"People, don't you understand, the child needs a helping hand, or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day?"

A tale of two deprived young black boys:

Today, David, 25, is a successful, eloquent civil servant. A private secretary in a government department, he holds a law degree and a masters in legal and political theory from University College London.

His friend Stephen Lansana, meanwhile, is serving life for murder at HMP Whitemoor, a Category A prison in Cambridgeshire. He will be in his 50s before he will be even considered for release.

As teenagers, they were no different, except in one very important respect — the opportunities afforded to them.

David, you see, was given a scholarship to Rugby. So, is that the answer?

This week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans for a Violence Reduction Unit. Violent crime, he said, should be treated as a public health problem — a 'disease infecting communities' — requiring action to tackle the root causes.

But what are those 'root causes'? Is it simply lack of money? What does David say he noticed most at Rugby?

"But most poignant to me was the presence of both parents actively taking an interest in the education of their children."

David is still involved with EYLA, mentoring youngsters.

'I'm not sure what the long-term solution is, but what I see in my community is lack of aspiration and a here-and-now mentality.

'Young people tend to make their decisions in view of the short-term, quick gain, easy routes,' he says.

Since we can't retrospectively travel back in time and somehow ensure two parents stay together to raise a child, what can Khan do?

It's way too late to tackle the Loxodonta africana in the room...

Irony, Thy Name Is ‘Guardian’…

Social media has given extremists a new tool with which to recruit and radicalise. It is something we are frighteningly unequipped to deal with. Worryingly, it is on Facebook, which most of us in Britain use, where people are being exposed to extremist material. Instead of small meetings in pubs or obscure websites in the darkest corners of the internet, our favourite social media site is increasingly where hate is cultivated.

Says who? Says Lucy Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central and shadow secretary of state for education.

Online echo chambers are normalising and allowing extremist views to go viral unchallenged.

Shocking!

While in the real world, alternative views would be challenged by voices of decency in the classroom, staffroom, or around the dining-room table, there are no societal norms in the dark crevices of the online world.

This must not stand! How can anyone advance ideas and concepts that are allowed to stand unchallenged?

What are they afraid of? If their views are correct, they'll stand up to scrutiny and challenge, won't they?

There are many examples of groups that feature anti-Muslim or antisemitic content daily, in an environment which, because critics are removed from the groups, normalises these hateful views. If you see racist images, videos and articles in your feed but not the opposing argument, you might begin to think those views are acceptable and even correct.

Absolutely, Lucy! I look forward to commenting on your arti....

Oh.

No comments allowed..? But...but that's not the way forward, Lucy!

Is it?

But...But What About The Obesity Crisis!?

Teachers at Hockley Primary School in Chevening Gardens waited outside to give parents a Kit Kat with a note, providing comfort to parents on their children's first day.

I'm sure if Jamie Oliver had dreamed up this stunt, it would have been a carrot baton...

The note said:

"It's your little one's first day.

"And though your heart may ache.

"We're here to help them find their wings.

"So today you can take a break!"

 Ugh! That's more saccharine than the sweets!

Simon Harris, the author of the Southend News Network, felt the gifts were a perfect way to start the relationship between parents and teachers.

The world's gone mad!

Copperin' - Yr Doin' It Wrong!

PC Sarinda Welsh, who was attached to the Bexley Borough, was accused of conduct that breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to "authority, respect and courtesy."

She was also accused of "discreditable conduct" at the hearing held on Wednesday, August 29.

What sort of offences did this no doubt diversity hire commit?

On Wednesday, August 15, Welsh was sentenced to a 12 month community order after pleading guilty to two counts of assault and malicious communications.

Tut tut! Beating up arrestees?

Errr, no.

... other officers...

/facepalm

She committed the offences during an incident on Tuesday, January 9, while off-duty.

As well as the community order, Welsh has been advised to attend alcohol dependency meetings and ordered to pay a total of £385.

Got pissed and got handy when her colleagues turned up, eh?

When Your Story Unravels Before Your Eyes...

A dog owner is fighting to save her beloved pet after neighbours signed a petition and suggested it should be put down.

Oh? How many neighbours?

...residents appear to have rounded on the Aylesford homeowner with more than 200 people calling for action against the dog.

Oooh, that's a lot of them!

Jennifer, 68, said: “It’s the most awful thing but we have been persecuted since. It feels like everyone is against us.

“She’s never bitten before, ever. She was stressed and guarding the house."

Oh, a guard dog? And the neighbour bitten was trespassing in the house?

It is believed Lottie may have let herself out by pushing down on the handle of the front door but Jennifer, who moved from London to her Thomas Road home last year, feels claims the dog is dangerously out of control are untrue.

Right, right. Not actually in the premises guarding them at the time, then? Hmmm.

She added: “Whether the door wasn’t quite locked properly, I don’t know. The dog guards the house.

“She has got out and nipped my neighbour’s ankle. She is now muzzled and we are locking the doors."

You weren't locking them before? No wonder you needed a 'guard dog'!

Rebecca Dales, whose mother was the victim, said: "My mum is still not back in her own home. She is in fear of a further attack.

"The police have not given this investigation the priority it deserves."

They never do, love.

Fightback!

Clara Byrne, 21, who is the frontwoman in Brighton-based ska band Dakka Skanks, said she and her friend were attacked when trying to protect another woman from a group of black men.

But all is not quite as it seems. And the police aren't going to let this one go by:

But a Sussex Police spokeswoman said: “Police received a report at 5.30am on Saturday of an assault on two women in Marine Drive.

“Officers attended and found a man had been assaulted allegedly by a woman, reported by witnesses including door staff. The woman was not arrested as the victim did not want any further action.

The woman had no injuries, however if there were further offences or assault taken place, she is urged to contact police immediately so there can be an investigation.”

Heh! Maybe she'll find that not all publicity is good publicity after all...

I Think PC Baines Needs 'A Little Short Period Of Time' Away From The Police Force...

Coroner Mrs Welsh said: 'To be frank what I am struggling with is this third bite. You are his handler, you gave him the command, you pulled him away and he is still not doing what you wanted him to do.'

PC Baines replied: 'Given that it took less than 10 seconds for the whole thing, you need a little short period of time to bring them down from that type of drive.'

Then perhaps it's not a good idea to have them in collars they can back out from?

After the first attack, PC Baines managed to get the dog to release its grip, taking control of the animal with a single finger through a loop in the chain around its neck.

With the dog held, he managed to drag it six feet away from where the bloodied pensioner lay in the hallway.

But as PC Baines adjusted his grip to get a stronger hold, Dano backed out of his collar and launched a second attack, grabbing the elderly woman, who had cancer and emphysema, by the back of her right leg.

Jesus! How is this cretin a dog handler?

During his evidence today PC Baines suggested the dog may have attacked Mrs Collins because she had tried to 'shoo' him away when he entered her home, using her arms to wave him away.

So it's the victim's fault she was savaged in her own home by an animal you couldn't control?

He also suggested that the anxious voice of his colleague Sergeant Neil Yates as he tried to summon help might have further agitated the animal.

So it's your senior colleague's fault an innocent member of the public, who he was trying to prevent from bleeding to death, was savaged in her own home by an animal you couldn't control?

No, PC Baines. It's all your fault. You're a disgrace to the uniform.

Attention Seekers? In Brighton? The Hell You Say!

First time mother Rachel Holmes was sitting in Whitecliffs Cafe on Saltdean seafront with her 13-month-old son Lincoln when the large mongrel dog tied up nearby attempted to take a bite out of the bun.

The bite caused no serious damage to Lincoln but the family said the incident could have been a lot worse. They said they were “disappointed” when they were asked to leave after complaining.

And so they've taken to social media. As you do, these days.

Mrs Holmes said: “All we wanted was an apology but the chef’s disgusting attitude and the gormless owner made it 1,000 times worse.

“I was calling the police on 101 and the dog warden while they rolled their eyes at me.”

I can't say I really blame them. A bit over the top, isn't it?

She said: “It wasn’t the dog’s fault, he just shouldn’t have been around people if he has the tendency to bite things out of people’s hands.

“My son was putting food to his face, what if the dog had bitten his face? Other families who were in the restaurant left in disgust.”

At the dog? Or at the fuss you were making?

But maybe she has a point? Why would you expect to see a dog - other than a service animal - in a cafe, anyway?

The cafe in Marine Drive, Saltdean, which is dog friendly, has recently been taken over by new owners.

Ah.

What's That 'Fundamental Principle' Again?

Anita Szporak applied to Herefordshire Council to transfer the premises licence of Mila in Belmont Road to herself from Hardi Mohammed.

The current licence allows the sale of alcohol Monday to Sunday 8am to midnight.

A Polish shop, run by a Muslim?

Herefordshire Council's Licensing Committee heard the licence was issued in September 2015 but in December 2016 it was revoked after 250,000 illegal cigarettes were seized from the premises.

Hmmm...

The police objected to the transfer application. Sgt Duncan Reynolds asked for the press and public to be excluded from the meeting as the objection referred to criminal matters affecting the applicant which did not result in a conviction.

Well, I don't think that's going to fly, do you, reader?

The committee agreed that the information would not be in the public interest and the press and public were excluded.

Oh. I guess it did. Clearly the licensing committee don't concern themselves overmuch with whether or not someone was actually guilty!

The licensing committee refused the application due to the information provided by the police. As a result the second application for Ms Szporak to become designated premises supervisor no longer applied as this can only be applied for by the licence holder.

How very unsavoury. And un-English.

H/T: Fahrenheit211 via Gab

Sterling Work From One Part Of The Criminal Justice System...

Jay Disley, of Coopersales, Laindon, admitted three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs after police officers caught him red-handed. The 20-year-old was in a Ford Transit van on May 4, earlier this year, with three other men, in an area of Basildon when police officers noticed known drug users interacting with them.

The officers proceeded to pull the van over and searched the vehicle as well as Disley.

Appearing for sentencing at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, it was heard that officers found in possession of almost 13 grams of cocaine, with a street value of £508, as well as 2 grams of crack cocaine.

Disley was arrested and while in custody, officers conducted a search of his home where they recovered a further 19 grams of cocaine, worth £773, as well as two sets of scales, £1,435 in cash and phones containing evidence of drug dealing.

Bang to rights! Excellent. What could go wrong?

Sentencing him, judge Samantha Leigh...

DAMN IT!

....said: "These are not insignificant amounts in terms of either money or drugs themselves.

"You don't have any previous convictions and have a very supportive family. You also have one of the best pre-sentence reports I have seen in a long time.

"It is your choice what happens now. If you do the orders I am about to you on and do what you need to do, you hopefully will not be back in the criminal justice system.

"I am very mindful of the guidance to judges and whether courts should take every opportunity they can to stop sending people to custody where there is a chance of rehabilitation."

You know what's coming. Don't you?

Judge Leigh sentenced Disley to 20 months in prison suspended for 24 months.

Those cops must wonder why they bothered.