Monday 31 October 2011

Incorrigible?

Jaydee Cooper, aged 16, was yesterday handed an anti-social behaviour order at Plymouth Magistrates Court which she must comply with for three years.
Good luck with that

But hang on, she’s 16, so why are we allowed to know her name?
After hearing representations from The Herald, the Magistrates decided it was in the public's interest to know of the order and permitted Cooper to be identified.
It seems she’s pretty well known to anyone in the criminal justice system already:
Cooper, of Desborough Road, St Judes, had 24 convictions relating to 37 offences including shoplifting, assault, making threats and damaging property.
And of course, has no doubt seen not a single day of jail time for any of them.

All the usual features are here:
The court heard the teenager had experienced a troubled up-bringing and was living in care provided by Plymouth City Council.
Which provided a surprising bit of ‘mitigation’:
Defence for Cooper, Owen Lawton, questioned if the local authority had done enough before making the Asbo application. He said three letters addressed to the "parent or guardian" of Cooper had been sent when she was under care provided by the council.

He said: "She had no parent or guardian."
Well, yes, she did. She had the council, in lieu of her natural parent, but as we’ve seen from Winston Smith’s blog, their powers to actually provide real care, or even tell these wastes of oxygen the first ‘No’ they’ll have ever heard in their short brutish lives, are limited.
He also said not enough had been done to ascertain the views of Cooper's mother. But the court heard when she was eventually contacted she supported the application.
What’s that old advice for lawyers, ‘Never ask a question to which you don’t already know the answer’?

Looks like he needs to go back to lawyerin’ school…
The Asbo handed to Cooper ruled she must not enter the city centre shopping area, including Royal Parade, Drake Circus, where she is already banned, Charles Cross, Bretonside, Cobourg Street, Western Approach and the Eastern side of Union Street.

She is however permitted to break this condition on Wednesdays between 10am and 2pm so she can go shopping.
Well, of course! Wouldn’t want the little darling to think she was being punished, would we?

Although how does she have money to go shopping anyway? God, we aren’t giving her ‘pocket money’ while she's in so-called 'care', are we? I suspect the answer’s ‘Yes’…
Magistrates warned Cooper if she breached the order she could face up to five years in jail.
Note the ‘Could’. It’d be more honest to tell her she probably won’t.

It does raise the question, though, of just when we should decide that some people are no longer worthy of effort. And, having made that decision, what should we do with them?

15 comments:

Trevor said...

It does raise the question, though, of just when we should decide that some people are no longer worthy of effort. And, having made that decision, what should we do with them?

My answer to that would depend on whether the forum was public, private or internal (i.e. thoughts unspoken - and perhaps unspeakable).

Of course, we all know what will happen. She's probably already a receptacle for the area's more inferior DNA, and will live her entire life as an ever-increasing drain on the public purse.

Demetrius said...

She could always try getting a job as a carer.

MTG said...

Police cadet?

Anonymous said...

There you go Melvin,you just can't resist can you?
I can't believe she isn't up the duff already? She's 16 for god's sake. Is she frigid?
Jaded

Woman on a Raft said...

Maybe we should make registrars report it when parents try to list names such as Oompah and n-Bodee.

It's not so much that there is anything wrong will little Spudulika but that it seems almost to invite disaster.

James Higham said...

It does raise the question, though, of just when we should decide that some people are no longer worthy of effort. And, having made that decision, what should we do with them?

That's getting into a dangerous area, methinks.

Anonymous said...

Indeed James.

One good thing came out of the war and that was a highly cohered society - unequal certainly but the opportunity to put things right should have been the priority.

Missed opportunity 1.

Over two million women were made redundant after the war, a time when women enjoyed the pay and employment status previously afforded only to males. So, think of the girls whose mothers had worked on - equal to males - if they'd been allowed to continue. And the next generation, then the next which is the young women of today. See the difference?

Missed opportunity two:

Low status jobs, such as cleaners and unskilled manual workers (circa 1945) should have been payed with no income tax due and early retirement, say five years - these jobs are much harder on the body as my parents bent bodies can attest.

Simple dignity for the poor and uneducated is all I would have asked. We are after all kin, all the English are kin. We have been one big family for well over a millenia, ever since the united English state was founded by King Athelstan.

If you want to blame someone then blame the politicians. They're evil.

Steve

Captain Haddock said...

MTG said...
Police cadet?

Or maybe an Independent candidate in a Local Election ?

Bet she'd walk away with more credibility than you managed .. Eh Melvin ?

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/05/03/almondbury-result-86081-20856146/

Milou said...

Ouah ouah!

JuliaM said...

" She's probably already a receptacle for the area's more inferior DNA.."

Will it ever reach a point where these people are sterile?

"I can't believe she isn't up the duff already?"

I'm sure it won't be long...

"That's getting into a dangerous area, methinks."

Nothing was ever won by failing to acknowledge the nature of the challenge before us.

"Simple dignity for the poor and uneducated is all I would have asked."

We just don't seem to do 'dignity' in the UK anymore.

Well, not unless we're importing it (and then it seems to turn to dust in our hands).

Zaphod said...

If the law administered meaningful punishment, we wouldn't be reduced to gratuitous and juvenile insults.

I'm not defending her, but it is the (our) system that's to blame here.

MTG said...

"Or maybe an Independent candidate in a Local Election ? Bet she'd walk away with more credibility than you managed .. Eh Melvin ?"

I attribute my success to inherent panache, Haddock. You really must taste achievement for yourself by including the possibility of doing something.

Captain Haddock said...

"I attribute my success to inherent panache" ..

Yep .. so successful were you that only 65 deluded people bothered voting for you ..

Even the BNP polled more than you did .. and you call that "panache" ?

Dry your eyes Princess .. you'll never know what I've achieved .. those who matter are already aware ..

Bored by fish and initials said...

Am I right in thinking there is a petty war going on between Haddock and MTG?

If so, rest assured it is of absolutely no interest to the rest of us. So exchange email addys and keep your little niggling comments between yourselves.

Anonymous said...

Yes I agree.It's my job to irritate MTG.
Jaded