Wednesday 28 August 2013

TONA*

The family of a teenager who was speared through the head with a shard of wood as he rode pillion on a motorbike today appealed for help in breaking down a “wall of silence” surrounding the killing.
Tommy Warde, 17, died after the piece of wood penetrated his skull and “pierced deep into his brain” in the attack in Orpington two years ago.
He was on the motorbike with a friend when they passed a group of men who had been drinking and who began throwing cans at them.
Tommy’s friend said he remembers the teenager suddenly falling backwards from the bike and landing in the road. He turned and saw him lying there with the shard protruding from his head.
A sad story. Even sadder:
In February last year John Vincent, who had been charged with Tommy’s murder, was acquitted after his trial at the Old Bailey was discontinued.
But wait! Isn't there something missing from the report in the 'Standard'?
Tommy Warde, 17, was riding pillion around a travellers' site in Orpington, Kent...
Ah. There it is...

* I think we can all guess what that stands for...

6 comments:

Bucko said...

Buggers have just moved in behind our house. Police are taking their usual zero tolerance stance *ahem*

Anonymous said...

Surely PONA!

Ian Hills said...

A different kind of justice should be meted out to travellers.

Woman on a Raft said...

They tiptoed around the words 'St Mary Cray' very successfully. If you hadn't pointed it out, I would not have spotted it.

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/9553195.Dad_of_teen_accused_of_motorbike_murder_was__at_the_scene_/

I wish the police luck but it is rather like some of the honour-murders and travelling gun cases; you just cannot get anyone to whisper.

Note also how there is a huge difference in the impression between "they were riding round a travellers' camp and 'they were walking the bike home and decided to ride because they were afraid of the group which started throwing cans at them.

Mark In Mayenne said...

Just remind me never to buy a DONA kebab from Julia

JuliaM said...

"They tiptoed around the words 'St Mary Cray' very successfully"

Didn't they just..?