Public Spirited Pensioners Prosecuted.

[eyethenkyew]

Okay, technically they broke the law, but was it within the spirit of the law to have them prosecuted? Was it really "in the public interest" to drag this pair to court NINE times for their public spirited crime?
Aren't there far more serious matters which could be prosecuted instead?

http://www.dailymail....arm-going-months.html

[Invictas]

No, no sympathy.
Doing such things is the first step on the slippery slope to anarchy!

[eyethenkyew]

Invictas,

Ooooohhhh, you're a cold fish, ain't ya???

[Invictas]

Yep, I am a mean bitch.
They don't call me "hard hearted hannah" for nothing!

See the song of the same name for more details.

[ummmm]

I would have done the same.

[eyethenkyew]

The fact that the case was eventually dropped, with both miscreants receiving cautions, says it all. Why couldn't that have happened in the first place? Unless, of course, they denied it which would have rendered cautioning them impossible?

It would, though, have saved the taxpayers of the area many thousands of pounds.

[jake-the-peg]

Nope definately in the public interest - if you condone taking the law into your own hands where would it finish.

If they weren't pensioners but a rough couple on a council estate or day I suggest a lesbian Ugandan would there be the same sympathy?

I suspect not

[eyethenkyew]

jake,

That was rather a rambling, off the "peg" answer, so your point......is....???

[woofgang]

that's vandalism whatever the reason.

[jake-the-peg]

My point is that the Mail does tend to take the side of the person most like it's typical readership.

People taking the law into their own hands tent to be plucky pensioners fighting a bad system or reckless anarchists who can't stick to the rules.

[eyethenkyew]

So, Invictas, Woofgang and Jake would also presumably like to see hundreds of MPs put before Courts of Law for alleged fiddling of expenses, eh?

Or every shoplifter in the land also hauled in front of a Court instead of being cautioned for nicking a loaf of bread?


You get my drift???

[jackthehat]

I have only read this report of the incident but based on that;
Common-sense from someone, somewhere should have kicked in long before this.

When all legal avenues have been explored what is left to do but act with minimal damage and disruption ?

I'd have done the same.

[squarebear]

Got to agree with the above. If this had been two black teenagers, would you have as much sympathy? The law is the law. They should have just snipped it and kept quiet.

[Invictas]

The Law is the Law,break it for whatever reason (and whoever you are,high or low) and the Law will inexorably take it course.

[jackthehat]

The Law is the Law but most are formed with clauses and caveats for the insertion of circumstance and common-sense.

[woofgang]

the MP's ooooh you bet? the bread shoplifters? depends on circs.

[ummmm]

It's bad enough when a car alarm keeps going off for one night. Two months of it would be enough to drive anyone insane.

[woofgang]

but that is an argument for better noise regulation not vandalism

[squarebear]

Quite. If it had been a car alarm and the car had been vandalised to stop it, I doubt the sympathy would be the same. Yes, it maybe was annoying but that's no reason to cause damage.

[jackthehat]

.........and when you have exhausted ALL avenues to control the infernal racket, what do you do then ?

Has anyone ever experienced 'anything' bordering on what these villagers were being expected to put up with for 8 weeks ?

[squarebear]

So if I have a lad on a motorbike going up and down the street every night causing noise, it's ok for me to slash his tyres because I don't like it?