In a disturbing escalation in Devon, journalist and academic Rebecca Tidy, known on X as @DrRebeccaTidy, was invited to be questioned voluntarily (of face arrest) by Devon and Cornwall Police over her factual posts about former officer Harry Tangye.
With over 21,000 followers Tidy writes for the likes The Sun, Daily Mail and the Telegraph, Tidy’s ordeal exposes a chilling pattern of police overreach, seemingly aimed at protecting their own from scrutiny.
Rebecca Tidy has shared the pre-interview disclosure on X here and her prepared statement (here) Both duplicated below.
Tidy said that she was even questioned about a photo taken on a beach alleged to be near Tangye’s home. She said:
My family lives in the area and it was a selfie on the beach – it’s the second-most popular beach in the UK. I didn’t make a comment or mention him [Tangye] in the caption.
The Ominous Backstory
Harry Tangye (above), a retired sergeant often paraded on TV as a Devon and Cornwall Police expert, is accused of harassing Sofia Cann by sending harassing letters to her employers in August and September 2024.
Tangye denies the allegation, with his trial listed for 7 November 2025. Yet, the police turned their eye on Dr Rebecca Tidy after she posted four accurate tweets detailing his arrest and charges.
In a post on X in March 2025, she write
Former Devon + Cornwall police officer — Harry Tangye — has been charged with stalking + harassment after an investigation led by West Yorkshire police.
Two years ago, in a conversation with another X user, she referred to the defendant by his initials and said she believed his “bail has been extended to early May”.
On X, Tidy posted
I’m tweeting all of the “evidence” against me to show how easy it is to be arrested for factual, accurate tweets right now.
The four exhibits Devon and Cornwall produced as harassment are below
Evidence Exhibit 1
She told The Times in this article:
The most recent tweet was a copy-and-paste from a media article. I didn’t think in a million years there would be anything they could possibly ever interview me about – certainly not harassment.
In this detailed X thread, with hundreds of supportive comments, Tidy revealed she was interviewed under caution on 1st September 2025, describing the experience as shocking and feeling like the real harassment came from the force itself.
Devon and Cornwall police told the Times
An allegation of harassment relating to content posted online was made to the force in March 2025. A woman in her thirties was interviewed as a voluntary attendee on 1 September and released under investigation while inquiries continue. She has not been arrested. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
Intimidation Tactics
Miss Tidy’s X posts paint a grim picture: local officers, including the officer in charge, had abused her anonymously on X and Reddit for years, posting identifiable details like running photos matching their profiles.
Devon and Cornwall Police, she claims, ignored her reports of threats, dismissing them as not policing the internet, while eagerly pursuing her for public interest reporting.
This selective enforcement is typical of police across the country.
A Menace to Free Expression
Tidy’s case unveils a sinister underbelly: police misusing the harassment law to harass the victims on behalf of the offenders.
No charges were brought against her, the offence timing out as a summary matter the day after interview.
Rebecca Tidy calls for urgent reforms, highlighting how forces prioritise reputation over justice, diverting resources to silence legitimate journalism while real victims suffer.
Looming Shadows Ahead
As Tangye’s trial nears, Tidy’s revelations demand accountability. Why do police target legitimate journalist like her, a single mother fearing for her child’s welfare during potential arrest?
This isn’t policing; it’s persecution.
Be the first to comment