Is This An Unnecessary Witch Hunt?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22231653
Ok, like millions of others she's a dopey teenager. She's resigned, clearly mortified by the whole process. I see no reason to villify this young woman further.

[douglas9401]

Well they do say there's no such thing as bad publicity but having viewed the photo I have to disagree.
As to the comments she made, the attention may serve to reinforce the message that she acted like a complete idiot.

[woofgang]

this is pretty old news now.

[LazyGun]

Bir surprised she is being interviewed by Special Branch - would that be the usual procedure? Must admit, did not really pay much attention to the content of those tweets that were published.

[anotheoldgit]

Only 50 complaints from the public, does this warrant a visit at home by two officers, one from Kent Special Branch, and the surrender her mobile phone for examination?

It is amazing what action a mention of those two words 'racist and homophobic'' will conjure up.

[Orderlimit]

Special Branch involved ?, how serious were the comments? or is it the usual disproportionate response by todays modern police.

[andy-hughes]

This is an example of a young and not especially intelligent young woman who has been thrown into the spotlight by another loony Coalition notion that that foreign and incomprehensible species known as 'young people' need 'one of their own' to communicate with them and represent them.

Unsurprisingly, it has blown up in the government's face, and instead of admitting that the entire idea was flawed and not thought through properly (so no change there!) they have decided to cover their own stupidity by taking a sledgehammer approach to her background, which they only know about because they invented a silly 'no job' and coerced her into thinking she had the maturity and common sense to do it.

The police and the government, and Special Branch - in fact any adult involved in this whole sorry farce should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

[shaneystar2]

Well said Andy .
This whole police commissioner business was a complete farce in the first place .

[chaptazbru]

Agree.

[jim360]

The tweets themselves were pretty bad but this is a teenager we're talking about, I don't think there are that many who have fully grasped the consequences of what they say. No way she should be jumped on so. For the first time I can remember I agree with AOG.

[chelle7272]

Andy-hughes is spot on (again)

[Svejk]

Not sure Andys quite right.
I don't think the coallition created her post. Possibly semantics, as it was a consequence of their initiative.

[Baldric]

She resigned on April 9th.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22083032

[mikey4444]

To be honest, I thought she was in trouble for wearing that ridiculous wig !

[woofgang]

also those tweets were made when she was 14, around three years ago.

[VHG]

Of course Abu Hamza was allowed to carry on making "hate" speeches on the streets of London against the UK, the queen the police etc., for months.

But that's ok as we don't want to upset the Muslims do we.

[Gromit]

How she came to be appointed in the first place was never transparent.

Was the vacancy advertised?
Did other candidates apply?
Was she ever interviewed?
Is there any family or friend connection to the Commissioner?

As it was, she was an wholly inapprpriate choice. If 50 members of the public have complained, the police are obliged to investigate.

Politicising the Police Commissioners and accepting party nominations (from all parties) is wrong. They should be non aligned and totally independent. A barmy idea that has come back to bite them.

[andres]

I wish everyone would stop talking about teenagers as if they are a breed apart. Or that until they reach the magical age of twenty they are to be excused any kind of bad behaviour. This girl apparently posted vile and stupid tweets for the whole world to see .Anyone'twittering'and making racist comments , boasting about their sexual habits, drugs etc. deserves all they get.

[boxtops]

This is old news. Locally, the opinion is that it's the police commissioner's fault, she appointed Paris without any detailed background checks - apparently a second young person is not being appointed to another role because of the same. The Police Commissioner was naive about the whole process.

[Sharingan]

''How she came to be appointed in the first place was never transparent.

Was the vacancy advertised?
Did other candidates apply? ''

I certainly did not see anything about it or I would have applied myself. That is not to say it was not publicised but I do watch out for things like that as I have an interest in politics and law.
I agree with Andres, just because she is a teenager doesn't mean she should be excused from her stupidity, far too little is expected of people my age in my opinion, but she made a mistake and to involve special branch is nothing short of ludicrous.

[boxtops]

Are you in Kent, Sharinghan? - I didn't realise that. I saw no adverts either.