Tweet Of The Month

Post Title Of The Month

David Thompson on narcissist musings:

Quote Of The Month

Fahrenheit211 on more international conflict on the streets of London:

"There’s been a bit of trouble at the Indian High Commission in London. This time it’s extremist Sikhs wanting an independent homeland who’ve been involved in a bit of aggro that resulted in windows in the High Commission being broken and one man arrested. The demo crowd involved in this incident doesn’t appear to have been of very much of a size, not if the vast majority of it had dispersed by the time the police got their arses into gear, which in this part of London and with a High Commission being attacked, would have been pretty damned quickly. This particular incident really does look like a few nutters. Excitable demonstrations about conflicts thousands of miles away are the sort of thing that the Met and City Police often have to deal with."

Post Of The Month

MacHeath on the changing face of literature.

Perverse Decisions...

Well, the trial finally concluded.

The court heard how seven-and-a-half stone Mrs Barnes 'simply mistook' his large five-storey seaside home for her hotel after travelling more than 100 miles from Birmingham to the seaside resort for a £95-a-night break.

They make it sound as if she was just tired, and it was a mistake any sober person could have made... 

The retired factory worker had purchased a bottle of gin on a seaside evening stroll before seeking out her B'nB. But she mistook Redfern's large seafront home called Belmont House for her intended hotel - and tipsily went into the wrong home, straight up to bed, unpacked and poured a gin nightcap.

There's little sympathy for a man finding a drunken stranger in his bed, is there? 

Adjourning sentencing until Friday, Mr Justice Bourne told him: 'You are remanded in custody. You have been advised what the sentencing decision will be.'

And still no indication how she got in. As Ivan pointed out in comments, he didn't seem the sort to leave his door unlocked, did he? 

Let's Spin The Wheel Of Racism Once Again...

The recent social media trend of showing off spacious, bright, clean and perfectly organized pantries is...

Oh, wait. Surely not? 

...rooted in racist, classist and sexist social structures, according to a professor from Chicago.

*deep sigh* 

Associate Professor of Marketing Jenna Drenten said she took note of a recent uptick in what she branded 'pantry porn' - when women show off their fully stocked, methodically styled home supply closets. In particular, Drenten singles out ultra-influencer celebrities like the Kardashians for proliferating the trend as they show their millions of followers their pristine storage rooms.

It takes a lot to make me side with vacuous, empty-headed celebrities, but vacuous, empty-headed wackademics do it every time...

While beautiful, neat, airy kitchens and homes have long been associated with wealth and status, dirty and unkept kitchens and houses have indicated that their owners are not responsible enough and do not have the means to take care of them. Furthermore, women, it is implied, will be the ones taking care of the elaborate pantries and the things that are cooked with their abundance of ingredients - tying them, in a way that the modern woman perhaps rejects, to the domestic sphere.

So, cleanliness and pride in appearance are all racist? Isn't that a little bit, errr, what's the word I'm looking for here? 

'Cleanliness has historically been used as a cultural gatekeeping mechanism to reinforce status distinctions based on a vague understanding of ‘niceness’: nice people, with nice yards, in nice houses, make for nice neighborhoods,' she wrote. 'What lies beneath the surface of this anti-messiness, pro-niceness stance is a history of classist, racist and sexist social structures.'

Who wants to live in a neighbourhood that's not nice and clean? I bet Jenna doesn't! 

We Can But Pray...

Vicky Tennant, the UK representative at the UN high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), told MPs and peers on the joint committee on human rights that she had serious concerns about the implications of the illegal migration bill if it becomes law.

No more cocktail parties for you, Vicky? Oh dear. How sad. 

Tennant warned that the legislation could have a “domino effect” on other countries. “It’s potentially moving towards the collapse of this international system, which is not in anyone’s interest,” she said.

“It would set a really unfortunate precedent.”

I wouldn't say it wasn't in anyone's interest. It's clearly not in yours, but have you asked anyone else? 

If This Is The Prosecutor, It's No Wonder The Defence Succeeded...

A teenager who raped a 12-year-old schoolgirl after messaging her on social media has avoided jail.

God, how..?!? 

Marijuana smoker Joseph Flynn, from Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside, was 16 when he contacted the girl, sent her a photo of his penis and lured her to his house.

Flynn, now 18, was spared jail despite the court being told he posed a high risk of reoffending - after his lawyer said the teenager 'lacked understanding of consent.'

Was that his only offence, then? Reader, it was not... 

The teenager, who was also found with indecent images of children, including one featuring bestiality, was sentenced to a 12-month referral order at Liverpool Youth Court on Wednesday.

Clever defence, or incompetent prosecution? 

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, told the court the girl was struggling with her mental health at the time and felt she had done something wrong afterwards by 'getting him in trouble'. She also said she was quite clear in her account that at no point did Flynn force her to have sex, and she did say yes to him at the time.

*sighs* She can't agree, she's underage! 

He was interviewed at the beginning of 2021 and answered no comment to all questions put to him and he was released on bail.

No doubt advised to do so by the defence, but if he'd known how useless the prosecution would be, he might not have bothered. 

Frank Dylan, mitigating, said his client lacked understanding of sex and consent and needed to be educated. Although Flynn was assessed as a high risk of reoffending, Mr Dylan said this could be changed with help from the youth offenders service.

The odds are against it, though, aren't they? 

The Dogs That Don't Bark...

...but that we keep to guard against such things.

Neighbours claim the dogs escaped from a neighbour's home and attacked her as she played in a front garden in Carrington, Greater Manchester.

One neighbour said: 'He's a breeder. You see loads of these Bully-type dogs there.

'There were puppies he kept in a caravan.'

'The police have been here loads of times to speak to him about different things.'

I'll just bet they have. I wonder if any of them saw fit to investigate the circumstances?

Come to that, given the price these things go for, I wonder if HMRC were ever interested in whether the income was declared?

'This was an accident waiting to happen.'

Yes. We see lots of these, don't we, Reader? 

Warm Up A Seat On The Rwanda Flight, Suella!

A man who murdered a motorcyclist in front of his victim's girlfriend by stabbing him in the chest as he took part in a music video shoot has been granted a reduction in the minimum time he must spend in jail before being considered for release.

Yes, it's this infamous case.

Brandon McNeil, 20, was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 24 years after admitting murdering Shane Jerome, 23, in Brixton, south London, in July 2021. Three appeal judges have now reduced that minimum term to 20 years and 247 days.

And...why? 

Barrister Rajiv Menon KC, who represented McNeil, argued that Judge Munro had not given enough weight to mitigating factors, including McNeil's age and the fact that he had been the victim of human trafficking.

Well, we know how to deal with this, then, don't we? 

H/T: Tim Newman via Twitter

I Guess Now We Know What It Takes For The MSM To Admit Reality...

...and it's shoot up a school and kill a bunch of kids and teachers.

No nonsense here such as telling us a woman raped someone with 'her penis', eh? Even pointing out the statistical irregularity. No-one is indulging this person's delusion now...

Better reconsider that support and acceptance and affirmation now, eh, medical professionals?

Well, Schools Are Safer Now, I Guess...

A paedophile Metropolitan Police Safer Schools officer has been jailed for five years over a string of child sex offences including having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

PC Hussain Chehab, 22, was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday for four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and offences linked to indecent images of children.

Whoops! 

The sexual activity offences took place between March and September 2019, before Chehab joined the Metropolitan Police the following year.

I wonder what it was that drew him to consider a career in the Met..? 

In the trial, Wood Green Crown Court also heard that the officer was found with 882 still and moving indecent images of children on his devices while a Met officer.

The only surprise was that he didn't try to say it was 'research'... 

Integration Into A Different Culture's Going Well...

The teenager, who came to England from Poland for a 'better life', leaves behind his mother Kamila, father Patryk and a little brother.

Unfortunately, it's not the 'scones and cream, cricket on the green and village life' of England. It's a rather different culture:

On Tuesday, Prosecutor Mark McKone, KC, read a statement from a friend of the victim to the court, as the young witness described what happened.

The boy said: 'I heard the suspect shout "I'm gonna wet you", it's slang for ''I'm gonna stab you''.

One that should be as alien to ours, but isn't... 

Where Were They Singing, On The Torrey Canyon..?

*sighs*

H/T: Ian J via email

Hear, Here!

*sighs*

H/T: Stephen Brown via email

Sunday Funnies...

 Working for Iron Mountain must feel like being part of the 'Stargate' team..!

Gosh, How Primitive And Sexist They Were In The Old Days...

...and what funny ideas they had about women's ability to cope with adversity! 

Oh.

Some Sad News For Saturday...

It seems my regular roll call of the fallen on New Year's Eve will be a bit longer. 

My sincere condolences to Mark's friend and family, and he will be much missed in the Blogosphere.

H/T: James via GAB

Maybe Not Everyone Regards Them As 'Heroes', Wes..?

A health service body called NHS Protect had collated and published data on the number of verbal and physical attacks on NHS staff in England for many years, but it did so for the last time in 2016, when it published the figures for 2015-16, and was scrapped in 2017.

Barclay restated his commitment to “a new data collection” in a further written parliamentary answer to the Conservative ex-health minister Dan Poulter in September 2018. However, the health minister Will Quince recently confirmed to the shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, that the plan had been dropped.

And Labour are, of course, up in arms. When aren't they? 

...Labour claimed that “ministers are burying their heads in the sand” on aggression against frontline staff, which has become more common since the Covid-19 pandemic began three years ago.

Gosh, what a shock. 

Now, is this the usual drunk, drugged up, mentally ill 'service users' launching these attacks? Or Mr & Mrs Let's All Clap For Them getting to hospital and finding out just how poor a service they've been lionising, perhaps? 

“The Conservatives’ approach to violence and abuse against paramedics and nurses is ‘ignorance is bliss’. What kind of protection is that for the heroes of the pandemic?” said Streeting.

What 'heroes', Wes? The ones who danced and sang on TikTok videos while elderly patients with covid were discharged into care homes? 

Long waiting times for care appear to be a particular source of frustration for some patients or their relatives.

Reality meets PR and it's not pretty...

Pointless Deploying The 'He's Just Being Friendly' Lie...

 ...when we've all seen the video. But then that's typical of the owners of these things. It's a toss up who has the higher IQ:

The owner of an out-of-control dog that attacked a police horse and left it with multiple injuries has insisted his pet is 'friendly' and was just 'intimidated' by the larger animal.

The chaotic scenes saw officers screaming for the dog to be put on a lead as members of the public intervened, with one man using a long stick to try to get the animal away from Urbane.

Which upset the owner. Yes, unbelievably. 

...owner Hakan Niyazi, who is in his twenties, said his pet Coco was intimidated and felt threatened, telling the Sun: 'She's so friendly. With any human she's so good. I don't know why it happened.' He also accused the have-a-go-hero witness who used a long stick to keep the dog at bay of being 'rude', adding: 'I was so angry at the time. He said I didn't do nothing. I tried.

'I reciprocate energy. If you're rude to me I will be rude back to you. He was angry. He was swearing, being rude. I was trying my hardest.'

Oh, please! Everyone who can see that video (and that's the whole connected world) can see you standing there doing nothing. Why do these people lie so incompetently? 

A sign in the window of the brother's ground floor flat, which backs on to the Hertford Union Canal, warns passers-by: 'Beware. Wild animal Inside.

Maybe it refers to the owner and his equally deadbeat brother?

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'On Wednesday 22 March a dog was seized in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, after it attacked a police horse.

'The horse required stitches and is expected to return to duty following its recovery.

'The dog remains in police kennels and officers are in contact with its owner.

'No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.'

What more enquiries are needed? Maybe if you'd acted on previous reports about this animal, you wouldn't have an injured horse right now. But then, that's happened before, hasn't it?

H/T: DAD via email 

Should Have Applied To Work For The Tavistock, Marius...

Marius Gustavson, 45, along with eight others, is alleged to have performed extreme body modifications, including the removal of penises and testicles.

Gustavson, who is originally from Norway, is said to have been the ringleader in a wide-ranging conspiracy, involving up to 29 offences of extreme body modifications, the removal of body parts, the trade in body parts and the uploading of videos.

...they'd have let you do it on kiddies, too!

A total of nine men appeared in courts in central London and Wales on Wednesday over the alleged six-year plot, which is said to have brought in about £200,000 in income.

Amateurs! Bet the Tavistock made a lot more than that, and all legally too. There's money in this!

All of the alleged victims are said to have been part of a society in which people willingly undergo extreme body modification.

If you're shaking your head right now at the absurdity of this, you aren't the only one... 

To Celebrate….

...some music:

Five Months Hard Work Down The Drain...

David Avhanvhondo, 56, was stopped and arrested by undercover officers deployed to the area to conduct overnight patrols, at around 4am on February 12, following a five-month investigation.

They are to be commended, because getting the police to take proper notice of animal cruelty is a Herculean task. So what went wrong? 

The case against a man accused of animal cruelty offences, after about 20 cats were found dead in north London, has been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Oh.  

David Avhanvhondo, 56, had pleaded not guilty to two offences at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court last month.

The CPS told the same court on Friday the case had been discontinued because it no longer met its legal test. The CPS said "there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction".

And that's that. No-one asks why? No-one asks why they thought there was a realistic prospect initially? They don't need to explain why they think there isn't one now? 

Will They Never Learn..?

Wait, what..?

Err...

H/T: Ian J via email

I Wonder What A Venn Diagram Would Show...

...if it featured 'people who agreed schools must close to 'save lives' during the pandemic no matter the cost to pupils' and 'teachers insisting OFSTED should no longer carry out inspections'..? 

I bet it'd be a perfect circle:

Ofsted has been urged to halt all school visits after a headteacher killed herself over a critical inspection, prompting an education union chief to warn her tragic death must act as a 'watershed moment'.

Now, someone who kills herself over what anyone else would regard as a concerning but ultimately trivial work matter has a lot of other issues (anyone think top cops will be reaching for the pills today? No. Me neither..), but will the 'if it saves one life!' crowd even listen to reason?

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, is now urging all policymakers to listen to the 'important' message from Mrs Perry's family regarding their determination that 'something like this should never happen again'.

Maybe instability and impulsive behaviour runs in her family? 

It comes after Mrs Perry's sister Professor Julia Walters called for schools to 'boycott Ofsted' and revealed that her sister had experienced the 'worst day of her life' during the Ofsted inspection.

Ah. Clearly, because no-one would call for such a thing if they were in their right m...

Similarly, Flora Cooper, executive headteacher of the John Rankin Schools in nearby Newbury, Berkshire, yesterday said she will refuse to let Ofsted in the building during a planned visit today and called on other schools to do the same.

Blimey, it's spreading! Sack her. And anyone else who threatens this, before this hysteria spreads any further. You know it makes sense. 

Don't Blame Me, You Clapped For Them...

...I didn't. Because I knew what they were capable of:

Sarene Taylor, 88, was admitted to a North Wales hospital after suffering a stroke roughly four weeks ago, but according to Rob Taylor doctors said there was nothing more they could do and they started end of life care with fluids and food being withdrawn.

Mr Taylor, a decorated and respected former North Wales rural police officer, described the approach to end-of-life care as 'inhumane' and 'heartbreaking' for the family and said it has to change.

I wonder if he ever had to arrest someone for neglect of the elderly in his police career?

He also spoke about reporting the circumstances that led to his mother's death to North Wales Police and the Older People's Commissioner for Wales.

Who'll do nothing but claim to be 'following agreed procedures'... 

'This is not a story about illegality or legality, it's about ethics. My mum is still alive - 24 to 25 days in without any food, any water, no IV drip, nothing - she's still alive - and it's inhumane and absolutely harrowing to the family and inhumane.

'This is how you would treat people back in the 11th and 12th Century - not 2023.'

Quite. But then, we're devolving as a society, aren't we? 

'Shocking'..? Not Really...

A group of male strangers are then seen trying to calm the situation before it exploded into violence.

One of the girls said: 'Would never normally do this but the kind of stuff bouncers get away with is honestly disgusting.

'This was after my friend had been told to leave because she was eating some chips in the queue and we said can she stand to the side instead of outside on her own at night.'

Once again, youths demanding that the rules shouldn't apply to them and being met - probably for the first time ever - with a firm 'No'. 

No one was injured in the incident, which has caused outrage on social media.

*yawns*

But why would youths be met with immediate overwhelming force anyway? C'mon Julia, surely there's no good reason for th.. 

Ah.

Jay Byrne, Joseph Byrne and the unnamed teen beat Christopher Molloy to death in an early hours 'gang attack' in the Bootle area of Merseyside last July. The 55-year-old had been accused of 'touching' the boy's girlfriend, before being chased by the Byrnes and their co-defendant through the Strand Shopping Centre.

And they displayed all the modern attitude we've come to expect right throughout the trial. 

Judge Neil Flewitt threatened to throw the Byrne brothers out of court after they were seen laughing and grinning during his sentencing remarks.

He said: 'The pair of them are finding this amusing. I am not finding it amusing.' This sparked a foul-mouthed rant from Joseph Byrne, who said 'He is chatting s**the, he's just chatting s**t. He knows he's chatting s**t', the Liverpool Echo reports.

That's why the bouncers don't take any chances. Would you? 

That'll Teach Him!

Ooooh, a stern warning!

Curtis Taylor, 29, was arrested when police found him with blood on him after being called to reports of an assault on Duxbury Drive, Bury. Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Taylor, of Seddon Avenue, Radcliffe, "maintained he had been playfighting" but matters escalated when police dropped him off, only to have to rearrest him when he went straight back to Duxbury Drive.

*sighs* 

Ms Laverty told the court how Taylor, who has 24 previous convictions for 31 offences, ended up spitting at one of the officers and he was arrested for common assault on an emergency worker. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity on July 13 last year, but this marks the second time Taylor has been brought to court for this crime. Taylor was last brough before the court in September last year, with his sentence deferred until now which had given him another chance to avoid prison.

And he treated it just as you'd expect. 

Michael Lea, defending, argued that Taylor still deserved credit for having pleaded guilty and told the court that he had been working at trying to improve his behaviour.

Heh! Good luck with th...

Oh. 

Judge Angela Nield agreed to defer Taylor’s sentencing again...

/facepalm 

...but warned about what the consequences could be if he fails to improve his behaviour.

What would they be, then, Angie baby? As far as I can see, none. 

When The Collar Doesn't Match The Cuffs...

Hmmm, what does the URL say?

Whoops!

H/T: Rob via email

Do Try Not To Sample The Goods, Lidl Webmaster...

...it can have an unfortunate effect on your typing!

Sunday Funnies...

But games at Oxford University aren't quite as brutal...

Even Essex Police Must Realise This Is 'A Clue'...

A woman was seriously injured after being attacked by a dog in Chigwell. The incident happened on Ongar Road where a car was forced to stop when the occupants came across a dog on the road. A female passenger in her 50s got out of the car and was bitten by the dog. She suffered serious wounds on her leg and arm.

Never get out of the car. The breed description isn't given, but I'd be surprised if it was a Labrador or standard poodle... 

PC Jack Witney, investigating said: “I’d like any witnesses to come forward and help our investigation and we’d be particularly interested in any footage of the incident. We understand that the incident may have been recorded by a member of the public in a dark coloured security van.”

Have they checked this vile individual hasn't moved south..? 

'Please Do Not Notice The Elephant Out On The Streets...'

Jinan Younis has encountered a problem:

Against the backdrop of these horrific headlines, I have been having more and more conversations with women about how they feel unsafe in the streets. We’ve exchanged stories of being followed and catcalled, of sharing Uber rides with each other and making sure we text when we’re home safe.

But in my recent conversations with some women about their feelings of safety, I have noticed underlying coded messages. They say things like “it’s a dodgy area”; that they “wouldn’t want to be alone around there”. They say they are scared of men in hoodies.

Who wouldn't be? 

Some forego any pretence. One woman said to me: “I probably do find Black men in hoodies more scary.” Others admit they quicken their pace when they see a Black man walking down the street.

Well, yes. It's got nothing to do with 'media imagery' and everything to do with actual reality. As Chris Rock's memorable monologue goes, "When I go to the money machine tonight, alright, I ain't looking over my back for the media..."  

When I’ve challenged these women...

Woah, hold up! It's OK to challenge women? I thought the lefty world view was that a woman's experience was never to be questioned? What she feels is real, right? 

....they protest: “It’s just the crime statistics!”, without acknowledging that behind these statistics lie stories of police harassment, ethnic profiling and racial criminalisation.

There they go, ruining your explanation with those wretched facts, Jinan... 

A study last year examined views of Australian women on street harassment and spoke of “some participants saying they felt unsafe or perceived behaviour as threatening because the person was ‘not like them’.”

Seems very widespread to me. Maybe because there's some truth to it? 

There’s a sense of outrage that anyone would question a woman who says she feels unsafe. Yet I am not challenging the fact women feel unsafe in the streets.

Yes, you are. That's the entire point of this article. 

This is not a zero-sum problem: we can fight for women’s safety in the streets and avoid playing into racial stereotypes.

Good luck squaring that circle! 

You're Wasting Your Time, Sadly...

Most of the claims about trophy hunting put out by animal rights activists are wrong, MPs have been warned ahead of a key vote today.

Conservationists say that in the last Commons debate nearly three-quarters of statements in favour of a blanket ban were questionable. They are battling to correct the ‘simplistic’ narrative championed by celebrities.

Sadly, simplistic narratives are all these virtue-signalling idiots can ever grasp. Actual facts elude them constantly, which is why we are being dragooned into nonsense like OLEZ expansions, '15 minute cities' and Net Zero. 

They, along with African leaders and grassroots groups, have called on Britain to allow certain trophies to be imported if it is proven the animals were hunted ethically. They argue that total bans are unsuccessful because they destroy the incentive for farmers to keep big game on their land and earn money from hunters.

Revenues from selective hunting keep locals in jobs and also help pay for patrols against poachers, the real enemy of conservation.

None of that matters to the idiots that are in sway to the slebs and activists. Some are genuinely animal lovers, some are rabid authoritarians and the rest are...well, simply dim. 

Professor Dickman warned: ‘Many thousands of wild animals will die in appalling and indiscriminate ways – far more than are killed in trophy hunting.

'True, we will no longer see the grinning faces of rich white hunters celebrating their kills.

‘Instead, we will see the grinning faces of rich white celebrities celebrating a “win” that drives more killing.’

Sadly, Prof, the idiots in power see that as an acceptable result. It's not about the animals at all. It often isn't for the slebs and activists, and it almost never is for the MPs... 

There's A Word For This, Your Honour....

...but it's not 'sexist'. Try 'gullible':

A woman drug dealer caught with more than £55,000 worth of cocaine in her home has been spared prison - but a judge insisted the decision was not 'sexist'.

No, you got that right, at least... 

Aaliyah Makanda, who has changed her name from Pauline Millwod, was the 'custodian' of a huge drugs haul at her home in Kingstanding which she blamed her then boyfriend for bringing in.

There was also a 'sophisticated' cannabis factory set up in two of the bedrooms of the home in Boston Grove which was worth £4,200.

No doubt that was his fault too? 

Judge Richard Bond compared the 58-year-old to other 'greedy' dealers who he branded the 'scourge of society'.He also had no doubt her actions warranted imprisonment, but he ruled her case was 'exceptional'.

Oh, and....how, exactly? 

"If women realise they can get away with community orders if they say they are the custodians for their boyfriends of such drugs I'm afraid women are going to be used. It sounds utterly sexist I know. This has been my experience.

"People who have criminal experience - I'm talking about men - ask their partners to look after drugs, there's other items as well. People need to understand they are not going to escape an immediate custodial sentence just because they are looking after their boyfriend's drugs. But it is different in your case."

Yes, yes, we're waiting... 

Judge Bond explained he was suspending the sentence due to the fact the offences dated back to 2017, since which time she had not committed any further crime, and that prior to that she had kept a clean record since 1998.

*blinks* That's it? No dependant children, aged mother, mental health issues..? 

Judge Bond warned her he would send her to prison if she breached the sentence or committed another crime and added: "I don't give second chances. (Ed: Oh, really..?) I think I'm giving you a real chance today."

*sighs* 

Fine Words, At Last...

...sadly, that's all they turn out to be.

A district judge had blasted Wiltshire Police over its handling of a dog attack in Corsham. It came as Charmaine Paul, 34, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog that whilst dangerously out of control caused an injury to a postwoman on 10 August last year.

It's a familiar tale, except for the outrage from the usually supine judiciary... 

Kate Prince, prosecuting, said that the pet had remained with the family after police conducted checks and decided not to seize it.

In response, District Judge Joanna Dickens angered: “I’m really concerned about that, this is actually quite a serious incident and quite honestly, I’m appalled. It should have been seized pending the outcome of the hearing.”

Perhaps they had a great excuse not to seize it, Joanna? 

Defence solicitor Mark Glendenning said his client bought the dog during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, and it “did not have the opportunity of proper socialisation”.

Oh. Perhaps not... 

Ahead of sentencing, Judge Dickens said: “I’m very surprised, I’m not happy with how the police have dealt with it at all. They should have taken the dog away initially until it came to court.

“It’s not just a miniature poodle or something, you chose to bring that dog into your house. It’s a large and powerful dog and you seem to accept in your interview that it can ‘go a bit mental’ when people come to the door.

“You have extra responsibilities to ensure people are safe. We hear all the time, every day there are tragic incidents where people are killed; you don’t need me to tell you that this could have been a lot more serious.

“Post men and women risk this kind of thing every day, dogs are high risk to postal workers. For her, it was very, very frightening and it will have a long-term effect.”

So, you've ordered the beast destroyed? 

Judge Dickens imposed a contingent destruction order, which will remain in place for the dog’s lifetime.

*sighs* 

Well, Of Course It Is, Anthony...

A ‘wicked’ school business manager who caused children’s education to suffer when she stole over £119,000 has...

Been given a swinging sentence, pour encourager les autres? 

Oh, wait, I'm dreaming again.

...kept her freedom.

*deep sigh* 

Mr Recorder Anthony Kelbrick told her: ‘There is no doubt that your actions, over a long, long time, putting it simply, were wicked.

‘I accept now you are genuinely remorseful but that may, of course, be because of where you now find yourself.’

Then it's not genuine, is it? 

The judge said despite the seriousness of the offence, he was persuaded that Anderson was capable of rehabilitation and sentenced her to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and a four month curfew.

What's the point of a curfew? 

H/T: David Bain via email

'The reason Mrs Barnes died is she had the misfortune of coming across a man who was an angry bully.'

Oh..? 

Not because she got catastrophically drunk and fell asleep in the bed of a private home, instead of the seaside B&B she'd booked into?

Mr Jones added that Redfern's actions were 'utterly gratuitous' and 'totally unjustified'.

I wonder how Mr Jones would react coming home to find a drunken stranger in his bed?

In a tribute her family said: 'Margaret was a devoted wife, and the best mother, grandmother and sister anyone could ask for. She always had a smile on her face and was always caring, loving and willing to help anyone especially her family who she cherished.

'She has been cruelly taken from us far too early. She will be sorely missed and we can honestly say that our lives without her will never be the same again.'

She was 71, FFS! And does anyone really think getting so blotto she'd no idea where she was was totally out of character..?

I can't believe this trial is scheduled to take three weeks...

Nice Sentence...

...but who is going to monitor it?

Two men have been banned from owning dogs for three years under new get-tough powers designed to target poachers.

On Tuesday, February 21, Colchester magistrates handed David Hilden and Tyron Young the disqualification orders in what is believed to be a national first after the pair each admitted a charge of daytime trespass in pursuit of game.

Are they local boys who just like dags..? 

The court heard both men had travelled to the Saffron Walden area from south London with dogs which were to be used to poach game.

From Croydon, I'll bet. 

Investigating officer PC Nigel Wright, of Essex Police’s rural engagement team, said: “The poaching of wild animals is extremely cruel but it can also cause a lot of damage to crops and farmland, which is very costly for the land owner or farmer.

“Dogs are integral to poaching and I am delighted that the magistrates were able to use this new legislation to deprive these two poachers of any access to dogs, even just walking someone else’s, for the next three years.

“We look forward to working with the CPS to have these disqualification orders applied in cases of hare coursing and other poaching offences in the future.”

But unless someone monitors them, how will you know that they are effective? 

Why We Are Failing As A Nation...

Raymond Joseph Bryce said he had been discriminated against after he told bosses his dyslexia meant he 'would be late for his own funeral'.

He said his condition meant he was 'disorganised' and that he often misread his alarm clock in the morning. Mr Bryce insisted he would always be late and asked his managers for 'leeway' in turning up 15 or 20 minutes late, but after a string of incidents they instead abruptly stopped offering him shifts.

The security guard, from Stafford, West Midlands, accused them of discrimination and a failure to make reasonable adjustments for his disability.

He hasn't got a hope in he...

Oh. 

Mr Bryce's claims have now been upheld by an employment tribunal in Nottingham, which concluded his dyslexia made it 'difficult' for him to wake up early, plan ahead, and read the time. He is now in line for compensation.

I'd say this was beyond belief, but these days, is it? Really? 

Mr Bryce explained his dyslexia meant he often reads the numbers wrong on his digital alarm clock, and resultantly believes he has more time.

What a pile of round objects! Get an Echo, man! Alexa will tell you the time, no excuses! Who on earth could fall for this? 

The panel, led by employment judge Rachel Broughton, ruled in favour of his claim of discrimination arising from a disability.

*sighs* Say no more... 

'It's Only Taxpayer Money' Pt 79248563217851

The Home Office is still unable to say when a planned communications system for Great Britain’s blue light services will be operational, despite spending almost £2bn on the project, the Whitehall spending watchdog has said.

Blimey, you could have built a few miles of a new railway line for that money! 

The proposed emergency services network (ESN), first announced in 2015, was supposed to have replaced the ageing Airwave system for police, fire and ambulance services in England, Scotland and Wales by 2020.

However, the National Audit Office (NAO) says despite the turn-off date for Airwave having been extended twice, first to 2022 and then to 2026, the Home Office now admits it is likely to be later, although it cannot say when or how much it will cost.

It is to laugh, isn't it..? 

Move It Monday: March

What better for March and the promise of spring than Pharell Williams with 'Uptown Funk'? Guaranteed to get your toes tapping:

Questions Any Child Can Answer...

'Because you and all the other media outlets rolled over to let him tickle your tummies, you spineless lapdogs'. 

There. Wasn't so hard, was it?

We all remember chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance — aka ‘Gloomster’ and ‘Doomster’, or was it the other way around? These and other officials emerge from the multitude of WhatsApp messages leaked to The Daily Telegraph as happily acquiescing in the Government’s authoritarian approach, even when they doubt whether particular draconian policies are necessary.

We all remember how you failed to question any of those policies. Did you think we'd forget? 

Many of the exchanges between the Health Secretary and his advisers are shocking. I am amazed they haven’t led to more coverage on the BBC and in pro-lockdown newspapers such as the Guardian. Is it because these media outlets are ashamed to have embraced the policies of a politician who now appears so flawed?

Like...yours? 

Ah, The Same Old Familiar Stories...

Ryan Crook, 33, had been a class A drug user for 10 years before falling into £900 debt with his dealer and being forced to sell drugs to pay it off, Basildon Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

After working off the debt, Crook was threatened by the dealer he worked for and told to continue selling drugs. He was arrested on the afternoon of October 21, 2022, when officers from Essex Police’s operation raptor teams caught him make a sale red-handed while on patrol in Southend.

Nice! Bang to rights, and no escaping! 

In her sentencing remarks, Judge Samantha Cohen...

Oh, wait.

...said: “You had been a class A drug user for 10 years and you ran up a debt of about £900 which you then repaid by working for your dealer.

“Once that debt was expunged you were then threatened that ‘your life would be made hell’ if you did not continue dealing.

“That pressure meant that, instead of going to the police, you carried on dealing.”

And you believed that, Samantha? Of course you did. 

Crook, of Archer Close, Southend, who had pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled drug of class A with intent and possessing criminal property at an earlier hearing, was handed a two-year sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to undertake 250 hours of unpaid work.

*sighs* 

New Euphemism Discovered...

'Hello, gorgeous, fancy me parking my campervan in your space?'

*SLAP*

"Don't These People Have Editors" Pt 82483259

*boggle* 

The contributor wonders if the problem isn't just a lack of proofreading - but because the youngsters who pass for journalists' these days simply haven't heard of some of the terms they have to write about.  

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Sunday Funnies...

The public aren't much better - remember 'BoatyMcBoatface'..?

But You Don't Appear To Have Understood It At All...

Sasha Mistlin is sure he understands the appeal of the latest left-wing hate figure, Andrew Tate:

Reprehensible it may be, but Tate’s baseless misogyny and “me-first, get-yours” narcissism is alluring to young men at a time when mainstream culture is telling them to check their privilege for reasons they don’t fully understand.

Well, perhaps, then, the culture should stop telling them that? 

We can’t afford to be English about this sort of thing.

Wait, what..? 

On the surface, Tate preaches hard work, determination and “no excuses”: values my cousin probably sees as parallel to the philosophy of our Nigerian immigrant family.

Oh... 

My friends and I didn’t get any proper education about sex, consent or relationships until we were 13, by which time we had learned it all from internet porn and lads’ mags. Teachers and parents have to be proactive about telling boys what mutually respectful sex is before they’re exposed to something else all together.

So it's only males that need to be taught this?  

My cousin’s had a tough time recently, riven with personal and professional insecurity, amped up by a pandemic and a recession. In that context, I understand Tate’s appeal – an alternative lifestyle guru, saying get yours, before someone else takes it.

Sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before?

*snaps fingers*

Oh, yes! Of course! Rap music. Say, why does that get a pass, while you focus on one lone white man, Sacha? 

Identity Politics Is For The Birds...

A prestigious US wildlife conservation group is facing new pressure to distance itself from its namesake’s racist past after two Audubon Society chapters and its employees’ union announced they were dropping his name from their titles.

*sighs*

The society at a national level has been mulling for more than two years how to handle its association with John James Audubon, a prominent 19th-century artist, naturalist and slave owner whose detailed, colourful paintings in the book The Birds of America set the gold standard for generations of ornithologists.

Now, amid a wider racial justice reckoning following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, chapters in Portland and Chicago, and the staff union formerly known as Audubon for All, are acting unilaterally to sever the name of the white supremacist with a shameful record of buying and selling slaves.

Audubon's paintings are beautiful. Nothing will ever erase that. What next, demanding the abolishment of the phrase 'birds of a feather flock together'..? 

Oh, I probably shouldn't give them ideas, should I?

The Entire Justice System Should Have Shared The Dock With Him...

A cocaine-fuelled van driver who killed a 21-year-old university graduate when he crashed into her Uber cab while he drove on the wrong side of the dual carriageway has been jailed for 14 years.

A maximum sentence? This must have been a very egregious case... 

Loveday will serve two-thirds of the sentence before he is released on licence.

Oh. Maybe not. 

The judge also disqualified Loveday from driving for 19 years and four months from Thursday.

And that's almost a slap in the face for the victims, because... 

Loveday has been before the courts since he was 16, having been convicted of 81 offences on 54 occasions between 2000 and 2022, the court heard. His previous convictions include aggravated vehicle taking, wounding, affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

At the time of the offence, he did not have a driving licence, was uninsured to drive the van and was wanted for breaching court orders.

Loveday has never passed a driving test, the court heard.

I'd say it was beyond belief, but really, is it? 

Ellis Williams, district crown prosecutor with the CPS, said: 'This sentence reflects the severity of Loveday's offending. He chose to indulge in a dangerous high speed vehicle chase, which tragically ended in the death of Grace Payne and left Sundar Ali with serious injuries.

'Nothing can bring Grace back but I hope this sentence goes some way to comfort her family at this difficult time.'

If I was her family, I might be thinking a few more severe sentences earlier in his criminal career might have been more use, and might have meant he wasn't free to kill on the roads...

Surely You Should Have Known This Would Happen..?

Her dramatic intervention caught royal officials by surprise because they believed the matter had been dealt with after she accepted a personal 'sincere apology' from Lady Susan following last November's incident at a palace reception.

Haven't they been paying any attention? It's never over with thrse race grifters... 

Ms Fulani also announced on GMB today she was temporarily stepping down as boss of Sistah Space, which helps woman affected by abuse, citing abuse by trolls and saying 'violence' had been directed towards her since the incident.

'Violence', eh..? I think you meant the disinfectant of sunlight, didn't you? 

Challenge ACCEPTED!

Judge Usha Karu told him: ‘You need to get representation as soon as possible. These are serious charges you face.’

Over to you, Mr Defendant! 

Johnston replied: ‘I am someone who knows quite well how to represent myself in legal matters. I thought I would represent myself.

‘I have been arrested for matters I have not committed. I have not been able to get that point across to anyone.’

Oooohhhh! 

Johnston is expected to enter not guilty pleas on April 24 and his trial date is fixed for July 17 this year.

Wait, wait, need to get ready... 

That's better! 

This Is Obscene...

A female carer was stabbed to death and two others were seriously injured by a vulnerable patient at a supported-living home yesterday before armed police stormed the facility.Police said two other female carers, aged 29 and 58, were injured in the attack.

Wait, surely they were the vulnerable ones..? 

Why were they there in a group of three and yet were still overpowered by what was no doubt a strapping man with ment...

Armed officers stormed the home and arrested and charged a 32-year-old woman in connection with the death and serious assaults.

*blinks* 

Let's Turn This Around...

John Bull, a native English community advocate on the Isle of Wight, said she doesn’t condone the attack but is deeply familiar with the tensions that permeate the case.

“The threat of outsiders coming in … brings a lot of sadness for English people who are trying so hard to hold on to what little piece of paradise we have left,” she said.

Attorneys for the defendants say it wasn’t the victim’s race that provoked them, but his entitled and disrespectful attitude.

“I am 82 years old. I have lived here for 50 years,” said Kumar Patel, a Muslim retired teacher who lives near the defendant’s family.

“I’ve learned in England, coming from the outside in, it’s a good thing to live by the people around you and not tell them to live by you and your values.”

No, it's not the latest Muslim outrage, because the 'Guardian' apparently sees no problem with that, it's a very different case. 

Strange how it gets an almost sympathetic hearing, isn't it?

Education Is Really Going Down The Pan...

...quite literally:

Nor is it just the latest 'identity' fad, either:

Who knew life as a teacher was so lavatorial?

Too Little, Far Too Late...

Inspector Rhys Caddick, whose area covers the town, revealed to councillors that a raid was carried out last week in Penyrheol - where Mrs Partrick and Jack were both killed.

'Two dogs have been seized from the address on suspicion of being a banned breed, thought to be of pit bull type,' he said. 'As with other recent seizures the dogs are being cared for pending examination.

'This is the 13th dog seized from Caerphilly South this year. We are working towards identifying a bloodline of note and I expect further police activity in the near future.'

Police also recently issued a Community Protection Warning against a dog owner who was allowing an American Bully type dog to roam the street outside.

And this lacklustre response is hailed as the Second Coming by equally supine local politicians who have obviously walked around with their eyes closed... 

Councillor Lindsay Whittle, who is the leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly council and a Penyrheol ward member, expressed his gratitude to the force for their 'high profile action against the owners of potentially dangerous dogs.'

They should have acted sooner, and you know it. 

Watch Those Subject Pronouns Shift!

"I, I, I..."

But it's a tough job, what if you meet resistance?

"Did I say 'I'? I mean 'We'..."

H/T: RealBlackIrish via Twitter

And They Are Right To Be Worried...

Schools admit they are extremely worried about the copycat protests that have erupted in the last two weeks, typically sparked by videos shared on TikTok with many thousands of views. But what has shocked many leaders most is the number of parents on social media applauding pupils taking part.

Because this isn't just a case of don't-care, my-child-can-do-no-wrong chav parents. Far from it.

Sam Strickland, principal of Duston school, an academy in Northampton that teaches children aged four to 19, told the Observer: “Some parents have been arguing that it is an infringement of human rights for schools to restrict toilet use during lessons. That’s ludicrous.”

Is it? I suspect if the local 'refugee' centre told its inhabitants they could only use the toilets at certain times you'd be pretty vocal about it at cocktail parties with your fellow teaching heads... 

He argues that parents are “legitimising” demonstrations that could quickly get out of hand and become a serious risk to young people’s safety, by openly questioning the fairness of school rules and the authority of teachers.

You really believe you shouldn't be subject to questions on those issues, do you? 

Chris Stokes, principal of Farnley Academy in Leeds, wrote to parents on 24 February condemning a protest at his school that morning over locked toilets during lessons. A parent told the local newspaper the school was infringing young people’s human rights. Others backed her up on social media.

But Stokes said in his letter that the decision to lock toilets had followed “two very serious safeguarding events”. He wrote: “It was a necessary decision to keep all pupils safe.”

Because collective punishment is the easy way out, rather than dealing with those who break the rules. As expected.  

"I had to drive to Cardiff to knock on doors myself because they were doing s*d all."

The three childhood friends disappeared 48 hours ago after a night out in Newport, South Wales. Relatives say that something 'must be wrong' as family members hunted for Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, last seen at about 2am on Saturday morning in the Llanederyn area of Cardiff. They had travelled there from Porthcawl in a VW Tiguan, registration number VE64 YLB, with two men from Cardiff - Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32 - who had also been reported as missing.

The response is pretty much the same as that recent case in Scotland. Seems the police this side of the border aren't any better...

Sophie's mother Anna Certowicz, 42, was driving around the Gwent and Cardiff areas last night in a desperate search for her daughter - after police officers told her to 'stop ringing' the station for updates.

She told the Daily Mail: 'I think they assumed that Sophie was hungover somewhere, but she's a sensible girl who works in a bank and hasn't taken a day off for three years. 

'The police asked me to stop ringing but at the end of the day I'm a mum I'm going to worry. Her little sister is worrying too, she's only 13 and she's wondering where Sophie is.'

Given it's Gwent Police, the response isn't that surprising at all... 

A Gwent Police spokesperson said: 'If you have any information please call us on 101, or you can DM us, quoting 2300071791. 'All five are also urged to get in touch with us to confirm that they are safe and well.'

Well, now the crashed car has been found you can go back to your doughnuts, chaps. Or is it Welshcakes? 

Humour In Micro

He's truly a national treasure, isn't he?

I Don't Think That's The Best Way For Customers To Help...

...but you do you, fella!

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Sunday Funnies...

See, we don't just destroy ecosystems...

Oopsie..!

Chiragh Chiragh (Ed: So good they named him twice?), 39, gunned down Mohamed Muhyidin, 28, as he sat in the front passenger seat of a car parked outside a flat in High Street, Harlington, west London in the early hours of Halloween morning in 2021.

He then drove the victim's body minutes away round the corner and dumped it by the side of the road near to Heathrow Airport, where it was found by a taxi driver.

Save your tears for this 'poor victim', though. He was no innocent. 

The shooting happened in a car park outside a block where one of the flats was used as a base for drug users and dealers to meet, police said. Chiragh and Muhyidin, along with another man - Mohammed Shakeel who had a fake firearm - and a 17-year-old boy all went to the flat the previous evening, where an argument broke out. Just before 5am, Chiragh left the flat with a submachine gun and got into a car with Muhyidin, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. But as he climbed out of the back door of the vehicle, the gun accidentally went off and Muhyidin, who was sitting directly in front of Chiragh, was shot through the chair.

I'm sure Alec Baldwin knows how you feel, Chiragh! 

Detective Inspector Lucy Carberry from the Met's Specialist Crime Command said today (Mon) that the defendants intended to injure someone that day, even if it was not the actual victim.

Well, indeed! Dumb criminals are always the best criminals, aren't they..?

"It now transpires that over the winter, he had the right side of his nose pierced, in addition to his left."

Well, of course! When you're used to everyone capitulating when you bring out the RaceCard™, why wouldn't you?

He was cleared by the FIA ahead of the season-opening grand prix on the grounds that the process of taking the studs in and out might cause him ‘disfigurement’.

Really? I think his fashion sense got there first...

Why No Charge Of Racially Aggravated Assault?

The court heard that Taj, of Hyrst Garth, Batley, and Hussain, of Dark Lane, Batley, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent after their case was listed for trial in December last year.

Prosecutor Adam Walker said the victim and his friend were walking the dogs when one of the animals sniffed at another man. He subjected the pair to racist abuse before summoning the occupants of the Audi. The car followed the dog walkers and four young men got out. Hussain was the driver and others were armed with metal bars and lump hammers, the court heard.

So it was a targeted attack. Shouldn't that carry a heavy penalty? Heavier than 6 years? Maybe the mitigation was amazing?

Simon Hustler (Ed: Ooh, nominative determinism!), solicitor advocate for both defendants, conceded that it was a joint enterprise attack but that they were ‘at the back of the charge.’

So they were slower than the others. So what? 

Hussain said he made a terrible decision to get involved while Taj described the incident as ‘incredibly stupid.’ Mr Hustler said the men were not racists and neither had been assessed by the probation service as being at a high level of reoffending.

What a shocker! Who on earth ever gets labelled as 'high risk of offending' by those clowns?

The recorder conceded that the defendants now accepted their actions were stupid and had expressed remorse. He ordered forfeiture of Hussain’s Audi and the forfeiture and destruction of the weapons used in the attack.

And the racial abuse? They get off scot free for that? 

H/T: HarleyTory via Twitter

Given Other Cases, She Was Right To Expect This...

A source close to Grey's defence team said she plans to appeal, having expected only a suspended sentence.

Yes, it's the conclusion to this case.

The court heard that until pre-sentencing Grey had expressed 'no remorse' for her actions...

So what? At least that's more honest! 

'Her lawyer had desperately tried to get her out on bail during an appeal process but it was a failed application.'

They've really got it in for this woman, haven't they? I wonder why... 

It comes as the local council was unable to confirm today whether or not bicycles are allowed on the pavement where the incident took place - despite the judge declaring it a 'shared footpath' at court.

Wait, what? So neither the police nor the local council can decide, but 'his honour' can opine from the bench? Surely someone should be looking at this fool's competence to be a judge?

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Sean Enright acknowledged Grey's health issues, but told her they 'do not reduce your understanding of right or wrong'.

Strange, since my blog is littered with cases where the judge has fallen over himself to be lenient and award the benefit of the doubt. And this particular one has no hesitation showing it to drug dealers and burglars. 

Following Grey's conviction, Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard, who interviewed her, said: '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. '

Of course you're pleased. Low hanging fruit is always easiest, isn't it? And what consideration did the cyclist show to pedestrians?