Words No Longer Mean What They Used To....

Mr Stephenson - described as a happy, carefree “rock” for his family, and a boy with a “really big heart” - was found dead at the scene in a trench by roadworks.

Another angle in hevven....

His mother had said to him hours earlier: “Don’t take the bike out tonight my lad. Be a good lad for your mam.”

He said: “I won’t mam.”

Oh, it's like the death of little Nell..!

Prosecutor Richard Bennett said: “Unfortunately, Sonny ignored his mother’s advice that night.”

He rode the Yamaha Diversion, modified with false plates, a loud engine and no front lights or back brakes, while wearing a balaclava and casual clothes but without protective clothing or a crash helmet.

A boy with 'a really big heart', but not, clearly, two brain cells to rub together.

And his appointment in Samarra fast approaching in the form of one totally fed-up citizen.

Peter Makepeace QC, defending, said: “He accepts that he is fully, completely and solely responsible to blame for that death.

“His actions were unbelievably stupid, unbelievably reckless and grossly criminal.”

And one might ask why he didn't leave it up to the police, who are paid to resolve anti-social behaviour. One might ask, indeed...

But he didn't.

He said Buckworth acted after feelings of “powerlessness”, community concern and distress built up in the preceding months over misuse of powerful motorbikes converted into “joy-riding tools”.

One might think that the police should be targeting these sorts of criminals. One might think, indeed...

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, said the sentence might “satisfy no-one” and could never compensate for the loss or help overcome the grief.

He said Buckworth - described as a normal, decent, hard-working family man with two children - was affected by anti-social behaviour and acted under a degree of provocation.

But he told him: “Nothing could have justified what you did.

“What you did was to decide to teach him a lesson.

“This was not an impulsive act. There was some thought given to what you did.”

Whereas there was no thought given to anything by Sonny, ever. Or by Sonny's useless 'parents'.

Yet his departure from the world is considered 'a great loss'. And this verdict is considered 'justice'.

I think I need a new dictionary.