The Pete Townsend Debate

[andy hughes]

What has happened to the Pete Townsend discussion which was on the site until yesterday - has it been deemed unsuitable, or is it sub judice until he is convicted?

[AB Editor]

Hello andy hughes - interesting turn of phrase: "... until he is convicted". The implication being that he will definitely be convicted and is therefore definitely guilty! A slip of the keyboard, doubtless, and not what you actually meant!

But it does highlight what a tricky area this can be. The thread was removed for both the reasons you suggest - 'unsuitable' in the sense that this is such a sensitive subject that matters might quickly escalate beyond reasonable debate, and for legal reasons.

[andy hughes]

Thank you for your prompt resoponse - it was presumptious of me to assume that Mr Townsend is guilty, as he is still under investigation. I appreciate that this area of debate can rapdily escalate to unamangeable proportions so we must wait until the law takes it's course, and refrain from further observations, tempting though they are.

[sft42]

Yes i thought that was a bit strong and out of character andy...until he's convicted....reminded me of a time i served on jury duty and the person next to me on the jury upon hearing the four counts of Lewd and Libidinous behaiour to the accused daughter she wrote Guilty four times on her scrap of note paper before the trial proper had started....Mr Townsend has been campaining for childrens rights for years (since the sixties in fact) and while I accept that his defence cannot be accepted without the due process of investigation, he as yet hasn't been charged with any criminal offences, and i think it would be wise to wait and see in this case esp. as he has alleged that he informed the police of his intentions to carry out this research.