"In other news, the Nicola Edgington case, the IPCC can blame the police all they want. We all know that if society decides it is OK to release a schizophrenic killer with emotionally unstable personality traits from an indefinite hospital order after only four years, to later blame others for what happens is a bit rich. Blame, blame, blame, criticise, criticise, criticise. How easy and satisfying to point the finger at police."Well, quite.
"Other, more striking failures might be laid at the door of hospital staff who failed to give Edgington the help she plainly needed, or indeed the decision to release her from the secure hospital two years before. It might be asked what kind of care she was receiving in the community. But I'd like to focus on the outcome of the trial and the sentencing remarks of Judge Brian Barker, which betray an outrageous and profound ignorance of the nature of severe mental illness and display attitudes quite astonishing in a supposedly advanced and civilised society."Firstly, there's no 'might be' about that blame - it should, rightly, lie at the door of the NHS that failed her. The police did their job when others manifestly failed at theirs.
But let's carp at how awful the justice system has been to this killer instead - clearly, she's the real victim...
I really don't want to be part of an 'advanced and civilised society' if the price to be paid for that is clearly dangerous people freed to almost saw the heads off strangers in broad daylight, all so we can pat ourselves on the back at how humane we are.
7 comments:
What a good call, Julia. Effective citizen protection is indeed a priority. Do not fritter this opportunity as plod ponder your topic while you court their favour.
Invite them to advertise any decent weapons on this blog. You know, those confiscated or stolen - no questions asked.
As always the 'community's' that these unfortunate people are in the 'care' of are never the ones where the PTB live
Nice summary in the final paragraph.
"Mental Illness" - for when nothing else is quite politically correct enough to describe someone's behaviour in public.
Too much cash and far too many resources are completely wasted on trash who just can't be arsed to get their lives together.
Not much left over for those who truly are incapable of it.
Julia you have broken the cardinal rule on your blog-disagreeing with the self-proclaimed king of the internet MTG and supporting the police!!! I'm sure there will be some flouncing off by him over this...well-until the next day when he comes back without a word of apology.
Regarding this story-you are right,it wasn't our fault.The Daily Mails headline today was a disgrace.We get calls constantly from nutters threatening all sorts of things,it takes up so much of our day and we can't believe them all.After all she only did four years after murdering her own mother,who authorised that?
Melvin,let's agree that I am an expert on policing after 24 years of doing it,and I will concede that you are an expert on mental illness having suffered it most of your life...
Jaded
I was patrolling one night when I met a what looked like a very anxious man and woman looking up and down the road. I stopped to see what was wrong, - their suicidal daughter had run off from home and they feared she was going to end it all.
We found her a short distance away and grabbed her to stop her running into the traffic.I soon established that she had been an informal patient at the local MHA Hospital which was only half a mile away.
So there we went, distressed mother and father, the patient and me.
It all seemed to be going so well until the Hospital refused to take her, telling me 'You have to take her to a place of safety' which prompted me to say 'I just did'.
It was only after the father intervened, pleading and threatening, that the Hospital finally agreed to take her. And probably only because the parents had dealt with various Hospital consultants and could drop names.
The Police have to cover for the shortcomings of MH system. A thousand times a day they get it right, but it only needs to go wrong once.
"Do not fritter this opportunity as plod ponder your topic while you court their favour. "
I criticise the police when they deserve it. I don't, when they don't.
I didn't think that was a difficulty concept to grasp?
""Mental Illness" - for when nothing else is quite politically correct enough to describe someone's behaviour in public."
I have a horrible feeling the forces of PC will win out and get this conviction overturned... :/
"It all seemed to be going so well until the Hospital refused to take her, telling me 'You have to take her to a place of safety' which prompted me to say 'I just did'."
GAH!
Post a Comment