Bail? For This?!

A trainee barrister who was allegedly caught driving a car bomb towards Northern Ireland in a suspected New IRA operation spent time in Syria, her lawyer said.

So? It's not like she couldn't have acquired terrorist sympathies at home, is it? 

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, was arrested after Irish police said they made an 'extremely significant seizure' of a device on Wednesday. The force said the device, which was made from military-grade plastic, could have caused significant damage.

Sullivan, from Clane in Co Kildare, was granted bail on Friday after appearing before a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath charged with possession of explosives.

 How on earth do you get bail for a charge of this seriousness?!?

It has now emerged her solicitor Mr Gavin Booth told the court she was a previous member of a 'political group' and had spent some time in Syria.Mr Booth, however, said Sullivan had stepped away from politics as she focused on her studies as a barrister. Her notes were reportedly in the back of the car she was driving when arrested.Mr Booth, from Phoenix Law, said his client had been asked to take a bag to the north and was not aware of its contents. He added Sullivan, who lives with her father, had been 'manipulated'.

A person who aspires to be a barrister shouldn’t want to be seen as naive and gullible, should she? Unless she aspires to a job working for the state, of course…

He said her parents are 'devastated' and can't comprehend this week's events. He added, if she was granted bail, they would keep her on a 'tight rein and ensure she abides by all conditions'.

 Only someone employed by the State could believe this! And, sure enough:

Judge Raymond Finnegan (Ed: I googled him!) granted Sullivan bail on Friday provided she obtained a €15,000 (£12,800) independent surety. She, who was wearing a pink White Fox Boutique hoodie at the time, was also ordered to surrender her passport and keep to a strict curfew.

Well, it’s not like she’s been mixing with people who know their way around the passport system, is it? 

This Is Not Justice

But then, who expects that from the Land of Fruits and Nuts anyway?

A judge has allowed Lil Nas X to enter a mental health diversion program intended to lead to the dismissal of charges of attacking Los Angeles police officers. Judge Alan Schneider told the rapper and singer on Monday that if he sticks to his treatment program and obeys all laws for two years, his four felony counts will be dismissed. 

Break the law and claim ‘Mental. Health issues’  and get a ‘Get out of jail free’ card!

The court found that the incident was the result of his since-diagnosed bipolar disorder and was an aberration from his usual behavior.

Authorities allege that the 26-year-old was walking naked down a street in LA’s San Fernando Valley in August, and charged at police officers who were responding to calls about him. A criminal complaint says three officers were hurt.

Outside court on Monday he told Rolling Stone, which first reported on the diversion agreement, that he is “thankful – just very thankful” and that it “could have been much worse”.

Or better. They could have shot you, for instance .

Activist Judges Again

An activist known as Stop Brexit Man has been cleared of flouting a police ban after playing anti-Conservative and anti-Brexit edits of The Muppet Show and Darth Vader’s theme outside parliament.

On Monday, Bray was found not guilty of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 “re prohibited activities in Parliament Square” at Westminster magistrates court.

Why? It appears he did indeed breach the direction. 

Police approached Bray on the traffic island at about 11.20am, minutes before Sunak arrived ahead of prime minister’s questions, and handed him a map and a notice that warned he was prohibited from playing the speakers in the controlled area under a bylaw, the court heard.

So how was he acquitted? 

Handing down his judgment, the deputy district judge Anthony Woodcock said of Bray: “He admitted that he is ‘anti-Tory’, which is his words. He believes his is an important message to disseminate. He needs the volume that he uses to get the message across from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster.”

Of the issues Bray protests about, the judge continued: “He is described, virtually accused of being ‘fixated’ – he’s entitled to be. How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him.” He added: “Lampooning the government through satire is a long tradition in this country.”

It seems to have been the judge's whim, that he didn't agree with the lawful direction being imposed in the first place.  

Several witnesses described to the court the negative impact of Bray’s music, heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby buildings, after which the defendant apologised.

I guess they don't count.  

No, Judge, I Don't Think So....

Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool used the right to keep evidence of Sara’s beatings ‘beyond the gaze of the authorities’ in her final months, the judge said. Yesterday the Government introduced a new Bill to Parliament which will block parents home schooling automatically if the child is suspected of being at risk of significant harm.

Yes, Reader, no doubt - like me - you’re astonished that this wasn’t already a factor. But it wasn’t. 

But the Children’s Commissioner said the proposed legislation must go further, as it would not have helped Sara in its current form.

What would, one wonders? Could it possibly have been 'public sector workers doing their jobs like they are supposed to'..?

Mr Justice Cavanagh said: ‘This case brings into sharp relief the dangers of unsupervised home schooling of vulnerable children.’ The Bill introduced in the wake of her murder will block parents’ automatic right to home school if they are subject to a child protection plan.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the Bill as a ‘seminal moment for child protection’. But Sara was not subject to social care intervention measures when she died, meaning it would not have blocked the home schooling.

/facepalm. Don't worry folks, we'll get the next one for sure!  

Dame Rachel de Souza said: ‘The Bill must therefore go further in protecting children like her, making it impossible for a child ever known to social care for abuse or neglect to be home schooled.’

We can call this 'stable door' legislation, Reader. 

Meanwhile, the judge in the trial has gone on an unhinged rant about the desire of the press to find out and publish the names of the public sector workers who failed this child. Because heaven forfend there should ever be consequences for screwing up! 

Hey, Williams, if they wanted iron-clad protection for incompetence, they could always go into the judiciary...