Three men who had a "grotesque over-reaction" after a boy allegedly pointed an air rifle at them have been told to each pay a £915 penalty.They had a gun pointed at them and they have to pay a fine? Something odd here…
Darren Francis was in Bishopsworth Road, Bedminster, when the 16-year-old aimed the weapon at him and Francis fetched his friends Lee Bedford and Matthew Grant.Hmmm….
Bristol Crown Court heard the men got into the youngster's house, where the boy and two young friends locked themselves in a bedroom.
The men ran off with a TV when they heard police had been called.Hmmm…
I’m starting to wonder if there was ever a gun pointed at them!
Recorder Ian Pringle QC fined each £500 and told them each to pay £400 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.He, at least, seems to believe in the gun:
He told them: "It was a grotesque over-reaction. That evening, late at night on February 20, you all behaved in a way which was utterly disgraceful.But he didn’t. And the defence?
"You can't burst into someone else's house. You left with a television set. It was a burglary and is treated most seriously by the courts.
"I would be entirely within my rights to pass prison sentences."
Anna Midgley, defending Francis and Bedford, said Francis had reacted in response to thinking a "real" gun was pointed at him.Curious case. No mention is made of any action taken against the 16 year old.
She said he was a hard worker, not given to violence. She said Bedford, a lorry driver, was a responsible, caring, hard working man.
Jonathan Stanniland, for Grant, said his client was effectively of good character and "there was no excessive violence and no excessive criminal damage".
He thought it was a real gun aimed at him, and his reaction was to enter the house and steal the TV?
ReplyDeleteWell, if you were aiming a gun at someone, that's certainly the last thing you'd expect them to do.
I could perhaps, but only perhaps imagine certain sections of the community regarding it as being "a grotesque over-reaction" if they'd taken said air rifle (if it ever existed) & shoved it (un-lubed) up said scrotes arse ..
ReplyDeleteWhich, if he did point an air rifle at someone, is what he'd richly deserve ..
And what exactly is a "victim surcharge" and to where/whom does it go ?
ReplyDeleteOdd story, and makes me think something else was bubbling along under the surface.
ReplyDeleteI could speculate but entertaining though that would be its better to assume it was a burglary, plain and simple, even if they did know where the kids were.
A local form of affection here? Sorry, there's me speculating again...
I went to school with Anna Midgley. Used to fancy the pants off her.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it's the same one though...
What's with this £15 victim surcharge on fines? Councillor in Bradford got done for DD - was in his fine too.
ReplyDelete"He thought it was a real gun aimed at him, and his reaction was to enter the house and steal the TV?"
ReplyDeleteWell, clearly, all violence stems from that shown on tv, so good call, I say! ;)
"And what exactly is a "victim surcharge" and to where/whom does it go ?"
I'll tell you where it doesn't go...
"Councillor in Bradford got done for DD - was in his fine too."
It is, of course, a NuLab 'improvement' to the justice system...