driving round watching out for the arrival of the Post Office officers who were often spotted long before they got to the transmitter. On this occasion they managed to sneak in and by the time Mike saw them they were virtually on top of the transmission site. Mike picked up the transmitter in an attempt to run off with it but Gotts grabbed him and a fight ensued. Gotts grabbed the transmitter and hit Mike with it knocking him to the ground. A number of our lookouts saw the assault as did some members of the public who were walking by along the footpath. Nobody else got involved as Gotts was out of control by this time. I spoke to the couple who were walking by who were shocked by what they had seen. I took their phone number.
Later that day, all the Jackie staff met at a local pub - we always had our debrief at a pub during the evening after a transmission. It was there that Mike decided that Gotts had gone too far and he wanted to take action against him for assault. Mike took legal advice and, as a result, the matter was reported to the police and Gotts was issued with a summons for common assault. I got involved with the prosecution taking on the roll of making sure all the witnesses including the two members of the public (who had agreed to give evidence) knew exactly what they were going to say.
Before the court case Mike was also issued with a summons for "molesting a post office engineer in the execution of his duty" Both cases came before Kingston magistrates in July 1977. The case against Mike was thrown out because Gotts' two witnesses (Brian Copsey and another) both said that at the time of the incident they were looking the other way and didn't actually see anything. Gotts was convicted of assault and given a conditional charge and ordered to pay prosecution costs. It didn't matter that he was given a conditional discharge; the important thing was that he got a criminal conviction.
Gotts did of course appeal against the conviction and this was heard at Kingston Crown Court in February 1978. I will quote from the Merton News 12.2.78 which reported the case with the headline "Judge criticises Post Office - Wrong the seize pirate radio equipment. A pirate radio station that broadcasts in South London has won a victory against the Post Office. A Crown Court judge has ruled the Post Office has exceeded their authority when they seized a transmitter from a field at Malden Manor. The court heard that a running battle followed. During the fight the Post Office employee Eric Gotts assaulted radio Jackie engineer Michael D. Gotts was later convicted by Kingston Magistrates of assault. Gotts appealed against the conviction but this was dismissed by Judge John Baker. The judge pointed out that the Post Office had no right under the 1949 Wireless Telegraphy Act to take equipment without a court order. In this case the Post Office had no court order. Gotts' conviction was ordered to stand and he was ordered to pay costs"
This was a very important judgement. Not only did Gotts lose his promotion for 5 years but in the following 5 years no land based pirates in the UK were raided as it was now clear that there was no right to seize transmitters as had happened many times in the past. The 1949 Wireless Telegraphy Act is quite clear. Transmitters can be inspected and tested but they can't be seized. Gotts exceeded his authority and paid the price.
I am sorry to hear that Gotts has passed on I would love to have spoken to him and got his view. I know one ex-pirate did speak to him recently and he claimed he was "just doing my job". No Eric you weren't you were exceeding your authority. It was however a long time ago. RIP Eric Arthur Gotts.

[LeeCavanagh]

In my view they should have more authority , including use of minimal force or restraint (like police have), and that comes from someone who has had their studio taken , it’s not like we don’t know we are committing an offence if we broadcast unlicensed. I didn’t get it back but I wish i had known the above, in my case they didn’t have a warrant and were let in by my sister who didn’t know any better whilst I was at school.

They didn’t like it when I said “you wouldn’t have got in without a warrant had I been there “

[oldtech]

Let's hope he realised the futility of it all when Radio Jackie got licensed, someone should put a RJ car sticker on his gravestone

[Albert H]

Another failed Gotts prosecution was a little south London station "Bedside Radio" back in 1983. Our DJ on the air at the time - Nigel - had the presence of mind to fully open the mic fader as Gotts came charging in. The recording of the raid has Gotts clearly telling his colleague "Kill it Brian", and shouting at both Nigel and the police officers he'd brought with him!. When the summons arrived, it was returned - with our complements and a cassette copy of Eric clearly contravening the WTA 1949 by "operating the transmitter without a licence". No further legal action ensued!

[King Croccy]

[Premier-Carousel]

I remember Charlie Turner once telling me that when KFM Stockport suffered it's 'big' raid (shortly after the legislation change) in I think November 84, that as well as the 'usual suspects' Yates, Clayton, et al, Gotts had travelled up from that there London to 'share the glory'.

Not a pleasant individual however efficient he was or wasn't at his 'job'

S

[shuffy]

Someone else told me that tale (come to think of it, it might have been you!) They hit Southside the same week - Gotts was defintely not on that one!

[Albert H]

It's nice to remember that Gotts never got the better of me - despite chasing me almost the whole length of Sydenham Hill.

A friend of mine in court - being prosecuted (or persecuted!) by Gotts - when asked if he had anything to say for himself (after a £120 fine was imposed) told the Magistrate "Looks like we'll have to increase the Advertising Rates, thanks to Mr Gotts!" Everyone in the court - with the exception of Eric - laughed!