You Can't Use Technology To Hide Reality...

On its website, the council says the Think Family database, which the app draws on, includes information from about 50,000 families across the city collected from agencies including social care, police and the Department for Work and Pensions. It says it highlights “vulnerabilities or needs” and uses “targeted analytics” to help identify children at risk of sexual or criminal exploitation.

Critics say the reality is that this risks children from minority ethnic or poorer backgrounds being profiled as being involved in gangs or county lines operations.

Because it's overwhelmingly the case that that's the demographic that makes up such operations. So of course the tech will highlight this. What else could it do? 

Errr, Well, Yes...

Khurram Raif, mitigating for Osanzoy, said: “Mr Ozansoy has already spent 340 days in custody.

“He has used his time well in prison, working in the recycling unit for five months and he has taken maths and English courses whilst testing negative for drugs.”

You'd hope so, wouldn't you, since he's not had the opportunity to buy or steal any..?

Natalie Bird, mitigating for Manueno, said: “Mr Manueno had built up a cannabis debt at college and was told to hold drugs and a phone by others higher in the chain.“Mr Manueno is also relied upon to care for his four youngers (sic) siblings and his family has struggled financially during his time in custody.”

Maybe relying on a failed cannabis grow thief for support isn't such a good financial long term plan, then? 

Did You Think There'd Be No Consequences?

Well, what do you think now?

On Wednesday, more than a year on from the incident, the CPS announced it had authorised a murder charge to be issued against a police officer who is only being identified as Officer NX121. Protests from his colleagues, which the Met said has 'increased over the past 48 hours', is said to have left London with a 'skeleton' of armed police, causing panic among Met chiefs.

You can't force police to carry guns; they are volunteers. And if you fail to support them they will withdraw that goodwill.

'Hundreds of Authorised Firearms Officers on the MO19 command have handed in their blue tickets,' the source told The Sun.

'They are angry and upset. Their families are worried and therefore they do not believe they are in the right frame of mind to carry a firearm.'

The source suggested that officers are taking time away to determine whether they can continue a job which could be life-changing if they become involved in a shooting.

That's the thing with goodwill - it has to come from both sides to work/ 

Too Little, Far Too Late...

That's going to be the epitapth of this wretched 'Tory' government, isn't it?

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last night said the costs of HS2 were 'getting totally out of control' as he refused to commit to building the Manchester leg. Proposals to make major cuts to the Government's flagship high-speed rail project would see the Birmingham to Manchester leg scrapped, despite £2.3billion having already been spent on it.

It should never have been started... 

Mr Hunt told LBC last night: 'As Chancellor, you would expect me to be having discussions with the Prime Minister when major infrastructure projects over-run in their costs. And that's what we're facing with HS2.'

This hasn't exactly come out of the blue, has it? This bizarre white elephant has been overrunning cost-wise for years.

The planned railway – intended to link London, the Midlands and the North of England – has been plagued by delays and ballooning costs which have caused fissures in the Tory party. Various estimates have put the total cost of HS2 at more than £100billion, while the project has been rated 'unachievable' by the infrastructure watchdog.

It will go down in history as one of the biggest mistakes ever. Just like this government. 

Please Don't Give Them Ideas...

...Rishi's government is just daft enough to try, Matt!

Well, OK, It's A Plan...

...but who are you going to get to sneak up on the lions and paint the eyes on their backsides?

Sunday Funnies...

No 4 is pretty creepy...

No Wonder They Want To Scrap The Lords...

They are a brake on stupid legislation at times, and they've done it again:

The controversial Trophy Hunting Bill has been blocked by the House of Lords after politicians were accused of failing to listen to conservation experts.

Because it seems that listening to the views of the people who live with an issue go out the window when there's vistuesignalling to be done. 

The African nations that are home to the most endangered animals had criticised the 'arrogant' legislation – which included a blanket ban on the import of all souvenir pelts and heads – for ignoring their views in favour of virtue-signalling celebrities such as Gary Lineker. But the Bill passed through the Commons unopposed in March.

Once again, it seems that dogma about 'colonialism' is ignored when the great and good want to rub shoulders with some vacuous sleb bunng hugger at the right parties... 

Rebel peers had asked for an amendment under which a small number of trophies could be imported if it could be shown that the hunting benefits conservation projects. They had consulted African experts who claimed that the profits from some sustainable blood sports are needed to pay for such work.

Ministers 'refused to compromise' and so the rebels talked the Bill down and stopped it.

Well done, Lords. Well done indeed. 

Sudiksha Thirumalesh - Remember Her Name...

Because at last, you can know it.

Finally, they can say her name publicly - albeit through a haze of tears. Today, after a gruelling six-month legal battle, the family of the girl known until now as ST - the seriously ill 19-year-old, who so bravely fought NHS doctors in a desperate attempt to receive what her family hoped would be life-preserving treatment - can, at last, reveal her identity, after a judge lifted a draconian court order banning them from doing so.

Her parents, too, can now reveal themselves - her father Thirumalesh Hemachandran and mother Revathi Thirumalesh, both 55. The couple - who migrated to the UK from India in 2000 - ran a local restaurant together until they were forced to give up the family business in 2022, and sub-let it, to look after their daughter full-time. The toll of Sudiksha's death, the loss of their only daughter, is all too apparent - as is their anger at the legal and medical system which they feel was so marshalled against them, effectively preventing them, they say, from fundraising for Sudiksha to receive medical treatment in Canada.

It's a stain on our justice system that they were prevented from taking the chance to get treatment abroad. 

Yeah, It Doesn't Work Like That...

'I was screaming at Kelvin to slow down. I remember turning round and screaming at the police to stop chasing us and Kelvin will pull over.'

That's the mother of a total waste of oxygen who has sadly managed to reproduce before his demise.

In a pen portrait, the teenager's mother Suzanne said she had attended hospital in Durham with Mr Bainbridge and his partner for a scan, and her son was 'ecstatic' to find out she was having a boy.

But not so ecstatic he went straight... 

Senior assistant coroner Crispin Oliver told a jury that the inquest, which could take three weeks to complete, will consider issues including Mr Bainbridge's interaction with the police in the months before his death, the decision taken to pursue his vehicle and risk assessments during the pursuit.

Three weeks?!? What a waste of public money. 

His father Troy Bainbridge said in his pen portrait that Kelvin had not needed to die that day and that he should have served a jail term, and could have gone on to make something of his life. He said: 'I know this could have and should have ended differently, and he should be with us right now.'

If you'd raised him to be law abiding. he probably would be. 

Probably Not A Shaggy Dog Story...

...indeed, it's a very familiar part of these incidents:

A neighbour who took shocking footage of a dog walker being attacked by a bull mastiff has claimed he had repeatedly complained to police about the animal. Meeran Hassan's CCTV camera picked up the sickening attack in Handsworth Road in Sheffield, South Yorkshire on Tuesday afternoon.

Is anyone surprised nothing was done? I'm certainly not. 

He said: 'I've complained about the dog loads of times to the police but they've never done anything about it.

'It just non-stop barks because they leave it outside all the time. 

'I think the owner is a taxi driver who only comes at certain times of the day to let it out and feed it. But it is left outside for the majority of the time.

'It started barking a couple of months ago - when the family moved in but I think it's quite an old dog.

'It seems hungry - like nobody feeds it. I've never actually seen the dog until today - it's scary.'

Even scarier, the animal's owner lives near a primary school. 

South Yorkshire Police said a 53-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. Armed cops were amongst the responders to the incident, which happened just after 5.40pm on Tuesday.

And in another familiar aspect, they didn't use them. They caught the dog alive. Hey, it's only taxpayers money, after all...

Newsflash, Alex: They Aren't Going To Get That In Colleges, Either...

Young people in the workplace don't have the skills to debate, disagree and work alongside people with different opinions, Channel 4's chief executive has said. Speaking at the Royal Television Society's Cambridge Convention, Alex Mahon said 'particularly post-pandemic' Gen Z youngsters 'haven't got the skills to discuss' and 'haven't got the skills to disagree'.

And to what does she attribute this phenomenon? 

The Channel 4 boss cited the time youngsters had spent 'being out of colleges' during the pandemic, meaning they had not been exposed as much to 'people with a difference of opinion'.

As regular readers of David Thompson's blog will know, it's hardly likely to be a skill they pick up there... 

Last year Channel 4 carried out research which showed these youngsters are less tolerant of others' views than their parents or grandparents. The study found that young people could therefore be said to be 'less liberal' than their elders. The research branded this phenomenon as the 'rise of the Young Illiberal Progressives' or 'Yips'.

Their parents and grandparents learned real tolerance, where you may not have liked a lifestyle or viewpoint, but you respected a person's right to it. And crucially, where you weren't expected to celebrate it.  

You Really Can't Fix Stupid...

Ms Coulthard said she decided to get an XL Bully dog after seeking a dog that was both capable of going on hikes and could live in her London apartment.

Because an eight stone muscled killer bred for fighting other eight stone muscled killers to the death is just as capable of that as a labradoodle or cocker spaniel, of course? 

She felt the US breed, which is a mixture of the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog and English Bulldog, would suit her lifestyle perfectly.And she didn't recognize the characterisation of XL Bullies as naturally violent animals, adding that her pooch was the ideal 'family companion'.

If you look at one of these things and say to yourself 'Yes, that animal fits my lifestyle', then it's a sign you have the wrong lifestyle. 

Or that you're an idiot, like so many women who own these things.  

Ms Coulthard said she'd felt 'stressed' following calls to outlaw the breed, and said it was important that new legislation was drafted that introduced licences for owners.She went on: 'The government is legislating against the dog.

'But actually if we have a dog register and dog and breeding licensing people would think twice before thinking of getting a dog in the first place.'

It's clear you didn't think properly, though, isn't it? 

You Know What, I'm No Longer Even Surprised...

An unlicensed driver who mowed down a dog walker, killing her pet, has avoided jail – after a judge heard he suffered his own 'karma' when his skull was later shattered in a hit-and-run.

I wasn't aware we relied on 'karma' as part of our justice system, like some third world country, were you, Reader? 

Kallum Aish was speeding along a country lane when he lost control and ploughed into Patricia Faulkner, catapulting her over a hedge and killing her rescue dog Millie. The 75-year-old grandmother today branded the suspended sentence handed down to Aish as 'disgusting', and said the driver had 'effectively got away' with what he had done to her.

Yes, it would appear so, wouldn't it? As so often happens with vehicular offences.  

Birmingham Crown Court heard his home was also firebombed as a result of community outrage at what he had done, forcing his family to move, while he has also received treatment for cancer.

Do we want to see more people taking the law into their own hands? Because it's what will happen when people lose all faith in the state's ability to prevent crime. 

And this wasn't an aberration, of course. A moment of madness from an otherwise law-abiding citizen. It never is. 

Aish, now aged 20 and of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without a licence and insurance, criminal damage (killing the dog) as well as possession of cannabis after 25 bags of the class B drug were found in his bedroom upon arrest.

And those wheels grind ever slower and slower... 

In a hearing which had been long delayed due to Aish's health issues, he was sentenced today to 22 months,suspended for 18 months.

Aish avoided immediate imprisonment mainly due to his age at the time, the fact he had pleaded guilty and his various health issues.

All of which are consequences of his own behaviour and should count for absolutely nothing. 

He was also banned from driving for three years.

It should have been life. He should never again be licensed by the state to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.   

'...from Heywood in Rochdale...'

 ...via where?

Sergejus Paskevicius, 60, from Heywood in Rochdale, was arrested and charged for child abduction in July last year. CCTV footage showed him standing by the bagging area of an Aldi in Heywood before he attempted to talk to a young child at around 5.45pm on July 23, 2022.

In what the boys' mother described as 'every parent's worst nightmare', Paskevicius then picked up the toddler and started to walk away from the store.

Luckily the young brother of the toddler intervened. 

Robert Elias, mitigating, said Paskevicius may have 'wanted some affection or a cuddle', the Sun reported.

If that's the best you can do... 

He was jailed for three years and two months at Manchester Crown Court (Minshull St).

And a deportation order made? Because if not, why not? 

Well, There's Your Answer, Jon...

 

When I spoke to the head of Scotland Yard’s war crimes unit, Chief Supt Eddie Bathgate, shortly after he retired, he admitted: “Svikeris was a powerful case, and I would cheerfully have put him on the charge sheet. The interviews with him were videotaped and you could see he was guilty. One of my last remarks to the CPS was, ‘you are not going to be able NOT to prosecute Svikeris’.”

And the CPS said 'Challenge ACCEPTED!'. 

But ultimately, the CPS did not believe they could establish his guilt in court beyond reasonable doubt.

And if it's not a sure thing, they won't bet... 

And to make sure they don't have to, they rig the wheel!

In researching a book on this process, I and my co-author, Robert Sherwood discovered the CPS had insisted on a set of criteria that inevitably restricted the number of cases to reach court.

These included the insistence that a suspect had to have been in a command position – a criterion nowhere to be found in the War Crimes Act. To be considered a strong case, the victims had to have been Jews, notwithstanding the many thousands of non-Jews murdered by the police auxiliaries. And without credible eyewitnesses prepared to testify in open court that they had seen the defendant kill, after half a century, even the most compelling cases – like those of Gecas and Svikeris – failed to pass the threshold.

Isn't it about time the CPS was overhauled? Or scrapped, root and branch, and replaced by an organisation worth the name? 

Should Have Joined Evri...

...they'd have taught you how to throw them over the garden fence!

A man previously involved in a high speed chase on a stolen motorbike along with a gun-toting thug will now face serious prison time for his role in leaving a hand grenade on a doorstep.

So, why was he ever let out? 

Twisted Firestarter!

A self-confessed 'pyromaniac' student who set fire to toilets in a college packed with pupils in a bid to get out of an exam after going on dark web chatrooms has avoided jail.

What? How on earth do you not see jail for this..?

Ozlem Firat, 24...

Oh. 

...sparked two blazes at Newcastle College's Parsons Building, by igniting loo paper, shortly before her test was due to start on May 28, 2021.

Firat, who changed her clothes between each target, had been using dark web chatrooms and said during one text chat that she was 'going to set fires to get out of attending an exam' and spoke about 'excitement at watching bodies burning'.

She later confessed to police she was a 'pyromaniac' and had a 'fascination with fire' but initially denied being responsible for the arson attack.

What more do they need? 

Miss Recorder Caroline Sellars said Firat's case was 'troubling' and doctors who have assessed her have described her as 'narcissistic' and 'dangerous'.

The Recorder said: 'Doctors agree you pose a high risk of serious harm to the public.'

So why isn't she behind bars? 

But she added that Firat, who lives with her mother, has stayed out of trouble since, has family support and can be rehabilitated with intensive intervention.

I'm guessing Recorder Sellars is banking on none of her friends or relatives ever finding themselves at the mercy of Firat's fascination with fire... 

H/T: Fragglefred via email

The Frecce Tricolore Again...?

An Italian airforce display jet has crashed following a bird strike, with the wreckage slamming into a car and killing a five-year-old girl.

Dramatic footage of the MB339 fighter plunging from the sky was caught by passers-by who had gathered to watch the Frecce Tricolore display near Turin.

I saw them fly at RAF Fairford a year or so before the disaster at Ramstein in Germany. How unlucky can one display team be?

"And If I See You Before This Court Again...!"

"...it'll be the butterflies instead!"

H/T: Robert Hale via email 

"Up, Up And Away, Homophones!"

Good old 'Daily Mail'...

H/T: Mike via email

Sunday Funnies...

Truth really is stranger than fiction.

"I Think You've Had Enough, Sir..."

A man from south London who was being sentenced for possessing 192 grams of cannabis asked the judge if he can have it back.

/facepalm 

Jacob Thompson, who was jailed for three months, said he wants it returned because “weed is expensive”. As well as possession of cannabis, 55-year-old Thompson was also being sentenced for smashing up a job centre with a hammer and throwing milk on the floor.

Probably not his first time in a Job Centre, and probably not his last... 

After consultation with his barrister Thompson was persuaded to drop the question. Thompson also pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage by urinating on the floor of a police cell.

That's the sort of thing an animal does. 

At the sentencing hearing Judge David Spens KC questioned why urination is classified as criminal damage. Mr Wing said: “The offence of criminal damage can be caused by spitting or urinated on any surface.” Judge Spens said: “Not that it matters, but that seems completely barking to me”.

Really? You know what seems 'barking' to me, Judge? That someone can rack up this sort of record, and the judge sneers at the disruption and disgusting behaviour he causes for this that have to deal with him: 

The court was told the Thompson has 46 convictions for 93 offences, almost all of them for criminal damage and possession of drugs.

That's 'barking'. Still, at least he served some jail time this time, right? 

Judge Spens sentenced Thompson to three months in prison. Thompson, of Eastlake Road in Brixton, has been in custody since May 4, so the sentence was deemed to have been already served and he was released.

*sighs* 

Speaking Of 'A Pattern Of Behaviour That Cannot Go On', Rishi...

...let's not just concentrate on the mutts' behaviour. Or that of their owners. Let's look at the behaviour of those paid to protect.

The owner of two XL Bullys that mauled a 52-year-old father to death had been spoken to on several occasions over his out-of-control dogs, according to the police. Father-of-two Ian Price, from Stonnall, Staffordshire, was killed by the two dogs which jumped out of a neighbour's window yards from a primary school on Thursday afternoon. He reportedly died defending his elderly mother from the animals.

While Staffordshire Police is currently questioning a 30-year-old man from South Staffordshire, they said they are 'aware' of previous police interactions with the owner of the killer dogs ...

What did they do? Less than nothing. 

Just like they did for the 15-20 minutes it took for terrified neighbours to try to fight off the beasts with whatever they had to hand. Though they did send armed cops to parade uselessly up and down the cordon they erected after it was all over...

Pointless security theatre...

The police said the Professional Standards Department found that 'the material does not meet the threshold for a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct'.

Of course not. Perish the thought! It's only a pattern we see in these attacks again and again and again. They hardly ever come truly out of the blue.  

Matt, 43, who declined to be fully identified, told MailOnline yesterday: 'This was an accident waiting to happen but it could have been avoided.

'The dogs should never have been allowed to run free to roam the streets and terrorise the neighbourhood.

'The same dogs attacked a middle-aged woman out walking her little dog six weeks to eight or so ago. They should have been taken away from the owner or put down.

'They are killer dogs, ferocious, with huge powerful jaws, and it is such a shame and makes me so angry that it takes someone to be mauled and pass away for action to be taken.'

It's taken more than just 'someone'. It's taken quite a few - 17 in the last two years. And already the usual suspects are climbing aboard the 'don't take our lovely doggie-woggies' bandwagon.  

But if Rishi wants to bring someone to heel, maybe he should be looking at the police a little more closely.

Seems To Me The Logical Step Was Missed Here...

A woman whose ‘aggressive’ Doberman bit two people at a pet crematorium has been...

Offered the next free spot for her vicious mutt? 

...spared jail.

*sighs* OK, let's see why. 

Mitigating, Samuel March, said that Hiscoke had only had Harlow for two weeks prior to the attacks, and said that she had been “missold” the dog and was not aware of its nature. He added the defendant has since learned how to manage the dog more effectively.

Once again, I can't help noticing how often 'I just got the dog!' crops up in these stories. But she's old enough to know better.  

Mr March said: "Every decision she made that day was with the dog's best interest in mind.”

It would be nice if she'd had the staff's best interest in mind, wouldn't it? 

Hiscoke, of Elson Lane, Gosport, pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced by Judge Adam Feest KC to a six-month concurrent community order, with a two-month curfew enforced from 9am to 6pm. She has also been ordered to pay £100 to Mr Spurgeon and £200 to Ms Lambert.

No order has been put in place regarding whether or not Hiscoke can own a dog. Mr Feest adjourned the decision on the dog's future.

Why is he waiting? Just issue the destruction order! 

H/T: IanJ via email

RiP, 'ST'...

...you so shamed them, that even in death, the vile NHS denies you even the dignity of a name.

Extraordinarily, despite her death, the blanket restrictions which ban the media from identifying ST or anything about her and her family or mentioning the hospital involved, still stand.

Her family are devestated twice over: by the end of her brave fight, and by the intransigence and cowardice of the medical authorities and the state:

Her devastated parents said: 'We lost our beautiful and courageous daughter, known to the world as ST. To us she has a real name.'

They added: 'To her family she was everything and we will cherish and never forget the 19 years we had with her.

'The past year, however, has been one of struggle, even torture, for ST and for her family at the hands of the hospital and the Court of Protection.'

I hope some brave and selfless MP would stand up and name her in the Commons, but then, I remember too late, we don't have any, do we? 

I Hope You Impounded His Time Machine Too...

A dog which mauled a three-year old girl's face in a horror attack was a banned Pitbull breed, it has been confirmed.

Gosh, the oldest dog in the world! After all, they've been banned in Britain since the Eighties, right? Unless this guy also has a DeLorean, how could this happen? 

The woman also alleged the owners had told how they had only got the ''bigger dog' yesterday.

That seems to be a factor in a hell of a lot of these cases, doesn't it? 

Chief Inspector Jim Wilde said: 'This was a horrific attack which has left a young girl receiving hospital treatment for significant injuries to her face.

I want to reassure people that she is currently receiving the best possible care and treatment for her injuries at Alder Hey, and we hope she makes a speedy recovery.

'We seized the dog at the scene, which will now be humanely destroyed, and extensive efforts are now underway to establish exactly what happened. I want to appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident, who may have information which could help us with our investigation to come forward as soon as possible.

'You may even live locally and have CCTV, or have been passing in a vehicle and captured dashcam footage - if so, we want to hear from you.

This case highlights in the starkest terms the potential dangers of dogs, and I would appeal to anyone with information about dangerous dogs in their area to contact us so that we can take proactive action.'

You've changed your tune a bit, haven't you? There's been plenty of dangerous dogs in Liverpool, and the police response - when there's any to speak of - has mostly been 'Can't do anything'... 

Well, Maybe There Should Be..?

Cyclists have been warned to be aware of the speed that they are riding at. It comes after a group were caught travelling at nearly 40mph on a 30mph road on Dartmoor. Devon and Cornwall’s Road Policing Team took to Twitter on Sunday to raise awareness of the issue.

Wait, why only a warning? Why no speeding ticket? 

Well, Reader, hold onto your hat... 

The group was stopped by the police and offered appropriate words of advice. However as there is no speed limit for cyclists, no further action was taken.

YCMIU, could you? 

H/T: IanJ via email

I Expect That's What She Thought Too...

The witness told the newspaper she saw the entire encounter but only started recording after things escalated. She said she didn't think the man was going to do anything to the woman because 'she's a woman' and was smaller than him.

...after all, it's probably not the first time she's done this and got away with it. Not this time, though. So, of course, the mob descended.

Growing anger over the clip on social media led to calls for residents to boycott the shop and sparked a planned protest outside the shop at 2pm today. The store closed in advance and a crowd has been gathered around the area with people peacefully protesting what they see as an 'example of everyday male violence against women'.

And what other people see as an English example of a US phenomenon David Thompson has been chronicling: the 'progressive retail experience'.

Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, local policing commander for Southwark, told MailOnline: 'We know people will be concerned about a video circulating online of an incident in a shop.

I can't say I'm concerned. But then, thankfully, it's not a shop I'd use, and it's not in an area I'd ever have the misfortune to find myself in. 

'Our officers attended on Monday and continue to investigate the full circumstances of what has taken place.

'The investigation will include reviewing the actions of everyone involved. I would like to thank people in our local community for remaining calm and giving us the time to conduct a thorough investigation.'

What a pretty pickle we're in where a mob forces a shop to close and the police regard this as an example of 'the community' staying calm... 

"What are you rebelling against?"

"Well...."

*blinks*

Among the incidents, residents say rocks are being thrown at car windows, elderly people are being intimidated and the brand new playground was smeared with lard.

Perhaps another flood is overdue?

Yes, Zoe, And Their Owners, Too...

Following yesterday's indication that the authorities had finally woken up, here come the apologists barking and snapping at the people pointing out the problem.  

First up were the useless West Midlands farce, no doubt eager to deflect blame from themselves, describing the crazed animal as 'a puppy' that was 'suffering from heat exhaustion'. One might wonder at a police farce that shows more concern for a killer animal than the girl it was mauling. Police certainly didn't pause when one of their own was mauled by one of their own dogs, did they?

Hot on their heels and snarling aggressively comes Zoe Williams, who has as much form as the XL Bully breed, for whom it's 'doggy classism and racism': 

...it was never only about the dogs – it was also about the owners. When people muttered: “It’s not the dogs – it’s the owners”, it felt heavily class-coded; that these were the types of dogs kept by the wrong type of people.

...

Sociologists in the US describe something similar but refracted through race, Julie LaBagnara contending that “middle- and upper-class ‘white dogs’… receive social allowances that dogs associated with people of colour do not”.

What would we do without sociologists, eh, Zoe..?

So, yes, there may well be 'a path through this that starts with a muzzle order and doesn’t go immediately to the gallows', but leaving out the gallows to appease people like you hasn't exactly been an unqualified success story with people, has it?

Is This Really Such A Funny Story?

A drug dealer was arrested and charged after he called the police to report his drugs had been stolen during a break in, and even gave them a list of the nicked narcotics.

James Beaumont, 38, rang Thames Valley Police to report that someone had got into his house and stolen the drugs.

I mean, yes, ha ha, and all that. Dumb criminals. Hilarious, right? 

Defending, James Reilly said Beaumont did not accept that he had got others involved in selling his drugs for him. His client had been suffering badly with poor mental health at the time - and had complained of there being 'men hiding in the bushes'.

He added: 'All sorts of things can be said [by] the defendant. Whether any of those things did happen is an entirely different kettle of fish.

'If the Crown were saying he was [*] some high-level drug dealer involving other people, arming them, there isn't any reality in that.'

There's no reality in much of this story, actually, Mr Reilly. For instance... 

Asking for a pre-sentence report to be compiled by the probation service, Mr Reilly said Beaumont had no previous convictions and was currently working with addiction service Turning Point to address his past drug misuse.

Judge Ian Pringle KC adjourned sentencing for the prosecution to serve further evidence from a download of the defendant's phone, to help establish either way whether or not he was involving others in the supply of drugs.

Such a waste of time. Will he get a sentence that reflects his actual guilt? That's worth the cost of all this to the taxpayer? I doubt it. 

Move It Monday: September

A bit of a blast from the past this month; I had a feeling I'd covered this one - Mark Knopfler's 'Border Reiver' - before, and indeed I had. Back when it was first released in 2009!

A song about a lorry driver (well, really, his lorry) that's not 'Convoy'. But boy, is it a great song to tap your feet to!

Has The Penny Finally Dropped?

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is now pushing for a ban of the American XL Bully breed, arguing they are a 'clear and lethal danger' - particularly to children.

What took you so long? 

On Sunday West Midlands Police launched an investigation into what went wrong.

Oh, this'll be good! 

A force spokesman said: 'We're investigating after three people were bitten by a dog in Birmingham yesterday.

'An 11-year-old girl ran past the dog as it was being walked by its owner in Bordesley Green, when she was bitten.

'Two men intervened but were bitten and left with injuries to their shoulders and arms.

'They were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries.

And you turned up and shot the animal and arrested the owner, right? 

Right? 

'The dog was initially taken to a local vet to be checked over before being taken into secure kennels while the investigation continues.

'The owner of the dog has been spoken to by officers.'

I think we can clearly see what went wrong - the WMP aren't fit for purpose.  

Couldn't He Find Any Who Had Candy, Then?

*blinks*

Bearded Josh Guilder, who has shoulder-length brown hair and wore a blue polo shirt, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft at a hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old took the dummies from babies around Harlow, Essex, between February 10 and August 7 this year. Describing one of the thefts, prosecutor Jessica Pratt Vivian said Guilder reached into a young girl’s buggy, “took her dummy from her mouth, put it in his pocket and left”.

I do rather feel for his defence here, who is clearly struggling... 

Mary Buxton, defending, said Guilder was currently living in a tent and “has never been weaned from dummies”.

This is definitely one to watch.  

Guilder was remanded in custody and is due to stand trial for the assault matters at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on October 10.

I'm predicting a mental health defence.  

So Annoyed They Hurled It Twice...

...well, it was New York, New York, right, 'Mail' editor?

I Just Don't Belief It!

*sigh*

H/T: The Jannie via email

Sunday Funnies...

I'll have to stop calling our techie guys 'geeks' now...well, except that strange one.

'It seems if you disagree with the NHS you must, for that reason alone, be considered delusional.'

No-one can fail to be moved and horrified by the account of 'ST' (stripped even of her real name by the establishment fighting to see she dies in accordance with the NHS's predictions). But also, no-one can be in the least surprised, either. 

Anyone who says they are surprised at the actions of the medical professionals and the state-appointed court system hasn't really been paying any attention, have they?

Some £1.5 million would need to be raised by the family — the NHS would not have to foot the bill — to cover the costs of an air ambulance to either Canada or America, where three hospitals have offered to treat her, and the subsequent clinical trials.

But, says ST, 'because of the court proceedings I am blocked from going [to North America] and because of the gagging orders I cannot fundraise to finance my treatment and transport'.

This is an NHS and court system, remember, that will happily squander taxpayer cash on the undeserving and the criminal, but won't allow other people to spend their cash in a way that isn't in accordance with its wishes...

Whatever her fate, ST says the 'system urgently needs to change' so no one else will ever have to go through what she and her family have in the past year. She insists she will not give up.

'I am in a race against time to escape from this system and the certain death it wishes to impose on me,' she tells me, before vowing: 'But I am a fighter and will continue to fight. I trust in God and will not give up hope.'

I don't believe in God. I wish I did. I wish I did because it would be nice to be able to believe that a reckoning will one day come to everyone involved in denying this brave young lady her chance. 

When An 'Innie' Becomes An 'Outie'...

No, I'm not talking belly buttons! 

A former Home Office chief accused of resisting key Conservative policies while in charge of asylum is joining a charity that has said the Government’s policies are “inhumane, racist and divisive”....

Who could have foreseen this?

Oh, that's right. Everyone who has been paying attention.

'That relationship at the time was beginning to disintegrate.'

Well, that's a shoo-in for 'Understatement Of The Year'...

Carter, who has five convictions for six past offences, was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and must complete 60 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions and 120 hours of unpaid work.

She must also register as a sex offender and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years. A deprivation order was made for the two seized phones.

Why do the courts allow this farce?

Is That The Best You Can Do..?

In mitigation for Khan, it was said that it was a single stab wound and he lacked maturity.

For Lutchmunsing, it was said that he has mental health difficulties and was not in possession of a knife.

For Weston, it was said that she had a 'difficult upbringing' and was 'effectively homeless' at the time.

Even notorious Soft Touch Samantha couldn't stomach that...

Once Again, The IQ Is Highest At The Lowest End Of The Lead...

A woman whose dog left a toddler with “heart-wrenching” facial injuries after a nasty attack has overturned a council order to have the animal muzzled.

Whut..?

Teresa Ellinor, from Canterbury, adopted American bulldog Cleo just weeks after it bit the 17-month-old girl in January this year.

Yes, you read that right. 'After'... 

She adopted the thing and now thinks her poochy-woochy was unfairly treated.

Ms Ellinor then received a letter from the city council, imposing a list of strict conditions about keeping the dog, including an order that it must be muzzled in public.

But the prison officer, who claims Cleo was neglected by her previous owner, says the dog is no longer aggressive and the restriction is not needed.

The 57-year-old took her case to Folkestone Magistrates’ Court this week in a bid to have the condition removed.

*sighs* 

Concluding proceedings, chair of the bench Janet Wood said: “This is a lifetime order - please be very careful when the dog is around children.”

If she isn't and it does what these things are prone to do, who will be responsible? Janet? The rescue centre who adopted it out? The new owner?  

Well, not the latter, if they are underage, as in this case.

Ooh, Ooh, I Think I Know The Answer!

Is it 'because the Prison Service isn't fit for purpose'...? I bet it is...

The Ministry of Justice is now investigating why someone accused of such serious offences was not placed in a higher security prison, as experts furiously question why Khalife was not seen as more of a risk.

It's a good question indeed, isn't it? 

A neighbour told The Daily Telegraph: 'A woman lived upstairs who had a son and daughter. The boy would come and go swearing loudly. She moved to Wales roughly three years ago – a year after we moved in.

'The family were British, of Middle Eastern origin. '

/facepalm 

Let Those Who Released Him Serve The Same Sentence...

A Jack the Ripper obsessive who spent 32 years in jail for a series of chilling crimes against women launched a horrific knife attack on a pensioner just five months after his release.

Why was he ever released? 

Anthony Roberts inflicted more than 50 wounds on his victim, stabbing her in the neck, chest, back and legs, and slashing across her mouth, telling her: 'If you let me rape you, I will let you live'.

Roberts, 56, had only been released on licence last December after being given a life term in 1991 for a spate of attacks that saw him stalk and attack women in pedestrian subways across the previous summer.

Why doesn't life mean life? It should. This man's criminal history is horrific, and those who released him on license should be dealt with... 

Roberts, of Green Hill, Worcester, was remanded in custody for sentence on October 2.

What does it matter if the judge gives him a sentence, if he never serves it? 

"And 2023's Brass Neck Award Goes To..."

Yes, Reader, you read that right. The man who shut does the entire country, not just the schools, for a case of sore throats and runny noses for most people...

I find I have no words, so over to Longrider: 

"The man is a charlatan who is clearly out of his depth.

...

By God, a little abuse is the least these charlatans deserve. May they all rot in hell for all of eternity for what they did, and that includes Whitty. Every time I look at my shopping bill as it steadily increases as a direct consequence of the advice given to the government by these ‘experts,’ I curse the ground they walk upon. They have the gall to whine about how they are reviled when they deserve to be lying forgotten in a stinking oubliette, wallowing in their own waste."

"But despite the attack, the relationship continued ..."

The attack? Glad you asked, Reader:

One partner had only been dating Barrett for less than a month when he carried out an attack that “ruined her life” and blinded her in one eye.

...

His victim was taken to the QEQM hospital in Margate before being rushed to the William Harvey in Ashford for emergency surgery. The incident left her blind in her right eye and she suffered a ruptured globe, a detached retina, a split lens and a fractured cheekbone.

Some women clearly don't learn their lesson the first time: 

...just seven weeks later Barrett once again exploded in rage.

Gosh! How unexpected. 

Despite the woman’s pleas for him to stop, he continued to punch and kick her before pulling out a flick knife and threatening to dig out her other eye and stab her in the face.

...when Barrett was arrested, he told officers his girlfriend was lying and that the injuries were from him and his partner practising Muay Thai together. He claimed she had smacked her head into a wall, injuring her eye on a protruding nail.

*sighs* 

Barrett’s aggression continued with a subsequent partner, with whom the criminal had been involved on an on-off basis between 2015 and 2021.

Where do all these women come from..? 

Mitigating, Barrett’s barrister, Ms Edwards, emphasised that he had experienced a difficult upbringing and suffered from serious mental health problems.

He's not the only one, clearly. 

...handing down his sentence, Mark Weeks said the thug’s history of violence could not be blamed on his mental health problems.

“You were a cold, calculative and violent bully,” said Judge Weeks. Barrett was jailed for nine years and six months, with an extended licence period of five years.

After which time he'll be a model citizen, right? 

When You Really Don't Want To Know What A 'Celebrity's' Rider Is...

*shudders*

Any Future Attacks Are On Your Head, Then...

A man who was bitten six times in a dog attack has had the animal spared from destruction after he begged a court to save it and give it a second chance.

Dog people are sometimes their own worst enemy... 

The 37-year-old had gone for a walk with Kendo, a Presa Canario, having sorted through some of his late brother's belongings, when he realised a dog that had been barking at them from behind a garden fence had jumped over and was running towards them.

The dog, a Belgian Malinois (Ed: Oh oh...), bit Kendo straight away before turning its attention to Mr Moore. It trapped his hand in its jaw and slammed him to the ground three times before a passing car stopped to help.

Sadly, not by running the attacking beast over, which would have resolved this then and there, and preventing this 'animal lover' from putting everyone in more danger.  

The owner of the dog that attacked the pair, Paul Croft, 51, was convicted of being in charge of a dangerously out of control animal that caused injury at Caernarfon Magistrates Court. He was ordered to pay Mr Moore £1,500 compensation for his injuries.

But in a statement to the court, Mr Moore begged for the animal to be given a second chance, and asked that it not be destroyed. The court placed a contingent destruction order on the dog, meaning it will be put down if it is not kept on a leash and muzzled.

Why on earth did magistrates listen to him?  

'I'm happy to draw a line under this whole thing and walk away now. I just want some peace of mind though that it's safe for people in that estate because the dog responsible is back.

'I've been on the wrong side of those massive jaws and I'd hate for it to ever happen again to anyone. If I'd been a kid these injuries could have been catastrophic'.

And if next time, it is a kid? How will you feel then? 

What's England Coming To..?

A young boy has died and a second child has been arrested following an 'altercation' in a street in Kent. Officers were called to Singlewell Road in Gravesend at around 5.45pm on Wednesday August 30 following reports of concern for a child's welfare.

A boy was subsequently taken to hospital, where he later died, and his next of kin have been made aware. Following initial enquiries police have arrested another child - and say both are under the age of 12, according to KentOnline.

Police say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, suggesting it was isolated.

There are no words... 

Something To Take Your Fiancée Up..?

Those homophones get them every time...

H/T: Dave Ward via email

That'll Be Hard To Do, 'Mail'...

...and not because they are cubs. Because mountain lions are not in the genus Panthera and so cannot roar!

Sunday Funnies...

Good going, scientists. Now, about my flying car...

Relentless...

We may all think we're doing our bit for the planet by sipping our drinks out of a paper straw.

I don't. I usually think 'Wow, this is a lovely cocktail'...

But the 'eco-friendly' alternatives contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded.

Oh. Right. Of course... 

In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS were found in the majority of the straws tested and were most common in those made from paper and bamboo.

So having demanded we don't use plastic, and now finding fault with paper, what do they suggest? 

The authors advised people use stainless steel straws, or avoid using straws at all.

Well, I suppose at least they didn't suggest not drinking. 

Yet. 

Sauce For The Goose, Craig...

“It’s impossible for a teacher to know what’s in the minds of parents when she starts her lesson,” Goodmark said. “For parents to be able, with a political agenda, to come in from outside the classroom and have a teacher fired is completely unfair. It’s not right. It’s terrible for Georgia’s education system.”

Some might say it's similarly unfair that teachers have been doing this themselves, and parents have had no say in it up until now...

She had been a teacher for 10 years when she got into trouble in March at Due West elementary school for reading the picture book My Shadow Is Purple by Scott Stuart, after which some parents complained.

Elementary school. That means ages 5-10. Shouldn't they be reading about Pokemon or dinosaurs instead of transgender and identity fluid issues at that age?

Rinderle declined comment after the vote but released a statement through the Southern Poverty Law Center, which helped represent her. “The district is sending a harmful message that not all students are worthy of affirmation in being their unapologetic and authentic selves,” Rinderle said in the statement. “This decision, based on intentionally vague policies, will result in more teachers self-censoring in fear of not knowing where the invisible line will be drawn.”

Or maybe it will result in teachers sticking to teaching what pupils of ages 5 to 10 should be learning about? And not sending harmful messages about adult subjects in defiance of what the parents wish?

None of the board members discussed the decision, but the school district lawyer Sherry Culves said at the hearing that discussing gender identity and gender fluidity was inappropriate. “The Cobb county school district is very serious about the classroom being a neutral place for students to learn,” Culves said at the hearing. “One-sided instruction on political, religious or social beliefs does not belong in our classrooms.”

Who can really argue with that? 

Let's See Them Argue This One!

The former head of the MI6 who was in charge during the UK's invasion of Iraq has claimed scientists' warnings about the dangers of artificial intelligence can't necessarily be trusted because of incorrect claims they made about Covid-19. 

Sir Richard Dearlove said that as 'brilliant' scientists had gone 'off piste' during the pandemic, he was sceptical of experts telling him AI will destroy humanity.

Oh boy, get the popcorn!

This should just be enough...

 

'They actually used their knowledge and speciality to influence government policy.

'So at the moment, I am in a mood to be quite sceptical when some brilliant scientist says to me "I know all about this and I am going to tell you authoritatively what is going to happen".'

He said he reacts with a degree of cynicism when scientists share extreme information in regards to AI.

I react with 'a degree of cynicism' these days to everything! 

How'd You Like Your 'Community Action' Now, Lefties?

At least a quarter of the cameras in London's newly expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone have been damaged by vandals, new data reveals.

Campaigners this week have stepped up efforts to deface the cameras installed in wake of mayor Sadiq Khan's controversial extension of the scheme, which is now clobbering thousands more drivers with £12.50 a day charges.

A crowd-sourced map appears to show that 450 of the 1,762 cameras installed to monitor cars in the zone are damaged or missing, The Telegraph reported.

Oh, the populace is rising up against hated installations and vandalising them because of what they represent? Well, councils, you know what to do, don't you?  

Or...is this somehow different? 

Tweet Of The Month

Post Title Of The Month

Tom Paine on sport:

Quote Of The Month

David Thompson on activists' hopes for the latest woke Disney remake, 'Snow White':

"Readers are invited to ponder the conceit that a massively expensive film based on a classic tale for children should exist chiefly to “empower our movement,” i.e., to affirm the politics of mouthy, ungifted actresses.

Rather than, say, to entertain children. Still, I suppose it’s to be expected that obnoxious, narcissistic women should want to re-write a tale that, in its various original forms, is pretty much a warning against female narcissism and spite."

Post Of The Month

Nick Drew at Capitalists@Work offers an incisive look at the Russia/Ukraine situation. 

Sadly, There's Nothing 'Shocking' About It...

This is the horrific moment a 76-year-old pensioner and her pet labradoodle were viciously attacked by a crazed dog on the streets of Birmingham - resulting in the woman being hospitalised for four days and her dog savaged.

Usual suspect, usual breed.

Police are urgently hunting for the owner of the white bull-type breed who was filmed dragging the vicious animal off the panicked labradoodle. The unknown man cycled away from the scene afterwards, leaving the stunned pensioner injured on the ground.

Usual reaction from the owner of this sort of weapon dog. This won't be the first time it's attacked, either.

Inspector Leanne Chapman, from the force's Dangerous Dog Unit, said: 'The video makes shocking viewing, and you can see the sheer force that the victim is hit with.'

'We believe the dog involved may be a bull breed, and it's really important that we hear from anyone who knows the man in the images so that we can take steps to protect the public from harm in the future.'

With stunning deductive skills like that, this'll be wrapped up in no time, right> 

"Oooops, We Screwed Up..."

Jack Beecham, 72, from Prenton, had requested documents regarding an upcoming civil court case from police in June 2019 - but says he was instead mailed two pages about a criminal investigation.

Mr Beecham claimed he was also sent two pages about a misconduct allegation involving a Merseyside Police sergeant.

"...and we're going to make sure you pay for it." 

Mr Beecham said he attempted to phone the police solicitor's office about the papers, and also attempted to contact the subject of the criminal investigation and the police sergeant directly. But when he said he received no response, he forwarded the information to a number of other people, including former police officers and journalists.

He said: "That night, a big yellow van with 10 police officers came to my house to pick up four pieces of paper, which I gave them. They said I must also delete it from my devices, which I did. But then I said 'what do I do about the hundred-odd other people I sent them to?'"

Oh, they knew what to do about that. Charge you. 

He said police "didn't seem bothered at the time" when they picked up the papers. But in late 2021 he was charged with obtaining and disclosing personal data, leading to a lengthy court process spanning nearly two years.

Eventually, someone realised - probably because of the recent events - how this was going to look in the press.  

The pensioner walked free from Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, August 14, after the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) decided it was not in the public interest to pursue a case against him.

ICO prosecutor Anam Khan said: "In light of the knowledge that this is likely to be a lengthy trial, the prosecution takes on the view that it would be a disproportionate use of resources to continue with the case."

I humbly suggest that it wouldn't be a disproportionate use of resources to charge everyone involved in the decision to charge this man in the first place with wasting police time and misconduct in a public office... 

Today's 'YCMIU' Story...

A hotel boss has been asked to remove online footage of thieves who stripped their room nearly bare...

Because the police caught them? Yes, These people aren't the brightest so they tracked them down through the bank card they used. 

OK, so, why do the cops want the footage removed? Because it'll prejudice the case? Well, that's understandable. 

No. Reader, hold onto your hat:

...because police claim it is 'causing them distress'.

They obviously are planning to deny any charge, because police visited them and left without removing any items from their house.  

Dyfed-Powys Police visited Natalie this week to ask her to remove the CCTV from her social media because it was upsetting the alleged thieves.

'The officer's exact words were that it was causing them distress,' Natalie said. 'I don't want to be hard or spiteful but they should have thought of that before they took everything from the room.'

The answer to the useless cops is simple: 'You want the footage removed? OK. Charge them. If not, it stays up.' 

The Wit And Wisdom Of Martha Gill...

What to do about shoplifting? It’s a delicate subject.

Is it, Martha? Why?

Shoplifting is not quite like other crimes.

How does it differ, then?

Pilfering, purloining, filching, snaffling – it is by nature relatively trivial, the sort of thing children try their hands at without necessarily graduating to car heists and bank jobs.

I thank my stars I clearly didn't have your upbringing, then. Because theft is theft, whether we are talking about nicking baby powder from Boots or bullion from Brinks Mat. 

And it may be 'relatively trivial' in your mind, but not when done on an organised scale to the big supermarkets or the hard-pressed sole proprietor. It's not trivial when staff are threatened or assaulted. 

...most of all, shoplifting is a crime that seems to reflect social need: it rises when the economy dips.

Ah, of course. The fact that organised gangs are now behind it, or drug addicts stealing to sell for their next fix, is ignored; in Martha's feeble brain, it's always Jean Valjean stealing a loaf of bread... 

Not only does “cracking down” on shoplifters through the criminal justice system raise difficult moral problems, it doesn’t even work.

Since when has combating theft - or any crime - caused a 'difficult moral problem'..? Surely not cracking down causes that, as we can see in California, as David Thompson's readership is quick to point out?  

Technology has made breaking the law much harder. The use of deadlocks has decimated car theft...

And the use of keyless entry has increased it again. Technology is always a two-edged sword.  

Yet in many modern shops, we have the opposite phenomenon. Although some security measures have increased, with door alarms and beeping tags, in other ways theft has become easier. Once goods were kept behind counters, but since the birth of large supermarkets they have been laid out near the door, ready for the taking. Automated self check-out means the customer in effect monitors their own behaviour. Staff levels have dropped precipitously.

Yes, and women wearing short skirts increases rape, eh, Martha? 

I'll Believe It When I See It...

Met Police officers will be banned from supporting 'woke' causes while on duty, Britain's most senior policeman has warned.

Sir Mark Rowley says officers won't be allowed to take the knee, fly rainbow flags or wear badges that support environmental causes, The Telegraph reported.

However, the police commissioner said it is 'perfectly proper' for officers to wear remembrance poppies, Help for Heroes wristbands and the police memorial badge.

What took so long? Did Suella tell him his fortune, at last?

His view on the issue differs significantly from that of his predecessor, Dame Cressida Dick, who had said it was at each individual officer's discretion if they wanted to take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter.

We'll see if this claim actually means anything. I'm not hopeful. It's going to be a bigger clean up job than this one. 

Wow, Apps Are Getting Amazingly Sophisticated..!

A woman who was cleared of cruelty to one of her horses has said that the damage caused by a “trial by social media” is “irreversible” and that she received hand-delivered death threats because of the incident.

Twitter (I refuse to call it 'X') can now arrange for your menacing post to be hand-delivered...! Truly, we live in an age of wonders!

You know, if I'd avoided a jail term for kicking and punching one of my pets in a fit of temper, because a jury had returned one of those baffling verdicts that they can sometimes be prone to, I'd want to hide away and shun the limelight until everyone forgot. 

But of course, I'd never ever do what this woman did in the first place...

She said: “It is profoundly troubling that, in this digital age, misinformation can spread like wildfire, leading to premature judgments and jeopardising the lives and careers of innocent individuals.

“A snippet of video was taken out of context, and manipulated to paint a picture of me that is entirely at odds with who I am.”

No, it showed what it showed, and your real issue isn't that it showed that. It's that it showed quite the opposite. 

The jury didn't buy the offence, but that video - and the resulting impression people were given of you - is never, ever going away.  

But That's Exactly What He Is...

A trans woman has won a legal case after an employment tribunal has suggested that calling her a 'w***er' was discrimination because it is an insult commonly used in reference to men.

It's all he'll ever really be...no amount of surgery and legislation will ever change that.

The swear word is not 'gender-neutral' and so using it against someone who has transitioned would constitute a breach of equality laws, a panel surmised.

If it's not 'gender neutral' then it's being used correctly, in his case. These are the sorts of ridiculous knots you tie yourself in when you deny biological reality. 

The tribunal - heard in Croydon, south London - heard that Miss Fischer began working for London United Busways at their Hounslow bus yard in 2020 until her contract was terminated on January 15 2021. She said she was called a 'w***er' by another driver on January 13, 2021, and that the company was 'male-dominated'.

Well, certainly can't argue with that point, but not for the same reasons! 

However, the panel found that she wasn't discriminated against for being a trans woman after concluding the 'w***er' comment hadn't been made and dismissing her complaint about the near miss.

What a waste of time! And if I had a 'comment of the month' it would go to PJF at Tim's column for this:

Superb!