Tuesday 17 July 2012

Personal Responsibility Takes Another Hammering...

...thanks to coroner David Hinchliff:
He said he would write to the landlord of the property in Lindsay Mount, in the Burmantofts area, and recommend they look into fitting all windows with static inhibitors to prevent them opening too wide.
He also said he would recommend regular inspections of the properties to ensure safety features are in place and working.
Why not just suggest that stupid, irresponsible, caring-only-for-their-own-pleasures parents be prevented from breeding in the first place, David?

Wouldn't that actually do more damn good?
The inquest heard that Liam, with his mother, father and siblings, had been living in his grandfather’s one-bedroom flat for three weeks while they waited to be rehoused.
On the day of Liam’s death, on May 31, the family were in the bedroom of the flat for around three hours while workers replaced carpet tiles in the living room.
Mr Hinchliff said the window in the bedroom was opened as the room became 'very warm and stuffy' and the adults were smoking.
I'm surprised that little fact didn't bring the anti-smoking zealots out like a pack of ravenous hounds...

Any chance of a prosecution of those responsible for his safety?
Mrs Shackleton, Liam's grandfather Peter Shackleton, another relative, Shaun Shackleton, and Mrs Shackleton's friend were all arrested on suspicion of child neglect.
Liam's father was also arrested at a later date.
No charges were brought against any of those arrested.
*sigh*
Mrs Shackleton, 29, who broke down in tears during the inquest, issued a poem she wrote about Liam in which she described how she missed her "precious son".
She wrote: "Words cannot describe the sadness this brings or how very dearly you are missed. Knowing that you are no longer here is very painful indeed. An emptiness now exists which only you once filled.
"You were a wonderful son, you gave me so much joy, you would make any parent proud."
She ought to do ten years for that alone.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Be fair Julia. I think parents who've just lost a child should be extended a fair degree of latitude.

Maybe the grief can't be measured by the way it's expressed ?

Givus yer best raspberry said...

You are all heart, JuliaM.

Tatty said...

He told the parents "When you are living in what was an unsuitable and cramped condition because of the circumstances you were in, it does mean even further diligence and supervision has to be made when you have hyperactive children, who understandably have no sense of danger and are too young to have regard for their own safety."

It's all in the language. The coroner has actually blamed the parents for their own negligence and tipped the wink to landlords to make sure their excuses cannot be used by anyone else in future but worded it in such a way as they don't even realise it.

Fairplay to the guy.

Bucko said...

I hope the landlord tells the coroner where he can put his reccommendations

microdave said...

And once regulations are in place requiring ALL windows to have limited opening, how long before we read of a tragic death because someone couldn't escape/be rescued from a burning building?

The law of unintended consequences has a lot to answer for...

Tatty said...

microdave - "how long before we read of a tragic death because someone couldn't escape/be rescued from a burning building? "

I dunno...how many fires resulting in death to the occupants have there been in travelodges in the past 20 odd years ? For as long as I can remember their windows have had such restrictions on them.

My own PVC designated Fire Escape window has catches on it that must be released to open it wide.

How far do you propose we go to nanny these people, really ?

Robert the Biker said...

ALL my windows have catches which must be released to open the windows more than about six inches. Basicsally, this shower were living illegally in a one bedroom flat, had the windows wide open because they just had to have a gasper and weren't bothered to keep an eye on the sprog. Except for the dead kid, a room full of dicks gets introduced to Darwin.

Woman on a Raft said...

O/T Just checked parliament TV to catch up with the Nick Buckles debacle, only to find that prior to that Doreen Lawrence was again in front of a committee about the IPCC.

I have grave criticisms of the police but Doreen Lawrences' determination over the years to make this a race issue rather than one about police operating standards has done nothing but hinder the proper enforcement of the law.

I'm sorry her son is dead but her race bias and lack of understanding of the process of investigation makes her much less of an authority than she imagines herself to be.

I can think of several people who are much better qualified to criticise and whose opinions will be based on a much better survey of cases. For example, anybody whose daughter has been groomed and abused by people who the police had great difficulty bringing to book.

Robert the Biker said...

Saint Doreen the uncriticiseable (?)is probably hopefull of another payment. Did anyone think banging up a couple of white menon dubious evidence would shut this harridan up?

Sarton Bander said...

I keep hearing Lawrence WAS in a gang, and the MSM decided to turn it from a gang thing to a race thing.

James Higham said...

Why not just suggest that stupid, irresponsible, caring-only-for-their-own-pleasures parents be prevented from breeding in the first place, David?

Julia, Julia - you're so soft and gentle. :)

Anonymous said...

The clever/dumb balance is restored :)

John Tee said...

I just love the picture of the block of flats with an an arrow superimposed - presumably for those that would not otherwise know which way the kid fell.

JuliaM said...

"Be fair Julia. I think parents who've just lost a child should be extended a fair degree of latitude."

I don't. That sort of thinking leads to nonsense like the 'extreme pornography' rubbish or 'Clare's Law' idiocy.

"It's all in the language. The coroner has actually blamed the parents for their own negligence and tipped the wink to landlords to make sure their excuses cannot be used by anyone else in future but worded it in such a way as they don't even realise it."

Tatty, I think you give the man too much credit. I certainly think you give the campaigners who'll latch on to this too much!

"Except for the dead kid, a room full of dicks gets introduced to Darwin."

Though all for nowt. Because I suspect they've learned nothing.

JuliaM said...

"I'm sorry her son is dead but her race bias and lack of understanding of the process of investigation makes her much less of an authority than she imagines herself to be."

Agreed. It's time this circus went on its winter hiatus.

"I just love the picture of the block of flats with an an arrow superimposed - presumably for those that would not otherwise know which way the kid fell."

SNORK!

Anonymous said...

All spawn of council estates should be prevented from breeding.


Julia, Julia, wherefore art thou?

MtAngry61 said...

The inquest heard that Liam, with his mother, father and siblings, had been living in his grandfather’s one-bedroom flat for three weeks while they waited to be rehoused.

The tenant was the grandfather - as a landlord I expect (and demand) to be informed if more tenants move into a property, especially children.

After the carpet was laid, the adults began to move the furniture back into the living room, leaving Liam and his sister playing in the bedroom. A short time later, at around 5.15pm, Liam’s sister came into the living room to tell her mother Liam had fallen.

If I let a property out to a grandfather, why should I bwe in any way responsible if his grandson climbs out of it?

She later told police that she was getting cross with her brother as he was not listening to her when she told him to stop climbing on the chest of drawers.

The boy ignored his elder sister's directions and should have been under adult supervision. That's his parents' fault, not the landlords.

He also said he would recommend regular inspections of the properties to ensure safety features are in place and working.

What evidence is there that any other safety features were NOT in place and working?

JuliaM said...

"If I let a property out to a grandfather, why should I bwe in any way responsible if his grandson climbs out of it?"

Well, indeed! Where would it ever stop?