Tweet Of The Month

Post Title Of The Month

Some poetry from Fahrenheit211... 

Quote Of The Month

DumJon on the mob vs Gary Neville: 

"The sanctimonious twerp was happy to play witchfinder general when it suited him, now it's all gone a bit J K Rowling for him.

Still, it is revealing. We were all supposed to admire his heroism in attacking the right. In fact, we were supposed to be so impressed by it all we weren't meant to ask what was actually courageous about it? What exactly was the risk in a media luvvie attacking conservatives anyway? Now suddenly the alleged tough guy and professional Northerner clashes with the left and he folds like a row of tents. That tells you who has the real power in modern Britain."

And Macheath on social media:

"There’s a good deal of sense in the words of a wise Headmaster (rare, but they do exist) who advised pupils not to post anything online which they would not be happy to see on the side of a bus driving down the High Street. Sadly, staffroom anecdotal evidence suggests many teenagers take a very different attitude: in the words of one world-weary colleague, “It’s a full-time job trying to stop them putting their tits all over the internet”."

Post Of The Month

We all need some good news, and this month, Longrider kindly provides some...

"Blessed Are The Cheesemakers..."

"Mais non, monsieur! Ce n'est pas toi!"

A list of the world's top ten cheeses has sent the French into meltdown after not a single one of their offerings made the cut. Earlier this week, the global food website Taste Atlas based in Bulgaria, claimed in fact Italy is home to eight of the most popular cheeses, according to their database of reviews.

Sacre bleu!

The only two cheeses originating from other countries to feature in the list were Portugal's Serra da Estrela and Polish Bundz, which came in seventh and ninth place respectively. Both are made from sheep's milk.

Ones to look out for next time I'm in Lidl, I think! 

The New Protected Class...

After the verdict, Det Sgt Dollard said: "This is a difficult and tragic case.

"Everyone will have their own views on cyclists, pavements and cycleways but what is clear is Auriol Grey's response to the presence of Celia on a pedal cycle was totally disproportionate and ultimately found to be unlawful, resulting in Celia's untimely and needless death.

"I am pleased with the verdict and hope it is a stark reminder to all road users to take care and be considerate to each other.

"I want to take the time to acknowledge Celia's family and thank them for their patience and dignity throughout the entirety of the investigation and trial."

Gosh! A woman is convicted of manslaughter because a cyclist fell in front of a car. Was she pushed? 

Prosecutor Simon Spence KC said Grey shouted at Mrs Ward and "gestured in a hostile and aggressive way towards" her, causing her to fall off the bike and into the road where she was hit by an oncoming car.

Oh....well, maybe she's a nutter who goes around targeting innocent cyclists in the hope that this will happen?

In police interview, Grey, who has cerebral palsy, told officers she was partially sighted and described the pedal cycle as travelling "fast" in the centre of the pavement. She stated she was "anxious that I was going to get hit by it", adding she "may have unintentionally put" out her hand to protect herself.

Oh...well, maybe it was her that was in the wrong and the cyclist was on a cycle path? 

The court was told police could not "categorically" state whether the pavement was a shared cycleway.

Sometimes, British justice leaves me shaking my head in amazement. This is one such time. 

Not As Described, 'Guardian'...

Oh..? A terrible holiday accident, 'Guardian' headline writer? 

Fifty-nine people, including a newborn baby and other children, have died after a wooden sailing boat believed to be carrying refugees wrecked against rocks off the coast of Italy’s Calabria region.

Ah. Of course not.  

A Turkish national has been detained on suspicion of human trafficking, according to the Ansa news agency. The vessel is believed to have left Turkey four days ago with people from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan onboard.

And what's the expected response to this attempt to breach countries' borders? 

As rescuers continued their search, Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, called for European governments to “stop arguing” and “agree on just, effective, shared measures to avoid more tragedies”.

Well, of course. No doubt we should agree to leave our doors wide open to prevent burglars hurting themselves trying to break in... 

Did You Have Pizza On your Mind, Eurosport Headline Writer?

*sighs*

H/T: Andy via comments

Them's The...Errr... Brakes, I Guess...

*sighs*

Sunday Funnies...

All housed in a big warehouse under government protection, I assume..?

Another Author Had A Solution, Phillip...

Camilla, the Queen Consort, has urged authors to resist curbs on freedom of expression in an apparent reflection on the backlash against changes to Roald Dahl’s books. Speaking at a Clarence House reception to mark the second anniversary of her online book club, Camilla told authors: “Please remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.”

Well, well, well... 

Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, suggested Dahl’s work should be allowed to fade away and be replaced by modern children’s writers.

Gosh, I wonder who exactly you had in mind, Phil ol' chum..? 

Pullman said Dahl’s work would not disappear overnight from shelves in homes, school libraries and elsewhere. “What are you going to do about them? All these words are still there, are you going to round up all the books and cross them out with a big black pen?” 

Let's ask Ray!  

Surely Now Enough Will Be Enough..?

There is no place for these things in a modern society:

Note that the owner only 'may' face charges. And once again, it was left to animal control to try to catch these things alive. Why did armed cops not turn up and deal with the problem animals then and there?

'As they rounded the corner they could see a man being dragged by a dog. He was completely bloodied before they got out of the truck,' San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene.

'This is not something that is normal for us. We don't normally have to defend patients from animals or ourselves. The firefighters in this instance were very heroic fighting off these pit bulls with pickaxes and pipes to try and get to the patients,' Hood said.

If someone doesn't get a grip on the pitbull issue soon, it will become normal...

Aren't The Train Companies There To Serve Our Needs...?

Because they seem to believe we are there to serve theirs...

Commuters are being offered cheaper train tickets on Mondays and Fridays in a bid to woo workers back into the office full-time.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has cut ticket prices on rush-hour trains on Monday and Friday to incentivise workers to travel to the office every day of the week. It is a response to the trend for employees to work from home on Mondays and Fridays, and travel to the office mid-week.

Which is a trend I love, as I love to work on those days and WFH in the middle of the week. But why should we all change working patterns that suit us and our employers to suit the train companies? 

Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail, warned last year that hybrid working had blown a £2billion hole into the industry’s finances.

Buggy whip manufacturers could not be reached for comment. And we all know why, don't we? 

It Should Be A No-Brainer...

...but all it proves is this government is one of very, very little brain indeed:

Plans to cut the asylum backlog by sending questionnaires to refugees instead of conducting official interviews will demand that claimants reply in English within 20 working days or risk refusal, a leaked document shows.

The Home Office will on Thursday begin sending out copies of the 11-page document to about 12,000 people from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria and Yemen as part of Rishi Sunak’s plans to cut the “legacy backlog” of 92,000 asylum claims.

And who is to say the 'refugees' are going to be the ones to fill them in..?

The deadline has dismayed legal experts who say it places unreasonable demands on vulnerable people who will not be able to seek legal advice on time.

Do they mean the 'refugees'? Or the parasites who feed on these 'refugees' who won't be able to keep up with demand..? 

If the latter, I only have one thing to say: 

No Bull!

A helicopter with a shooter will fly over a portion of the vast Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico next week, searching for feral cows to kill. US Forest Service managers approved the plan Thursday to protect sensitive spots in the nation's first designated wilderness area.

Naturally, the bunny huggers are aghast. And so are the cattle ranchers:

They said the action violates federal regulations and will be problematic when carcasses are left to rot.

Will it? Well... 

In 2022, a Forest Service contractor killed 65 cows in an aerial gunning operation similar to the one planned for next week.

A survey done 90 days later found that no carcasses remained. Scavenging birds and other animals consumed them, officials said.

There's your answer! 

"Walker has no memory of the crash..."

Who needs him to, when we have dashcams..? 

In footage from a car in front of the accident, Walker can be seen on his bicycle when the rear wheel caught a car's front wing.

And maps?

MailOnline has discovered there is a cycling path that would have diverted him through a subway underneath, avoiding heavy traffic. The roundabout is said to be a notorious accident black spot.

I guess 'Feild Of Dreams' was wrong, if you build it, they won't come after all... 

Road safety experts have warned cyclists to use cycle lanes where possible and told road users to be more aware and on the 'lookout'.

For cyclists with a death wish? 

How Exactly Does One Hoard Cucumbers..?

Asking for a friend, of course!

Fears are growing that vegetable rationing will spread as 'other stores prepare similar cutbacks' after Asda and Morrisons limited their purchases due to food shortages caused by bad weather. Perishables like tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber and broccoli have been restricted to just two or three per customer in a host of stores up and down the country.

Is it me, or does the word 'perishable' there imply you can't just stuff them in a cupboard like rolls of Andrex during first lockdown? OK, you can freeze broccoli, and make tomatoes into sauce. 

And if all you want to do is pop a chunk in your Pimms, you can freeze cucumber, but it's useless for anything else...

The crisis has developed in recent weeks due to soaring energy costs which have forced British farmers to switch off greenhouses as they desperately try to make ends meet - leaving a dearth of home-grown produce.

I bet the central heating is roaring away in all those refugee hotels, eh?

Meanwhile, a 'perfect storm' of flooding, cold temperatures and cancelled ferries have caused major supply problems on the Continent, meaning supermarkets have also struggled to access imported goods.

The MSM does love a panic, doesn't it? Is there a simple answer? Why, yes:

Olly Harrison, 42, who owns Water Lane Farm in Merseyside, told MailOnline: 'Shoppers are going to have to get used to the sight of empty shelves.

'People are going to have to start eating some items like tomatoes seasonally again, because at the moment, without help, they just can't be produced in this way. '

QED. 

"Anna has shared a video of the dog in question sauntering away after the attack. "

It's the piece of shit dog owner that's doing the 'sauntering', ands yes, the dog is exactly the sort you'd imagine:

Anna added: "He was so shocked and couldn’t really walk. He tried to vomit and couldn’t do that, he wouldn’t drink any water either. We took him to the emergency vet and they did a scan and found really really bad internal bleeding. So they opened him up and did surgery, his stomach and his liver were both torn which they stitched up.

"He was in emergency care overnight though and just didn’t cope and his heart stopped. These type of bulldogs they need to be muzzled or they need to be on a lead and not anywhere near where kids are."

But sadly, no-one's listening, Anna. 

Anna has an appointment to report the attack to the police on Wednesday, February 22.

Pretty much a waste of time. In the States, they know how to deal with these incidents. 

How About Starting With Your Bloated Government, Wales..?

Because you obviously have far too many little authoritarians who think what people choose to buy in Tesco is any of your business...

A Welsh Government consultation document exploring how to make the "food environment in Wales healthier" was published in June 2022 with several proposals on how to promote healthy eating. Some things considered in the original consultation are the banning of "meal deal" offers where products are cheaper if purchased together, multi-buy offers as well as reducing the prices of certain foods.

Wait, what?  

Now the Welsh Retail Consortium has written to ministers to to say that the plans would have a "disproportionate" impact on food producers, reduce choice and increase food prices.

Why a letter? Why not stop paying commecial rates and dare these arrogant little pipsqueaks to take you to court?  

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are considering the next steps on price promotions and locations and no final position has been made following the pubic consultation. We are not proposing to ban meal deals themselves but to consider whether there should be restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar products, that may be part of a meal deal.”

Liars. You'd do it in a heartbeat if you thought you could get away with it. As Longrider succinctly puts it, Eu crogi, hongian nhw i gyd.  

H/T: Hellcid via Twitter

"The dog breed has not yet been confirmed. "

Place your bets!

'The 19-year-old, from Slough, was arrested on suspicion of being in control of a dog dangerously out of control and Section 18 causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as possession with intent to supply a drug of class B (cannabis).

'The arrest relates to an incident in Granville playing fields on when (sic) the victim, a man aged in his 50s, was attacked, sustaining a life-changing leg injury which required hospital treatment.

'The dog has been seized by police and remains in a secure kennel, while the man arrested has been released on police bail until May 11.'

What do we reckon? Collie..? Springer spaniel..? 

Once Is Happenstance, Twice Is Coincidence...

...the third time, they are spitting in our faces, aren't they?*

The son of a Met police sergeant who escaped prosecution for killing two men in a drug-drive smash, before walking free when he was caught with a cannabis stash at his parents' £1m home, has been spared jail for the third time after drug driving. Max Coopey appeared at Reading Magistrates' Court yesterday for his 'deliberate' failure to take a drug test after driving.

What is it going to take? Does he have to kill someone else before he's dealt with appropriately? 

District judge Samuel Goozee told Coopey: 'It is clear from your record that as a youth you were leading an anti-social life and associating with anti-social people.'You have developed an entrenched drug dependency and had turned to dealing not only to fund your own dependency but to earn money.'

Then why the leniency? He's been given chances to turn his life around and thrown them all back in your face... 

Judge Goozee commented: 'I now have learned you have an outstanding matter committed when you were a much older person.'

Wait, what? Either that's a typo from the 'Mail' journalist writing up this piece, or the judge is senile. Quite possibly, both! 

'The Crown Court may deal with you in a very different way than I do this afternoon. By law I am required to consider your age at the time of these offences.'

Goozee sentenced Coopey to an 18-month community order which would require him to complete 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, a mental health treatment requirement and to be on a monitoring tag for six months. He was disqualified from driving for 36 months and the judge ordered him to pay costs of £100 and a surcharge of £95.

Paltry sentencing.  

Judge Goozee, after asking whether Coopey received benefits, commented: 'You are still receiving money from your parents.'

They should face some consequences, then. Maybe find themselves in the dock as accessories. 

*with apologies to Ian Fleming

What Privacy Do They Have Left..?

Thanks to your bungled 'investigation'? 

“An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water, and have sadly recovered a body. No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time,” Lancashire constabulary said in a statement.

“Procedures to identify the body are ongoing. We are currently treating the death as unexplained. Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected.”

If the family's privacy was such a concern, why did officers reveal personal information about her struggle with peri-menopause and alcohol issues then? Was it just because the media were pressing them? 

Yes, the media have behaved disgracefully, and Twitter armchair sleuths haven't been much better. But aren't we entitled to a far better performance from the police?

Unfortunate Advertisement Placing...

Ouch! 

Intriguing Juxtaposition...

We can but hope, young protestors...

Sunday Funnies...

And we still don't have a flying car or personal jetpacks!

Procurator Fiscal Service Are Just As Useless North Of The Border As CPS South Of It...

So, the inevitable result of this case.

A police officer has been cleared by a jury in Edinburgh of raping a woman and a six-year-old girl after doubts emerged about the dates of the alleged attacks. Martyn Coulter, 36, a Police Scotland constable currently on suspension, was found not guilty of six of the charges by verdicts and a seventh charge was not proven – a verdict of acquittal, after the jury deliberated for nearly four hours.

Sounds like that was three hours longer than needed: 

He said that the second alleged rape of the woman at his former home in Dunbar at lunchtime in September 2013 “could not have happened” as he was in Hampshire taking part in military police training. His alleged victim, now 36, has claimed he wanted sex with her to celebrate his forthcoming posting to Afghanistan and forced himself on her, but Coulter said he only discovered he was going there in November. The court also heard evidence she went on a night out with him later that day.

What on earth possessed them to go to trial with this?

Duguid challenged the prosecution’s account by producing Google maps, timelines, bank statements and social media posts showing Coulter’s locations on the day of the alleged rape in September 2013. His army records showed he had been on an army training course for most of the month.

Someone should be investigated for this. 

Oh, wait. Someone will...but not, of course, who you'd think: 

Police Scotland said: “The officer remains suspended and, given that criminal proceedings have concluded, the matter will now be assessed for misconduct by Police Scotland’s professional standards department.”

Translation: "We couldn't get you for that but we still want our pound of flesh..." 

Oh Look, Another One...

Oh..?

Raheem Bailey, a pupil at Abertillery learning community in south Wales, was attacked and beaten by a group of children on 17 May 2022, according to his mother, Shantal, who said he was pushed to the ground and repeatedly kicked. In an Instagram post days after the incident, accompanied by photographs of her son’s injured hand, Shantal said Raheem made a “desperate attempt” to leave the school grounds to escape the situation. Raheem’s finger was then caught in a fence as he tried to climb to escape. Despite surgery to save his finger, it was later amputated.

That was then, this is now... 

Nearly a year since the alleged assault, Gwent police said their investigation, described as “complex”, found Raheem had left the school “of his own accord” and concluded no other individual was involved in his injury. Police said reports of this nature were taken “extremely seriously”, adding that CCTV footage from the school had been viewed and several people interviewed under caution.

But never mind, mum got a payday anyway: 

Following the incident, Shantal launched a GoFundMe campaign to purchase a prosthetic finger for Raheem and help with his recovery, eventually raising £107,575.

They should all ask for their money back. 

This Coward Should Have Been Banned From Owning Dogs For Life...

At Crewe magistrates, Forster admitted having dangerous dogs out of control and was sentenced to a 20-week 7pm to 7am curfew. He was also ordered to pay £1,220 in compensation to Riley's owner, plus £1,910.61 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Some compensation for watching your beloved pet killed by these two monster animals. And having to sit through a court case and listen to this load of old bollocks from the defence: 

In mitigation Tom Worsfold, counsel for Forster said: 'He trains security dogs but also other types of dogs, such as sniffer dogs. This was an incident which happened very quickly which got out of the control of the defendant. It was a momentary lapse of control or attention which had devastating consequences.'

Lie:

The court heard in February 2021, another dog was attacked by Forster's hounds and suffered puncture wounds to the back. The matter did not end up in the courts after he agreed to pay the £95 vet bill. Later that same month at Runcorn Town Park, a six-month old Doberman received two 1.5cm wounds on one shoulder and a 2cm wound on its other shoulder. The Doberman's owner later made a civil claim against Forster. A third incident involved Demon attacking a dog called Buddy which was dragged around in its mouth. There were wounds of approximately 8 cm and 4 cm and multiple other puncture wounds and Buddy had surgery under general anaesthetic at a cost of £500 which was paid by Forster.

So, not a momentary lapse at all. These things had attacked three times before. Why don't the magistrates challenge such obvious lies?

'This is a man who knows about dogs. He has made a mistake and is clear that this is a warning shot to him. It is an experience that he has learnt from and continues to learn from.'

Not a lie:

'After the incident, Ms Snape recalls the defendant saying that 'Your dog should be on a f***ing lead.' Ms Snape left the scene to find an officer, when she returned, she noticed Riley's body had been turned to face the other way and the lead had been removed. A 15-year-old witness saw the defendant take the lead off.

He's learned, all right. He's learned to do all he can to dodge the consequences, paltry as they are. 

So why is he still allowed to have anything to do with dogs, when he's proven to be incapable of handling them? Why no lifetime ban? 

This Sounds...Familiar!

Fly-tippers will be given on-the-spot community service and forced to clear up rubbish in their neighbourhoods if Labour win the next election.

I just can't quite put my finger on why...

Aha! *snaps fingers* 

Tony Blair provoked a mixture of scorn, anger and scepticism last night after he proposed on-the-spot fines for Saturday night hooligans - who could be marched to their cashpoints by police and forced to hand over up to £100.

I knew it would come to me eventually... 

Self Inflicted Wounds...

If you’re writing a memoir, the moment of panic at your own specific revelations will come. Once it’s out there, there’s no withdrawing it.

Then why do it? Did someone hold a gun to your head?

Could a shared central resource exist? A set of agreed principles and harm-reduction guidelines? A directory of counsellors, therapists, helplines and specific support organisations – after all, each author’s needs will be as specific as their stories.

Why on earth should any of these things be needed so self-indulgent snowflakes can feel free to 'express themselves' in public? 

 

Can't Do Their Job Properly...

...but will bang you up in a second if you dare to criticise them, or try to do it for them.

No, Actually, Troy, It Isn't...

It is hard to fathom the boredom of pet fish.

...it's exactly like the boredom I felt scanning down this tired, hackneyed 'Guardian' column. 

Written by Troy Vettese, who is 'an environmental historian at the European University Institute and co-author of Half-Earth Socialism (Verso 2020)'. His premise is that the world would be better if we gave up pets (because what else is socialism taken to the extreme?).

In a post-pets era, we could still enjoy the company and beauty of animals, but from afar as naturalists in a wilder world. We can only speculate what this new era might look like, but its realization begins once we accept that true happiness cannot be predicated on the suffering of others.

Not sure that's true. Seeing this joyless little twerp suffering would give me true happiness... 

Finally, A Proper Sentence...

Albeit for an attack that would never have happened if the authorities had acted in the first place:

The defendant had denied that Mako carried out the attack and told the court that Ms Turner arrived injured at her front door having been attacked by a stray dog elsewhere.

Ms Beaven added that Mako, which had been subject to a dog behaviour contract because of two previous incidents, had since been euthanised because of health problems.

Nor was the dog the only one with a horrific record: 

The court heard that Peacock was previously given a suspended prison term in 2017 for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after she killed eight puppies by placing them in a freezer and a ninth by hitting it over the head.

Why was someone like this ever allowed to own so much as a goldfish, let along a powerful dog? 

Judge Richard Parkes KC told Peacock : 'You have shown no remorse whatsoever for what happened, indeed you continue to protest even today that Miss Turner turned up at your door having already been attacked by some savage stray.

'The only real mitigation in this very serious case is the fact that you are elderly and suffering from multiple sclerosis, a condition which plainly requires long-term treatment.'

The irony being, she'll probably get better treatment in prison than out... 

"How Very Dare They..?!" Pt 2794138

Did you think they should just roll over and take it, Francisco..?

But, of course, there’s been opposition – from Scotland’s landlord lobbies. Their argument was that the freeze was unfair on those in their ranks struggling with the cost of living crisis themselves. They also warned of a potential landlord exodus, further increasing demand issues.

As always happens when the government thinks it can solve an issue by meddling with market forces... 

But for all the “good landlords” out there who don’t price-gouge and who maintain their properties well, there are many tenants for whom these arguments won’t evoke sympathy: in 2019, the Scottish house conditions survey showed that 52% of privately rented homes in Scotland were found to be in a state of disrepair.

And are they all the fault of the wicked landlord, or of the tenants themselves? 

I Bet The Canapes Were Exquisite, Donna...

Ooh, burglary? Rural crime like fly-tipping? Domestic violence? Traveller incursions? 'Hate crimes' committed by those under the age of criminal responsibility?

Is..is this a big thing in Hampshire, then?

February 6 was the United Nations-sponsored annual international day of zero tolerance for FGM.

Ah. Of course. A great excuse for virtue signalling. And rubbing shoulders with all the right people, the better to secure a job when you get kicked out for being a burden on the taxpayer.

PCC Donna Jones spoke at a community event in Hampshire highlighting how important it is to raise awareness and understanding of FGM, to help identify those who may be at risk. The PCC expressed how hard it must be for girls affected by this to come forward, but reassured that she and the police funds specialist service providers to work with communities.

No, actually, they are funded by the long-suffering taxpayer, aren't they? 

H/T: Ian J via email

Move It Monday: February

Let's move it to a classic track this month - not the more popular 'Copacabana' (which is a great song, it's true...) but February's offering is Barry Manilow with 'New York City Rhythm':

 

I was a bit torn between this and 'They Dance!' but in the end, nostalgia won out!

Would This Reassure You..?

Tandridge council says is considering plans for licensed professional dog walkers to wear armbands to reassure concerned residents.

Yes, it's this case again. I think it might 'reassure residents' if they carried 9mm revolvers instead...

WCPGW?

Oh. I presume you'll be consulting history professors, stonemasons, local scholars?

Wow! Who on earth went into the police farce expecting to become an expert on 'problematic statuary' instead of wanting to lock up burglars?

H/T: ViscountToad via Twitter

Don't They Mean 'On The Hop'..?

I mean, c'mon...

H/T: DAD via email

Facing Adversity...

Ouch! Nice one, Matt...

Sunday Funnies...

Rockwell was right...somebody's watching you!

Was This Inevitable..?

I think it was. And I think we'll see more of it, too...

Clare Moseley, founder of refugee charity Care 4 Calais, said... 'I'm trying to get in touch with some of the poor men in that hotel, I can only imagine how frightened they are.

'It was like a war zone.'

Shouldn't they be used to that, Clare?

Knowsley MP Sir George Howarth said some at the demonstration outside the Suites Hotel in Knowsley were protesting against refugees. He said it was triggered by an 'alleged incident posted on social media' and criticised misinformation about refugees being 'feather-bedded' at the hotel.

Ah, have they only been given synthetic bedding, then?  

'The people of Knowsley are not bigots and are welcoming to people escaping from some of the most dangerous places in the world in search of a place of safety. '

Who knew Calais was such a hellhole? 

No 'Quick Answers' For Mr Tuvi's Family...

...I guess Khan's too busy with the ULEZ expansion to chase them up?

At the time of the accident, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called for quick answers over Mr Tuvi’s death under the moving walkway, connecting the Jubilee Line to the Northern Line, so that lessons could be learned.

But a year later, in the midst of the pandemic, his family said they were ‘in limbo’, still waiting for a series of investigations to finish before an inquest could take place.

Or was it just a bit of the usual grandstanding by this jumped up little popinjay?

When Two Tribes Go To War...

Well, this is going to be rather interesting. Perhaps, for once, the race baiters have bitten off a bit more than they can chew. Because there's something the headlines and the rabble rousing MP have omitted...

 Better buy popcorn shares!

Great Journalism, MSN!

It's clearly the roundabout. After all, it can't possibly be the drivers who are misusing it, can it?

H/T: The Jannie via email

It Won't Shock Anyone Who Reads The News...

Imogen said she contacted police five times before they visited her and her son the following day. She added: “The police response has shocked me to the core.”

Yup, it's yet another dangerous dog plus police apathy case. There's lot of them.

Chief Inspector Ben Starns, District Commander for Crawley and Mid Sussex, said: “We recognise that this was a distressing incident for those affected and the wider community.

“Officers launched an investigation immediately, which is ongoing, which has included a visit to the dog owner’s home and the victim’s home.

“Officers also carried out an initial safety assessment of the dog, which was identified to be a 17-week-old American bully puppy.

“The supporting paperwork and microchip for the dog have been checked and it is not thought to be a restricted breed.

“A risk-based decision has been made to not seize the dog at this time, but the owner has been given advice around the safety and security of their dog while we conduct our investigation.”

Meanwhile...

Marie Hay, 40, along with her daughters aged five and 20, were walking their husky, Naevia, in Redcar when it was set upon by two "bulldog-type" dogs.

Four witnesses who intervened required hospital treatment after the attack, which happened at about 15:00 GMT on Sunday, police said.Cleveland Police said it attended the scene and took "initial details including [later] a counter allegation from the bulldogs' owner".

Because of course you'd give a sympathetic hearing to a man whose animals have severely injured a woman's pet and savaged four people who tried to help her... 

What The Hell Is Going On In Scotland?

A Scottish police officer is accused of horrendous sexual crimes against women and children:

Coulter denies all charges against him and has lodged a special defence, saying that between 6 and 21 September 2013 he was in England on a military police training course.

Wait, what? Surely this is a matter of record? Don't the police themselves know where he was? Don't they keep scrupulous records?

Defending Coulter, Ian Duguid KC asked a police officer who had been involved in the case if the child had been medically examined, but the officer said she did not know.

Oh. I guess not...I'll have to rewatch 'Taggart' with new eyes next time it's repeated.

Not Helping To Keep Death Off The Roads, Judge...

“[The victim] was on her way to school in the morning as she got to the junction and needed to cross that road,” prosecutor Nicholas Jones said.

“She waited at the lights, the pedestrian lights turned to green and she, along with other pedestrians, crossed the road.

“She was struck by this defendant who had gone through a red light."

The coward then fled the scene, despite himself being a victim of a hit and run as a child.

Handing down 12-months custody suspended for two years...

Wait, what..?!? 

...Judge Simon James told Potts: “[You] collided with a 12-year-old girl, knocking her over and breaking her leg in two places.

“You claimed not to have seen the traffic light because the visor of your helmet steamed up.”

“You drove away from the scene. Although I accept your conscience got the better of you. You presented yourself to the police and made full and frank admissions.”

He told Potts he was prepared to give him a “last, final chance” and acknowledged he had since become a “productive citizen”.

Are we really that desperate for broadband installers? 

Darwin Strikes Again...

Leo Gradwell was behind the wheel of a stolen Fiat 500 when he lost control and collided with a Kia Sportage and then a Renault Clio on Asthon Road in Golborne, Wigan. Leo, from Platt Bridge, was initially rushed to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, before being taken to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

Wait, children's hospital..? Yes. He was 14.

However, his injuries were considered unsurvivable and his life support , of the 'much-loved son and brother' was withdrawn the following day.

Some might argue that decision should perhaps have been made before the crash... 

Yesterday, a jury who began hearing evidence in the case last week, returned their findings and conclusion.

Was it 'Good riddance'..? 

Summing up the evidence, Mr Brennand said GMP PC Darren Sharpe who was asked to review the incident 'considered the actions of his colleagues to proportionate and legitimate.'

Neville Lowden from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), also concluded the pursuit was 'proportionate and legitimate', the hearing was told.

Not that any of that prevented the family's solicitor having a dig at the cops, instead of staying wisely silent, of course... 

High Risk Low Reward...

That seems....unwise!

The man is described as wearing dark clothing and a black crash helmet during all the incidents and riding a dark colored motorbike or moped.

Seems to me he's protecting the wrong body part!

I Guess Sophie Ellis Bextor Is Now Public Enemy No 1..?

For that 'incident' on the dance floor...

Which 'Animal'..?

Oh! What sort, I wonder? Mad cow..? British 'big cat'..? 

The woman was walking her dog when another dog, described as a grey Staffordshire/bull terrier, pinned the woman's dog down and attacked it.

Ah. *rolls eyes*  

The offending dog was being walked by another woman who failed to exchange details and left the scene.

Of course! What else to expect?

Anyone that witnessed the incident or has any information should contact police at either 101 or online at www.suffolk.police.uk, quoting crime reference number 37/1616/23.

Well, at least the police aren't shuffling it off to the local council like so many other farces... 

H/T: Dave Ward via email 

'Refugees Welcome'...

Say no more.

Newsflash, Owen...

...it's no big deal there, either. Apart from a small minority who don't seem to want to accept reality. 

Not that you ever seem to speak out about them, eh, Owen?

Did The Council Hire Someone Who Used To Fake Crop Circles..?

I mean, what other explanation could there be..?

H/T: Ian J via email

He Truly Is The Master...

 

He never misses, does Matt!

Sunday Funnies...

Isn't No 4 just Budwiser?

A Headline From Clown World

If someone has a penis and testicles, they are a man. Unless they keep them in a jar, of course. 

No, 'Mail', even if you put them in inverted commas, that doesn't help...

"The war machine springs to life, opens up one eager eye..."

Then closes it, because who wants to start all that business, right? Over one little...

Oh.

A US defence official said earlier that Biden had asked for military options but that the Pentagon believed shooting the object down would put people on the ground at risk from debris.

That whirring sound you can hear must be Curtis Le May turning in his grave... 

Suzie Lamplugh Could Not Be Reached For Comment...

Nor April Fabb, Genette Tate, etc, etc, etc...

When 'A Night On The Town' Goes Wrong...

A woman high on cocaine escaped from a police car while half-naked - triggering a huge manhunt. Roma Lawson then sunk her teeth into an officer after running through the streets of Margate without her trousers.

All that's missing is a 'Yaketty Sax' soundtrack... 

Lawson, who has 10 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody and assaulting an emergency worker before trial.

Is the Pussy Pass in effect here, despite the woeful record? Reader, it is, of course... 

Handing down eight months’ custody suspended for a year-and-a-half, Judge Catherine Brown told Lawson: “Biting is… something someone completely out of control does.”

The judge told Lawson she was under the influence of cocaine when she attacked the officer in May last year but has since shown a “prospect of rehabilitation”.

Can I borrow your glasses, Judge? They must be really good... 

Lawson, of Central Parade, was ordered to complete 20 probation days and pay £100 compensation.

*sighs* 

H/T: farmageddon via Twitter

Your Mum Was Right...

...when she told you to always wear clean underwear in case you were in an accident:

Firemen were last night accused of photographing women who had died in car accidents. A female whistleblower told ITV News that those responsible even joked about the underwear the victims were wearing at the time of accidents.

Ugh! 

Dorset Police has launched an investigation into the claims, while Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has launched its own review.

What sort of people are we recruiting these days? 

Why The Difference..?

Family with seriously ill child are arrested when she dies:

The Met Police have defended their actions, stating the arrests were 'necessary due to the seriousness of this tragic incident'.

Family who buy pitbull type which kills their four-year old are treated as poor victims:

Giving an update earlier on Wednesday, Superintendent Marc Tarbit said that the child's family are being supported by specially trained officers.

'An investigation is currently under way to fully understand the circumstances but we currently believe that this was a tragic, isolated incident and there is no threat to the wider community,' he said.

'Accordingly, no arrests have been made at this time.'

The difference surely can't be down to different forces - don't they all follow the same guidelines? Is the mauling death of a four year old considered 'less serious'? Did the Met Police fear that Mr Weiss was 'a danger to the wider community'? 

In A Statement From Her Office Under A Rock..?

How can anyone possibly claim to be surprised by this? 

"It is impossible to imagine what they must be going through at the moment."

Not really. We've had a hell of a lot of practice, lately.

Superintendent Matt Bullivant said: 'This is an absolutely tragic incident in which we believe that a child has been killed after being attacked by a dog.'

You mean, another child, don't you? It seems like dog attacks are becoming far more frequent, and the police response to them far more lacklustre. At least they shot the thing on scene this time, rather than take it in for expensive tests. .

'Clearly we are in the very early stages of an investigation, and it would be wrong and unhelpful to speculate as to the exact circumstances of this incident at this point.

'Anyone with concerns should feel free to approach our officers and ask questions, but I urge people not to speculate about the circumstances, especially on social media platforms.'

In case they reveal something you don't want them to know? Like why there's been no immediate arrest?