Eleven members of the same family who kidnapped and tortured a couple they falsely suspected of murdering a widow have been jailed in what police described as the worst case of vigilantism they have seen.
The victims, who have been given new identities and cannot be named for legal reasons, were held against their will and subjected to severe beatings by the group as they attempted to extract confessions for the alleged killing.They even, amazingly enough, rang the police to hear the confession they were - at that very moment! - beating out of them!
What could explain such a disregard for the law?
The attacks happened after 75-year-old Gertrude Frankham - widow of leading travellers’ rights campaigner Eli Frankham - was found dead in her bed in Walpole St Andrew, Norfolk, in December 2012.Oh ho! That's what we call a clue. Isn't it?
Speaking to local newspaper the Lynn News after her mother’s death, Violet Chilton said: 'I will fight until the day I die for justice. She was our queen and she deserves justice.'And that's another....
Passing sentence, Judge Holt said some of the family still believe Mrs Frankham was murdered. He further added: 'This is a family that believed it was above the law and imposed its own law.'And...who do you think is responsible for encouraging them in that belief?
H/T: Dr Cromarty in comments
Stone me, what a pack of munters!
ReplyDeleteIs it only me had the banjo music from 'Deliverance' going through my head looking at those photos?
Being pikey shit and a protected species, they'll probably be let out early because of being 'misunderstood' and that.
Was hoping you might have seen this horror story :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10737141/Former-Sunday-school-teacher-cleared-of-racially-abusing-travellers.html
Nothing surprises me in this country anymore.
As soon as I saw this story I thought 'Pikey' and not surprisingly I was correct.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting facet of that story is that the copyright is Albanpix, although those pictures look like police property to me.
ReplyDeleteAlbanpix are quite cheeky about claiming a fee through claiming agency of pictures it has not in fact taken. This includes old scans from magazines and Streetview.
"Is it only me had the banjo music from 'Deliverance' going through my head looking at those photos?"
ReplyDeleteNope!
"Was hoping you might have seen this horror story "
Oh, indeed. Another one who 'doesn't blame the police', ffs!
"Albanpix are quite cheeky about claiming a fee through claiming agency of pictures it has not in fact taken. This includes old scans from magazines and Streetview. "
I shall watch out for them!
Regarding Eli Frankham junior, the late husband of Vanessa, convicted, I believe, in the recent case:-
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/apr/26/tonymartin.ukcrime2