Tweet Of The Month

A bit of a bumper crop again!

Post Title Of The Month

Bill Sticker on the Peta loons:

Quote Of The Month

Bucko on an interesting twist of the Chris Kaba affair: 

And now:

Chris Kaba's cousin leaves job as Croydon school teacher to 'campaign for justice' full-time

It's funny that. Campaigning for justice is not actually a job, let alone a full time job. It certainly doesn't pay any wages. So how is this altruistic campainger for the opressed and downtrodden, plan to put food on the table? 

Mr Bosela has also started a fundraiser explaining: "The campaign has been and will continue to be lengthy, costly and traumatic for those involved. Due to this, the target goal will be adjusted accordingly to compensate for this and to support the campaigners in their ongoing endeavour to bring the culprits to justice.

Of course! He's going to live off donations to his 'campaigning for justice and not sitting on my arse smoking weed' fund

Post Of The Month

Fahrenheit211 on the troubles in Leicester...

The Culture Wars Are Yours To Lose, Harris...

...and the first shots have been fired:

Philip Pullman has called for an external review of the Society of Authors (SoA), the UK’s largest trade union for writers, illustrators and translators. Earlier this year he stepped down as president of the organisation because he felt he “would not be free to express [his] personal opinion”.

External reviews can throw up all sorts of things... 

In a letter he wrote to the SoA’s council and published by Private Eye this week, Pullman said he resigned because he “felt that the Society did not support me when I was criticised by those who were attacking” Clanchy and her book.

“Instead of looking at the issue calmly, the society (through the management committee and its chair) immediately adopted a position of self-righteous neutrality (as it seemed to me), though more self-righteous than neutral,” the letter continued.

And now Clanchy too has come out swinging. I need to order more popcorn! 

It's A Great Idea, Therese...

GPs must offer same day appointments to their sickest patients or face being named and shamed in league tables, Therese Coffey will say today.

But aren't you gambling on their ability to feel any shame? 

Do you think the people who were quite happy to let shivering elderly patients queue up outside the surgeries in winter while the dragons manning the front desk gossipped before eventually hauling their lard arses out of their warm seat and trundling to the door to admit one - or more likely, turn them away - are capable of it? 

The people who feel no shame at hanging this sort of sign up? Interestingly, it's now been taken down...

This will let patients compare their GP’s performance with others nearby and potentially move to one offering a faster service.

That's assuming there's one in the area that's better... 

The Royal College of GPs said last night Miss Coffey had failed to consult it on the changes, which it warned would add to doctors’ workload and have a ‘minimal impact’ on patient care.

Oh, boo hoo! You failed to consult your patients before shutting up shop, didn't you? 

Miss Coffey will also change funding rules so practices can recruit extra staff, allowing GPs to focus on care and freeing up 1million extra appointments a year. And pharmacies will be empowered to manage more medicines without a prescription, which could free up an additional 2million GP consultations.

Better. But how about cutting that funding for lower performing surgeries instead? 

Certain About One...

...but not the other? Why else the use of inverted commas? 

Pro-Putin and Tommy Robinson-aligned group 'Patriots for Britain' held an anti-immigration march at Parliament Square from midday. Anti-fascists (known as 'Antifa'), meanwhile, gathered at nearby Marsham Street to protest at the Home Office just yards away.

And now it's reversed! 

McGinnis tweeted last week: 'The Globalist banks are dragging us into a war with Russia.' His group, which also has links to Britain First, supports withdrawing from the 1951 Refugee Convention.

So what? 

NHP supports imprisoning illegal immigrants for three years and removing migrants from social housing waiting lists.

Both proposals are violations of the Refugee Convention, the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights, which was written in part by Churchill himself.

Again, so what? When that was drawn up, the world was a vastly different place. Why must this remain in aspic, preserved forever, when other legislation is being torn up willy-nilly around the world? 

Bringing Them To Heel...

Sussex Police released a humiliating apology for defending the gender of a legally male paedophile online, after the Home Secretary said the force should be focusing on 'catching criminals' not 'policing pronouns'.

Well done, Suella! Now do the same with the MSM:

Dixon, who was born John Stephen Dixon, was convicted of 30 counts of indecent assaulted which took place in the late 1980s and 1990s before she transitioned. The youngest of Dixon’s victims was just seven years old at the time.

Stop referring to these people as 'she'. He's a man, and regardless of surgery or a legal document, will always be a man. 

Oh, and since it doesn't have that legal document.... 

The court trying Dixon had heard there was no Gender Recognition Certificate changing their sex from male to female.

And have a word with your counterpart in the justice department, eh, Suella? 

A jury took 17.5 hours to find Dixon - who will do 18 years' time in a women's prison -guilty on the charges, and not guilty on three more.

This is not a woman. So why is he in a women's prison? Get a grip! 

A Worrying Time For Parents...

The 59-year-old teacher told The Mail on Sunday he was concerned that the ‘out-of-the-blue’ request amounted to social transition, which could put the teen on a pathway to irreversible medical treatments.

‘I wanted at least to make sure that my student had parental support and was making an informed decision,’ he said. ‘As a parent myself, I would have been furious if my child had taken this step and I hadn’t been told anything.’

Because the school isn't named, and now every parent in Swindon will be wondering if this is their daughter. 

Mr Lister said he was ‘gobsmacked’ when he approached the safeguarding officers and was told the parents would not be informed about the student’s wish to identify as male in the classroom.

The school’s guide to supporting transitioning students states that staff should ‘maintain confidentiality and only tell others about the person’s trans status with their permission’.

Has anyone ever read anything to utterly bonkers? What, exactly, do they think they are 'safeguarding'? 

Last month the then Attorney General, Suella Braverman, said the law was clear that under-18s could not legally change their gender, meaning schools were under no legal obligation to address children by a new pronoun.

Mr Kruger, MP for Devizes, Wiltshire, said: ‘I am very concerned that a school agreed to affirm a child’s transgender identity without parental consent.’

A spokesman for the school said: ‘We are unable to comment.’

You should be commenting. To your lawyers.  

Maybe She Should Have To Live Next Door To The Judge..?

A woman who beat up her neighbours in a "ferocious and unprovoked attack" has been spared jail after pleading guilty to two counts of assault and criminal damage.

Sheleta McKenzie, 39, of Carslake Road in Putney, appeared stony faced as Judge Anne Brown sentenced her to an 18-month community order on Wednesday at Kingston Crown Court.

'Stony-faced'..? Does that just mean she didn't celebr... 

Yikes! 

McKenzie had been forced to live in Croydon after she was arrested, as part of bail conditions, but defence lawyer Charles Digby pleaded for her to be allowed back to her home of 23 years rather than be forced out by a restraining order.

Hah, like that's going to be allo... 

One of McKenzie's victims, Helena Perestrello, was inconsolable as she learned her attacker would return to live next door.

*speechless* 

McKenzie was slapped with a restraining order (Ed; As well as being beaten with the ugly stick..?) - while staying at home - which means she could be resentenced with jail time if the long-feuding neighbours begin warring again. She was also handed 15 days of rehabilitation and mandatory mental health treatment which she meekly agreed to comply with as the judge demanded a verbal response.

Presumably because one wasn't forthcoming? Such contempt for a court bending over backwards to be lenient to an undeserving cause once again... 

She also managed to avoid paying compensation of around £1,000 after the judge deemed it would place her under further financial strain as a mum on benefits of around £1,100 a month, which goes towards rent, bills, student debt and feeding herself and her son.

Why not give her a handful of fivers from the poor box while you're at it? 

Mrs Perestrello appeared visibly distressed by this ruling.

As, no doubt, were all the taxpayers reading this.... 

And We Wonder Why They Take A Knee...

A new police recruit was granted permission to take an 8in snail to work in order to help calm his nerves - but it has since died.

*blinks* 

It is believed that West Midlands Police did not receive a complaint because officers were prepped with an unofficial 'wellness' policy that was put in place in an attempt to make sure recruits got through their training.

Why would we want them to? If they can't cope with the training, home they go!  

The rookie officer has since left the force...

Whew! Dodged a bullet there. 

Wait! 

In the latest revelations coming out of the force, sources also revealed that a female officer was permitted to cover her head with a blanked (sic) at her desk as a coping mechanism for her anxiety.

Oh, FFS!!! 

'Ello, 'Ello, 'Ello...

....what's goin' on 'ere, then?

Police chiefs have been told to spend less time on ‘diversity’ and concentrate on fighting crime by new Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

In a letter to chief constables, she reprimanded forces for failing to tackle offences such as burglary, car theft, graffiti and drugs. Her intervention amounted to a call for a ‘back to basics’ approach to policing.

Seems Suella has hit the ground running as well! 

She said the letter was intended to ‘set out my key priorities for the police and our crime-cutting agenda’.

Let's hope they listen. They didn't to Priti, did they? 

The Home Secretary also set out how she wants to increase the number of suspects who are charged with crimes. Latest official figures show crime soared 14 per cent last year to 12.9million offences in England and Wales, but the number of offenders brought to justice slumped to a record low of just one in 16.

I might take issue with the idea that 'justice' is what a lot of them are brought to, but it's a good start, again. Can Liz Truss's Cabinet keep this momentum up? 

We'll see.

It's A Start...

...but it's a welcome one to clip the militant unions' wings:

Trade unions will be forced to put pay offers to a vote among their members as Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng plans a fresh crackdown on crippling strikes. In his 'emergency Budget' this morning, Mr Kwarteng announced new laws to ensure industrial action can only take place once talks between employers and unions 'have genuinely broken down'.

And there's more... 

Mr Kwarteng said: 'Other European countries have minimum service levels to stop militant trade unions closing down transport networks during strikes.

'So we will do the same. And we will go further.

'We will legislate to require unions to put pay offers to a member vote, to ensure strikes can only be called once negotiations have genuinely broken down.'

Why wasn't this done before, one wonders? 

Former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who was sacked by new Prime Minister Liz Truss this month, welcomed the Chancellor's announcement.

'This is one of the items from my 16-point-plan I presented this summer for tackling "forever strikes" and means four of the measures are now underway,' the ex-Cabinet minister said.

Ah. Well, maybe you wouldn't be an 'ex-Cabinet Minister' if you'd moved it up your plan a bit, eh, Grant? 

Freudian Slip..?

*tuts* Really, estate agents, can't you spe...

Oh. Never mind. 

No Wonder She Managed It...

...what could a tiger do against a woman who's half-animal herself?

Sunday Funnies...

Nature, infinitely strange for eons...

Sentences That Make You Wonder....

A 16-year-old boy is among three people charged today with the murder and rape of a father-of-one in Rotherham.

...what century and society you're living in. I had to read that twice.

Adam Clapham, 31, who had a young daughter, was found dead on Spring Street on the day of the Queen's funeral after concern for welfare reports at around 10.48am.

On Monday, officers rushed to the scene where they found the 31-year-old unresponsive and confirmed him dead.

Robert Crookes, 31, of no fixed address, Lynette Myers, 38, of Hounsfield Crescent, Rotherham, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, have all been charged with murder.

They also faced allegations of false imprisonment, a section 18 grievous bodily harm offence and oral rape when they appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court today.

*speechless* 

Dare We Hope..?

...that we actually have a conservative government worthy of the name at last?

'I don't think it's a bleak picture - if you look at unemployment, that's at a 50-year low,' he said, adding that tax cuts were ‘central to solving the riddle of growth’ as he set a target for boosting GDP after years of ‘stagnation’.

Business chiefs welcomed the measures, with the CBI saying there was ‘no choice but to go for growth’ - while former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft said that with the Chancellor's mini-Budget it 'seems after 12 years to have a Conservative government'.

Watch this space. And watch what Labour does. Because they are now pushed into a position where they have to argue that allowing people more of their own money to spend as they wish is somehow a bad thing... 

All Back To 'Normal' Now..?

So much for the State Funeral uniting everyone:

A father, aged 46, who has a son at the school told Yorkshire Live: 'It was a scary moment when I heard there had been trouble and a teacher answered my 14-year-old son's phone. I understand he may have witnessed some of what happened.

'I was asked by staff to come and collect him. I've heard that it all came out of nowhere. This pupil was grabbed, pinned to the floor and stabbed repeatedly.'

And is now dead. Just another statistic. His murderer is 16. And we can't know his name, although we know that of his victim (Khayri), and his victim's girlfriend (Shyana), who are both white. 

Draw your own conclusions... 

Another father, whose daughter is at the school, said something 'needs to be done' about the rise in crime in the area, adding: 'My daughter just started there and was getting on bus home. Lad in black hat and snood jumped out on a pupil and stabbed him and ran off.

'She saw the scuffle but didn't see the knife or blood. The bus had just pulled up as it happened so blocked some of the incident - she seems OK but still processing it I think. It's only her third week or so at this new school.'

He added that the area was starting to 'feel like a crime drama.'

They usually end with a stiff sentence for the guilty party. Not so real life... 

Nobody Would, Mr Smith...

Essla shouted: “I’ll kill you” and the Arabic phrase 'Allahu Akbar' before running across the road towards the victim, who had a newborn baby in a pushchair, and another woman.

As she approached the women Essla lifted her arm and swung the knife at the second woman, striking her on the shoulder. Essla then slashed the mother, who is in her thirties, three times on the lower part of her arm in a “stabbing motion” causing three separate cuts, said Wayne Cleaver, prosecuting.

Yes, it's this case.  

Mr Smith, 63, said his daughter-in-law has been left frightened to leave her home following the attack. “She’s a nice girl and has never been in any trouble in her life, she just plods along and loves her kids,” he said.

“I have to thank the police for responding so quickly and members of the public who stepped in the way to prevent her coming to further harm.

Mr Smith added: “However, I hardly call this sentence given to the attacker a deterrent.”

Oh oh! Surely not..? 

She was given 16 months detention in a Young Offenders’ Institution suspended for two years and a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement. She was also banned from contacting the victims of the offences and from going within a mile of Forest Road until further order.

*speechless* Those reports must have been amazing....

Another 'Innocent Man' Gets In The Wrong Car..?

The inquest also heard a pen portrait of Mr Yaqub from his partner Zoe Summers, the mother of his two children, who were six months old and 11 at the time of his death.

She told the court: 'I always felt lucky to have Yassar in my life, especially as we got older.

'He had such a kind, loving nature and only wanted the best for people around him.'

A tribute from the couple's daughter Jasmine added: 'I miss my dad more than anything.

'His presence made me so happy, I wanted to be around him forever but now all I have are memories and pictures, which I will hold on to forever.

'My dad would always encourage me to focus on my dreams but since he passed away it's very hard to, especially in school.'

Mr Yaqub's father Mohammed told the hearing his son was 'well respected in the community and never out of employment'. He fought back tears as he said: 'He was a natural father, he loved (his children) with his whole heart and taught them to be kind to others.'

Gosh, what a saint he was! So...why was he shot twice in the chest by an armed cop during a hard stop?

The judge said: 'It will not surprise you to learn that the event of stopping the Audi and Volkswagen did not just happen out of the blue.

'You will hear the police had been interested for some time in Mr Yaqub before January 2, 2017.

'You will hear they had been receiving police intelligence about his activities. They had built up a picture of him.'

Hmmm... 

A handgun, bullets and a silencer were later found during a search of the car.

QED. So the only real question is - why are we wasting money on an inquest?

New Inventions Are Sometimes Worthwhile...

Tattoos are notoriously painful and take hours to administer, as they require repeatedly piercing the skin's top layer with a sharp needle covered with pigment. But the microneedles can be pressed into the skin just once and then dissolve, leaving the ink in the skin after a few minutes without bleeding.

Oh, no! Will chavs around the world rejoice and plan their avoidance of work forever? 

Well, no. This has genuinely useful practical applications for people with no desire to recreate 'The Illustrated Man': 

The new tattoo patch has been designed for medical tattoos, which can be used to cover up scars, guide repeated cancer radiation treatments, restore nipples after breast surgery and much more. Tattoos also can be used instead of bracelets as medical alerts to communicate serious medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy or allergies.

Of course, it won't stop there, will it? 

Professor Prausnitz told MailOnline that the patch could also administer normal, recreational, artistic tattoos too. 'We envision their use for medical, veterinary and cosmetic, recreational, artistic purposes,' he said. 'Microneedle patches simplify access to tattoos in general by reducing required expertise, pain and cost.'

*sighs* 

Is It Possible He's Even Worse Than Dick..?

He certainly hit the ground running. And now he's picking up speed:

Scotland Yard’s new Commissioner is consulting officers over a proposal to make every constable swear allegiance to King Charles III. Under UK law, all serving police officers must take the oath in which they swear to truly serve the monarch with ‘fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality’.

Wait, surely they don't have to do it over again? 

Reader, of course not... 

There is no requirement for existing officers, who swore allegiance to the Queen, to retake the oath because it passes to the heir in the event of death.

So why, in the midst of taking over a new role when his officers are about to revolt over his craven acquiescence to the demands of race hustlers and are being stabbed in the streets by maniacs, is he - you should pardon the pun - dicking around with something like this? 

The Commissioner, who is embarking on a period of major reform at the Met, told rank and file officers that he had found it ‘very powerful’ when he was sworn back into office as he took the helm at Britain’s biggest police force on Monday.

The man's ego is far bigger even than his predecessor's if he thinks for one moment that this is something that should take up valuable police time in the coming months. Not to mention the time it will take from the magistrates who have to administer the oath.

When Do You Ever..?

The unannounced felling of two memorial trees on an avenue in Cromer has led to an apology from Norfolk County Council (NCC).

The council, of course, claimed they had to come down because they were diseased.  

Chris Alston, the NCC's highway area manager, said: "Norfolk County Council would like to offer their sincere apologies for the distress caused by the removal of the two memorial trees and for the lack of advance notice to you, as residents, councillor Tim Adams, and Cromer Town Council.

"We will aim to learn from this mistake and ensure that any future such works include advance notice to Cromer Town Council, the local elected member, and residents in the future."

I notice it's only an aim, and not a guarantee... 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

What's The Swedish Equivalent Of Popcorn..?

Apparently, the 'far right' *pause for laughter* is taking over in Sweden. And Gina isn't taking it well:

It might be tempting to draw the conclusion that the progressive Pippi Longstockings are dying out in Sweden, while a new generation of aggressive conservatives is taking over. But rather than reflecting any drastic shift in the liberal ethos of Swedes, the election results reveal a more uncomfortable truth: that perhaps Sweden’s supposed liberalism was never that deep to begin with.

Well, of course. I mean, it couldn't possibly be that even the most liberal of them have woken up and smelled the coffee, could it? 

Since then, the main representatives of such “dreaded” difference – immigrants and their descendants – have come to constitute a quarter of the population. But many “native” Swedes do not typically mix with them – and flee their neighbourhoods if they move in.

It's hardly surprising; who wants to live in a neighbourhood where the sounds of gunfire and bombing fill the air? 

Then there is an unemployment rate among the foreign-born population of almost 20%. Sweden has also seen a surge in shootings and organised crime over the last year.

Feel the enrichment! 

The reasons behind the increase in crime are complex – class and social exclusion play an important role – but the result is a political and media debate that focuses on the supposed values or cultures of immigrants themselves.

These sort of values and cultures? When your own values and culture prevent you from resolving mistakes like others have started to, what else to do, but change the people at the top for ones that promise to do so? 

What we are seeing in Sweden might, then, not be a newly awakened belligerence, but the result of a longstanding desire for conformity. For what triggers the authoritarian mindset is exactly the narrative that “we” have somehow lost “our unity”. This popular myth in Sweden, together with a widespread fear of difference, is what was most likely to have contributed to the worrying election results in my country.

It's not a 'fear of difference', it's a realisation of that difference, and of the fact that - far from integrating into Swedish culture - a sizeable majority want to continue that culture they enjoyed in the homeland.  

Look, You'll Just Have To Put Up With Their Funny Ways With Scones...

...we all know it should be jam first, not cream first!

A man in his late 20s, from Eritrea, an East African country devastated by years of civil war, stopped to talk to DevonLive as he was walking with a friend near the seafront.

He complained about the food they had been given during their week-long stay, and claimed occupants were going hungry as no one had yet started receiving their £8.24 weekly allowance.

Really? Reader, no. Of course not: 

The Home Office is paying for full board, with 24-hour on-site support and security.

And if the food doesn't suit, you can always bugger off back to Eritrea. Or France.  

The first man, who had reached England by boat from Calais, said that the residents had given the authorities a week to sort out the problems or they would hold a protest in the car park outside.

When is the Home Office going to get a grip? Priti proved pretty useless, with Suella prove a braver (wo)man? 

H/T: IanJ via email 

In Memorium...

This will be the only blogpost today.

'Rodents Of Unusual Size', Indeed!

Errr, that's not a rat, Jemma, sorry...

H/T: IanJ via email

What Exactly Could They Do To Help?

Raise him from the dead?

Sunday Funnies...

Given the level of dentistry in that period, I'm not so sure No 4 really qualifies!

How Low Have Harvard Fallen...?

Scientists in China say it's very unlikely that the oblong Oumuamua asteroid that zipped into our solar system is an alien spacecraft - despite the claims of a controversial Harvard professor to the contrary.

Never mind that, what are its pronouns? 

Harvard physicist Avi Loeb wrote in his 2021 study of the object's potential origins: 'Each of these natural-origin models has major quantitative shortcomings, and so the possibility of an artificial origin for Oumuamua must be considered. Oumuamua’s anomalies suggest that it might have been a thin craft - with a large area per unit mass - pushed by the reflection of sunlight.'

Imagine getting schooled by the Chinese... 

A new peer-reviewed study by a group of Chinese scientists analyzes the data we have about Oumuamua to poke holes in Loeb's claim about how such an alien craft could be moving through space.

Once a revered institution, now a clown car full of lunatics... 

Actually, I Think You're Wrong...

A mum has spoken out about how she can't find employment because she is 'addicted' to getting tattoos.

That seems a bit unfair, what's a few... 

Oh.

Mum-of-two Melissa Sloan says she can't land herself a job due to her extreme look - but that won't stop her from getting more designs, admitting she currently gets three new 'prison style' inks a week.

The 45-year-old from Wales has ink all over her body, including bold designs with flowers and an England flag all over her face. She says her inkings are mainly done in a "prison style" by her boyfriend at home.

We don't get a picture of the boyfriend, and Reader, I think that's all for the best, don't you? 

"I can't get a job. They won't have me. I applied for a job cleaning toilets where I live and they won’t have me because of my tattoos.

The first job I had was cleaning ages ago, cleaning toilets. People have said I have never had a job in my life, I have had one once and it didn't last long."

Never had a job, yet has raised two children, clothed herself, clearly not starved, all on no income save what the state gives her. Is it me, or are the tattoos not really the issue here? 

H/T: IanJ via email

Predators Usually Have To Work A Lot Harder For Prey...

Lisa Wilding KC, defending Matturie, suggested what happened between them was, “consensual, willing and enthusiastic” sex, not rape.

Sure, sure. Is there any proof of th...

Oh, 

The woman denied this, claiming the incident left her feeling “shamed and disgusted”. Wilding continued: “When you and he had sex ... you and he filmed that sex. You know that you and he had a discussion beforehand, words to the effect: ‘Let’s make our own little movie’.”

The witness replied: “No. I wouldn’t do that.” Wilding said: “He had his phone right in front of you all the time you and he were having sex.”

The woman replied: “I was not aware of that.” Wilding said: “You looked directly at the camera more than once, enjoying what you were doing?” The woman, who became tearful, replied: “No.”

As I - and other - said over at Tim Worstall's post on this, how on earth did the CPS overlook this video? 

The defence barrister said the woman would be asked to look at some images. The hearing was then adjourned and when court resumed after lunch, Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, told the court that the prosecution was not now seeking guilty verdicts on alleged sexual offences involving the 19-year-old complainant.

Whoops! 

Prosecutors have alleged Mendy is a “predator”.

Wow, with a hit rate better than that of the black footed cat! Of course, mice don't waltz into its jaws, do they? 

And it seems the CPS didn't pick any winners out of the rest of the bunch either.... 

Doing More For The Image Of The Police...

...than a million rainbow-painted patrol cars:

A Met Police officer has been praised for his approachable and professional behaviour after he was filmed posing for photos with members of the public who were queuing to see the Queen lying-in-state.

PC Kehinde Meshe, from Croydon, was captured on BBC cameras as he interacted with mourners queuing through central London yesterday, ahead of Westminster Hall being opened to the public.

The officer passed his hat to passersby so they could pose for a quintessentially 'British' photo and even joined them for a selfie.

That's true 'community relations', Sir Mark. Not reflexively cringing in the face of the usual suspects when one of your officers has done his job. 

Another Triumph For The World Of Social Work...

A teenager has been jailed for fatally stabbing a 16-year-old boy. Dylan Holliday was knifed 13 times in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, in August 2021.

Jamal Waddell, 17, was convicted of manslaughter...

Wait, what?!? 

...in August and was sentenced to 12 years in prison with four on licence at Coventry Crown Court on Wednesday.

Waddell, who can be named after the judge lifted an anonymity order, was also convicted of grievous bodily harm against Dylan's friend and of possession of a knife. He was handed 18 months for each offence, which will run concurrently to the manslaughter sentence.

Why the hell not consecutively? What's the point? This is as pointless as charging Couzens with indecent exposure when he's already doing bird for murder... 

Can it get any worse?

Reader, hold that thought:

The court heard the defendant, originally from Wellingborough and who turns 18 next month, had carried knives regularly from the age of 12.

It heard on the day of the attack, social workers had dropped him off in the town and were unaware he was armed.

*sighs* 

Waddell claimed Dylan was "swinging" an arm that was in a cast and that he struck out at the 16-year-old to "keep him away from me".

That might have worked for one knife wound. It's not going to fly with thirteen... 

Det Sup Joe Banfield, from Northamptonshire Police, said: "Sadly, this case once again demonstrates the danger of knives and Northamptonshire Police will continue to work relentlessly to remove these deadly weapons from our streets."

And the courts and social workers will work equally relentlessly to send them back to the streets. 

Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership said Dylan's killing would be subject to a child safeguarding practice review.

Ah. A whitewash in which everyone involved is absolved of responsibility, you mean? 

H/T: IanJ via email

A Few Things Missing From This Story...

Watson, 37, was taken into custody following the incident and was caught in possession of a lock knife and drugs when he was searched by officers.

He went on to admit charges of possession of a knife blade and or sharp pointed article in a public place and possession of a controlled drug of class B.

But during sentencing this week, Watson was on the receiving end of high praise from Judge Shane Collery.

No, not another barmy judge - for once! The 'incident' referred to was something quite different to what you might think... 

Judge Collery said: “It’s an unusual case and in many ways the public should be thanking him for his actions that day.

“I think you deserve that thanks, you didn’t know the guns were fake and you thought there was a real risk to the public.

“It was a brave thing to do.

“You and another man were going past on bikes and saw this man with the firearms and stopped and challenged. At the time, police saw that there was a tussle as you were trying to get the arms off him.”

And were the police grateful for this help from the public, as they always claim? Reader, this is Essex Police, and they were not... 

The court was told Watson had been summoned to crown court because he had originally been charged with affray. However, the charge was dropped.

Presumably even the CPS realised their chances of getting a conviction were slim once the jury heard the full details, if the idiot plod low-hanging fruit pickers didn't!

Watson was handed an absolute discharge for the knife possession and a £20 fine for carrying the drugs. He was also ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge.

We aren't told what the nutter carrying the two fake firearms in public got. I mean, even Essex Police aren't so useless they didn't charge him, surely? 

You Spelled 'Loonies' Wrong...

Teenage girls with ‘invisible illnesses’ are posting upsetting videos of themselves online which generate thousands of likes as part of a new community – called ‘Spoonies’.

Thousands of teens are banding together on social media as part of the movement, which also encourages them to lie to doctors in order to get the diagnosis that they want.

Hmmm, sounds familiar.

Experts say that while 'functional disease is a real and chronic problem' it is often not the one the teens 'think they have.' Dr. Katie Kompoliti, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center, told Commonsense News: ‘It’s generated by anxiety in most cases, or another comorbidity, and then propagated by the ease of TikTok.’

This is the modern equivalent of 'I saw Goody Proctor with the Devil!' isn't it? Only instead of being confined to rural isolated bored young girls and spread by gossip, it now reaches all around the world in the blink of an eye...

Others claim that they are suffering from ‘medical gaslighting’, which includes being told by your doctor to lose weight to help your condition. Some of them also make money off of their platforms, of which some have hundreds of thousands of followers, by using it to promote offers for glasses or supplements.

The confluence of publicity and money - no wonder it's spreading!

Dr. Mark Sullivan, a psychiatrist at the University of Washington Medical Center, is concerned that the internet has created ‘communities of grievance’ that led patients to adopt ‘victim mentalities.’

For once, a medical professional is right on the money. The question is, what can be done about it? I'm not one of those to demand curbs on technology (as if that could really be achieved) but it does seem to be a major vector for this disease...

I'm Betting The Crowd Already Knew, Liz...

...so not sure the complaint of 'outing' has any legs:

Elizabeth Wright, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said McConnell's comments had 'crossed the line'.

She added: 'People have the right to hold opinions and express their views.

'But when words cross the line between a legitimate expression of religious views, and become distressing and threatening, the CPS will prosecute offenders if our legal test is met.

'In this case, by repeatedly referring to the female victim as "this gentleman" and "a man in woman’s clothing", using a microphone in a public place, McConnell’s comments crossed the line between a legitimate expression of his religious views, to become a distressing and threatening personal attack.'

Meanwhile, in Leeds:  

Members of the public and local businesses in Leeds raised concerns of hate speech from people who try to convert others to religion in the city centre.

It led to the Labour-run local council teaming up with West Yorkshire Police to issue a new code of conduct and tell preachers they are committed to respecting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) Article 10 rights to freedom of expression of all, but 'recognise that this is a qualified right and may be limited to prevent disorder or crime.'

And it seems the definition of 'disorder and crime' is now expanded to include being told something you don't want to hear. 

And let's be clear here - this is a legitimate freedom of speech question, and not in any way equitable to the people approached by police, usually for their own safety, shouting anti-monarchist rhetoric in the middle of a crowd of mourners lining the late Queen's funeral cortege. 

I see no contradiction between the two, and at any other time, don't believe the police should move in on them, either.

Meet The New Boss...

...every bit as craven in the face of professional agitators as the old boss: 

On Monday evening Met Police Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson said: 'This decision has been reached following careful consideration of a number of factors, including the significant impact on public confidence, and in light of the Independent Office for Police Conduct announcing a homicide investigation.

'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Mr Kaba's family and friends.

'We understand how concerned communities are, particularly black communities, and thank those who are working closely with our local officers.'

This is presumably with the full backing of Dick's replacement, Sir Mark Rowley. So I guess once again, we have a total dick at the helm.

Well, I Dunno, Dr Helen...

...maybe put some of that two years of practice in shutting down and not seeing patients to use? 

And if the NHS wants to run itself as a business, shouldn't it have a business continuity plan for unforeseen events?

Yes, Andrew's Really Doing That....

...and he's doing it splendidly!

'Are you really denying what I just said about British colonialism?' an exasperated Velshi asked his guest. 'Andrew, are you really doing that?'

You bet he is! 

As Roberts continues to say the UK abolished slavery more than 30 years before the United States did, Velshi seems to become more upset telling him: 'Andrew this is not a propaganda show,' and 'Andrew I need you to stop!

'I need you to stop for a second,' he interrupts his guest. 'Are you really taking issue with the horrors of colonialism?' he asks, to which Roberts replies: 'I'm taking issue with your remarks about slavery, which we abolished 32 years before you did. 'We didn't have to kill 600,000 people in a civil war over it,' he added.

Boom!  

But Velshi was not giving up.

Bitter, and ignorant, and not aware when he's been totally bested. Boy, can MSNBC pick 'em! 

'So you think that that's fine, that there are people all over the world who are born in colonial countries?' he asked. 'Because when I was born, the British Empire still existed. 'And that's OK for everybody to say.'

Roberts, though, asked Velshi which country he was born in, and when Velshi said he was born in Kenya, Roberts noted that 'the Kenyans not only supported the appointment of Prince Charles, now King Charles, as the head of the Commonwealth, we've [also] just had a fantastic statement from the president of Kenya saying what a wonderful thing —' Velshi then interrupted to note that President Biden is also going to the Queen's funeral, to which Roberts asked: 'Then why on Earth do you want to concentrate on the only negative things of an institution, which is 100 years ago now?'

TKO! That's what it is to get schooled on national tv!

He went on to interview chip-on-the-shoulder 'academics' like Kehinde Andrews, who told him what he wanted to hear. Bet he wished he'd only had him on...

'Paying Your Respects' - Yr Doin' It Wrong...

Kye Dennis, 25, of Fforestfach, was found not guilty following a trial at Swansea Crown Court. He was one of three men who bought an old black Vauxhall Astra for £250, hours before it was used in a riot in the Mayhill area of the city on May 20 last year. The Astra and a silver Ford Ka were set alight and rolled down Waun Wen Road during the disorder, which was sparked by the sudden death of 19-year-old Ethan Powell.

Yes, it's this incident.  

Dennis denied wrongdoing and said he was only there to “pay his respects” to Mr Powell during a vigil that later turned violent.

The defendant, who ran a recovery and scrap business, collected the car in Carmarthen and took it to Swansea but had no idea what was going to happen to it.

Right, yeah, sure... 

Before the verdict was returned, Judge Paul Thomas QC warned those sat in the public gallery that the jury’s decision “must be met with silence”.

But one member of the public was ordered to the cells over the lunch adjournment after ignoring the warning.

Was he a resident angry at the verdict? Reader, he was not... 

He was later brought back to court and, addressing the judge, said: “I am sorry for what happened just now. I didn’t mean for it to come out. It just came out by accident.

“One of my good friends was in the dock and his children are at home and stuff and we got a good result.”

Society didn't, but what would someone like you understand about that? 

The judge said he accepted his apology and would not take the matter further. “I would suggest that if you are in this position again, you may not find a judge who is as lenient as I am with the matter,” he said.

Oh, I'm betting if he played the odds, he'd hit the jackpot again... 

"Where were you when the world stopped turning?"

I'll certainly never forget...

Let's Spin The Wheel Of Racism...

....and it's....wait for it...

...water supplies! 

No, no, not in Africa (where there must be a standpipe on every square mile of bush by now). Would you believe, the US?

The overwhelming majority of people – more than 150,000 – in the predominantly Black city have now lost access to safe running water. The situation has raised questions about the impact of underinvestment since white families abandoned the city en masse.

See, if only the whites would stay (and pay for everything), it'd be OK! 

Activists say race may be a factor.

Of course they do... 

“At the root of this crisis is systemic racism, and the local and state governments’ intentional negligence to redirect infrastructure funds that could have helped solve this issue years ago,” said the group Black Voters Matter on Thursday.

Maybe ask why the white population has emigrated to other states en masse instead? Nah. That might prompt awkward answers... 

Between 1980 and 2000, Jackson changed from a majority-white population to a majority-black population. Thousands of white people left the city in the decades after the US supreme court forced public schools and facilities to desegregate, gutting Jackson’s tax base and reducing investment in infrastructure.

But don't worry! If that state's population refuses to pay, the whole of the US will pay instead! 

The Mississippi governor, Tate Reeves, on Tuesday sent a request to Joe Biden for federal assistance to deal with the problem. Biden soon after approved a measure to have the emergency response arm of the federal government step in and provide assistance. The US government will pay for 75% of the costs of dealing with and fixing the water treatment problem for the next 90 days.

The US government doesn't have any money, of course. The bill for this will be presented to the long-suffering US taxpayer instead. 

The involvement of the state and federal governments has led to optimism that the issues will finally be addressed.

Really? I'm pretty sure Ronald Reagan had some words of wisdom to suit this situation, didn't he? 

There Will Be No Accountability Until Heads Roll...

Claire did not know what to do, to say, to think. What she does remember was that the police officers were kind.

One of them assured her that, whatever else she was facing, she need not worry about the legal process.

‘He said a man had tried to do a U-turn and gone straight into David. It was a clear-cut case of dangerous driving and there were witnesses. Justice would be done.

‘At least that was one thing I did not have to worry about.’

But you were wrong. He might have been kind, but the rest of his farce weren't. 

At Cambridge Crown Court, pensioner William Curtis, 88, was found guilty of causing death by careless driving.

No, I know what you're thinking - 'But the police did their jobs! Why are you complaining?'  

It was no thanks to Bedfordshire Police. Despite the assurances of that first officer, the force initially refused to bring charges against Curtis, suggesting to Claire that her husband had been partly to blame for the accident. This was simply not true, and was indeed challenged by the coroner at David’s inquest.

Claire, now 68, has spent the past four years challenging officers, all the way up to and including Chief Constable Garry Forsyth, and enlisting the help of her local MP.

Why? Laziness? No. Corruption. What else can you call this?

Claire discovered that the pensioner the police seemed unwilling to blame was the grandfather of a civilian police employee.

And incredibly, lying to the real victim.  

I remember asking them, tongue-in-cheek, if the old man was related, because I couldn’t see another explanation. I was told: “No, no, absolutely not.”

‘But he was, and it was subsequently confirmed that his granddaughter had emailed officers working on the case for information, and her husband had sat in on his interview.’

How are they not facing more than simply public opprobium in a national newspaper?

 I thought you chaps were interested in this sort of thing..?

The Chief Constable’s statement on the sorry affair acknowledges that Claire succeeded where his officers had failed.

‘The failings in the investigation . . . undoubtedly compounded the pain, suffering and grief that Mr Fudge’s wife and family have had to endure since his death, and I am genuinely sorry,’ he said.

‘If it had not been for their relentless campaigning there is real potential this would have slipped by and justice would have been missed. I’m so pleased that didn’t happen. We have reimbursed the cost of their private investigation, which played a key role in the matter being re-opened.’

You pay back the money and think that's the end of it? What about those officers who handled the case? 

Yet no one has been disciplined for the police failings. Claire says one of the officers involved has been promoted. Given that this whole case was about accountability, that rankles.

As you would expect.  

H/T: SadButMadLad via Twitter 

"Once, Twice, Three Times A Failure..."

....but don't worry, Commodores, medals for all, anyway!

'If the police had done their duty, we wouldn't be here today and I wouldn't have been stabbed.

'They should've been on his door in seconds.

'They waited once, twice, three times and still they did nothing.'

Even the jury looked askance at this blatent failure: 

In an extraordinary move, the jury at Hove Trial Centre wrote to the judge after convicting Bhatti to express their concerns about the police response and investigation.

Judge Henson QC said she shared their concerns and added: 'These are concerns which need to be addressed by the police and what lessons can be learned going forward.'

So, cops, what lessons did you learn? 

Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges said: 'This was an unprovoked and vicious attack on two members of the public in the street and we commend them for supporting this investigation and for their bravery.

'Two unarmed officers in separate vehicles were first on scene....

Oh, well, if they were unarmed what could the public expect them to do? They were unarmed, after all. Right? I mean, the Chief Super said so... 

...and maintained sight of the individual while awaiting firearms officers to arrive, in line with national College of Policing guidance.

'However, as the risk of immediate danger increased, the two officers on scene moved to detain the man themselves with the use of Tasers.'

Oooh, looks like he lied. They weren't unarmed after all!  

PC Ryan Oakley and Sergeant James Arrol-Barker were the first officers on the scene. In recognition of their bravery, the two officers were named as the South East regional winners of the 2022 Police Federation Bravery Awards for their actions in detaining the armed suspect.

A nice gesture would be for them to hand those awards publically to those members of the public who tackled the nutter. And an even nicer gesture would be for Priti Patel to announce an investigation into why a Chief Super is lying to the press. 

From The 'No Shit, Sherlock!' Archives...

Wow, that taxpayer money spent on supercomputers was well spent, wasn't it?

Research found that summer-like weather patterns will also lead to warmer and drier autumns from the mid-2020s.

The same 'research' that told us all to plant Mediterranean gardens five years ago, before the wettest summer we ever had? 

H/T: IanJ via email

Thanks For The Service, Ma'am...

We will never see your like again. And England is all the poorer for it..

Reunited at last...

Why Did Anyone Bother Enhancing The DDA..?

“I have been told there were people sat on the dog and trying to get it off Izzy. The dog had its jaws locked on mum’s dog and there was no getting it off until a lad who was washing a car got his jet wash hose onto the dog and then it let go.”

William was told Izzy had been taken to the vets. When he arrived he found his mother covered in the blood of their family pet and told their pet had died as a result of the attack.

And did the police act? Reader, you know the answer, don't you? 

He said: “We were told it was not a criminal offence what happened to Izzy. The dog had got hold of mum's dog and its jaw had locked and now we are waiting to hear from the police.”

The neighbours aren't happy, as well they might not be: 

A neighbour who saw Izzy’s owner on the floor grief stricken is worried for other animals and children on the street. The neighbour has claimed this is not the first time the animal has bitten other dogs.

Julie Chandler, 58 from Hardwicke said: “I am an animal lover and I do not want to think of an animal being put down but I am aware the dog has bitten other dogs before and we are concerned for children in the area. I know there has been a petition raised because there is a dangerous dog living on our street.”

What do the lazy incompetents in blue serge have to say for themselves this time? 

A Gloucestershire Police spokesperson said: “The man in charge of the dog was issued with an interim Dog Behavioural Contract pending possible court proceedings in relation to the dog being dangerously out of control. Any court proceedings would be in line with the Jack Russell owner’s wishes and the circumstances mean it would be on the basis of a civil complaint under section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871.”

1871..?!? Aren't you aware it's now 2022 and the DDA was specifically beefed up because the police whined they needed stronger powers? 

Doesn't anyone in any of the farces have to know the law anymore? 

The Animal Isn't Seen On Camera...

...oh wait, I was wrong, here it is:

After speaking to bosses at the delivery company, Mrs Ferraby has praised them for acting so quickly and sacking the driver the next day.

Good, let's hope every other delivery company has this image up on its wall to ensure this creature doesn't get hired by them. 

A spokesperson from Evri said: 'We have apologised to Mrs Ferraby and provided a gesture of goodwill.

'This was highly unacceptable behaviour and we can confirm the courier will no longer deliver on behalf of Evri.'

Let's hope he's named and shamed by the public. 

Rewatchable TV September: Firefly

Another sadly short-run show, Joss Whedon's 'Firefly' was a revelation. Space cowboys? Civil war references? Libertarians in space? What are they smoking in Hollywood? 

But stellar casting, an awesome blend of gritty realism and stunning visuals, a haunting theme and tight scripting made it a surprise hit, though not with short-sighted studio executives or tv schedulers, who did their level best to shoot it in both legs before it had even got off the starting blocks.

 

If you've never tried it, or it's glorious 'sequel', the big-screen 'Serenity', now's the time.

Hey, You're Right, In A Way...

Last night, amid all the politics, there was some other news. Armed cops ventilated a chap who'd lead them on a chase in Stretham. 

And the BBC news reports were filled with the usual suspects bewailing the actions and demanding 'justice' for a man 'about to be a father'. Although as is often the case, 'had sired a child' is far more accurate a description of his domestic affairs.

And in one sense, this moron is right. Because, just like Mark Duggan, it quickly transpired that this 'so funny, super-kind, always happy' chap is....just another criminal: 

Not that that will matter to the usual suspects as they start to rabble-rouse - I expect there'll be the usual 'march for justice' when the rain stops.

H/T: Herb Brubanter via Twitter

Choosing Your Battles...

Yesterday, a 'Daily Mail' story was tweeted out:

 

And we were off to the races! It went round the world at the speed of...well, electrons. But people should have heeded the words of Twitter, which before you retweet something in a news story or article, asks you if you want to read it first. 

Because he wasn't jailed for that. He was suspended for it (rightly or wrongly), and it was how he took that suspension and what he then did - refusing to stay away from school premises - that got him arrested and jailed. As it would have done anyone.

Frankly, he sounds more than a little unhinged. Not the free speech martyr I want to get behind. 

What's That Definition Of Madness Again..?

Isn't it 'doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting a different result'?

Police officers have said they “dread” working at Notting Hill Carnival amid calls for it to be moved to Hyde Park and become a ticketed event. Seven people were stabbed at the event on Monday evening, in what organisers called “horrifying behaviour”.

And what everyone else calls 'what other sort of behaviour did you expect?'...

“Every Tuesday after the August bank holiday, I have the same conversations about Notting Hill Carnival,” Ken Marsh, chairman of the Met Police Federation which represents rank and file officers, told The Times.

“I’ve done it year after year after year after year. It’s beyond absurd what’s going on.”

Correct! So what do you plan to do? 

Mr Marsh, along with many other police officers, believes that the event should be moved to a private open space, which would mean the police are no longer responsible for its security.

Gosh! I wish if I found part of my job really challenging, I could demand to have some other poor sod do it instead....  

Yeah, She's Barking, All Right...

A Barking woman who slashed another woman with a knife outside a pre-school in Essex will be sentenced next month.

Solie Essla, 19, of Cavendish Gardens, Barking...

That's a good old Barking name, eh..? 

...appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday (August 25). She denied wounding a woman with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but admitted a less serious offence of unlawfully wounding her.

There's the CPS again, taking the path of least resistance! Still, maybe it was a one-off inci...

She also pleaded guilty to having a knife in Forest Road, Colchester, and assaulting another woman by beating.

Oh. 

Steven Dyble for Essla, who has no previous convictions, described his client as “vulnerable”.

Funny, that sounds a lot more like the description that should be applied to the victims to me... 

Recorder Sarah Przybylska agreed to adjourn sentence on Essla until September 16 for a pre-sentence report and remanded her in custody.

*sighs* 

You Thought The Wheels Of Justice Ground Slow?

Well, try the wheels of internal investigation:

Ruby Begum, 27, was hailed an inspirational role model after footage showing her bravely confronting anti-lockdown protesters while wearing a hijab went viral two years ago.

But in the months before joining the Metropolitan Police in 2016, she used Twitter to insult Jews and mock the 9/11 attacks.

And the 'Mail' pointed this out a year ago. A complete failure of any sort of due diligence, so the Met acted swiftly. And .... wait. 

After being alerted by this newspaper, the Met referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and Miss Begum was placed on ‘restricted duties’.

Following an investigation, the Met said yesterday that she had ‘a case to answer for gross misconduct’. She now faces a hearing ‘on a date to be determined’.

‘On 9 August 2022, she was suspended from duty.’

*blinks* 

Well, You Got Something Right, Shaima...

...it was the right thing to do!

Welcoming the probe when it was announced in April, she told The Guardian: ‘The investigation is the right thing to do. I know quite a few Jewish students feel alienated.

‘This is the first step to start bridging the gap and reaching out to Jewish students and ensuring that they feel like they have a place in NUS, so I do welcome it.’

I look forward to you resigning, and not fighting this suspension, then.  

"Picture Monkey! Get Me A Horsefly Image For This News Story!"

"Sure boss! *How hard could this be?* That'll do!"

H/T: IanJ via email

Is One Of The First Signs Inability To Spell?

Because if so...

Sunday Funnies...

It's a dirty worthwhile job, so someone's got to do it...

'Challenge Accepted' Says The Jury...

Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Gabrielle McAvock told the jury: “It is a bare denial from the defendant about these allegations. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The standard of proof is that you must be sure of the defendant’s guilt.”

And Reader, they were! Hardly surprising, mind you: 

Miranda will be sentenced in October for a separate matter of distributing a class A video three times and downloading two extreme pornographic images showing people having sex with animals.

That distribution offence was committed in July 2021 only weeks after an Oxford judge imposed a community order after Miranda was found guilty of groping a 16-year-old girl while he gave a lift to her and her friends after picking them up on the Cowley Road.

A serial sex maniac.  

Imposing that order, Judge Michael Gledhill QC said he would have been ‘perfectly justified’ in sending Miranda to prison – were it not for the fact he had to follow the Sentencing Council’s guidelines.

“You’re a sex pest,” the judge said. “That is what you were doing that night, sexually attracted to these young girls.”

So this time he'll get the book thrown at him, right? 

Remanding him into custody to be sentenced on October 3, Judge Nigel Daly said: “I am concerned about this man. I want reports; I want reports [from the probation service] to consider dangerousness.”

If found to be a ‘dangerous offender’, Miranda faces an extended custodial sentence with a longer period when he will be on licence and supervised by specialist probation officers.

What more 'reports' do you need? 

And Why Are They So Brazen, Johanna..?

PC Johanna Hernandez Garcia said: “The suspects brazenly robbed the victim in broad daylight and in front of a bus full of people.

“We know the impact robbery has on victims and are focussed on responding effectively to such crimes and investigating them fully. Since the incident took place we have been carrying out various inquiries and are now appealing for the assistance of the public.”

Could it be that they are only too aware of the fact that there's no law and order any more? 

That the police are terrified of this section of London's 'community' and far too concerned with easy non-crime to worry about such trifling matters as street robbery? After all, if they act on this sort of thing, their supplies might dry up and that will never do!