I would imagine there are a considerable number of people wondering how these four people have been found innocent of the crime of criminal damage by toppling the statue of the slave trader Edward Colson of which it seems there was clear CCTV evidence to convict them
Now, I’m a simple man and I was wondering had they been accused of murder and there was clear evidence of them participating in the crime and DNA evidence to link them to the dead body would the same feckless jury have found them innocent of that crime too?
There was considerable criticism of Marvin Rees the Mayor of Bristol who was the first black Mayor of African descent of a major European city who has apparently been in the job for some four years and has seemingly ignored a petition to remove the statue and here I have to come to his defence.
Apparently the petition was signed by nearly 18000 people which although quite a considerable number of people it is a tiny minority of the total population of Bristol which stands at 465900, so I have to assume the vast majority of the population were quite happy to see the statue remain in place, I personally favour placing a large plaque on them explaining both the good and bad aspects of the deeds of people like this so people can learn from seeing them.
Some 10000 people took part in the protest but only four were charged with criminal damage, Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Sage Willoughby, 22, were caught on CCTV passing the ropes around the statue that were used to pull it down and Jake Skuse, 33, was accused of orchestrating a plan to throw it in the harbour.
An estimated £3,750 of damage was done to the statue which included the removal of its staff and a coat tail and £350 of damage was caused to the railings of Pero’s Bridge.
I’m led to believe that when similar damage has been done by climate change activists the results of the following court cases are similar with none of them being found guilty either, which leaves me to question the intelligence of members of the jury who have a very simple job to do which is, when faced with clear CCTV evidence showing these people committing the act of criminal damage to bring in a guilty verdict, it really is that simple.
What a strange world we now find ourselves living in!
I am a retired actor, although to be honest I only retired because I wasn't getting any work due to losing my agent when I became a full time carer to my mother who had dementia. and the option of becoming an unemployed actor/waiter at my age was ludicrous, especially as my waiting skills are non-existent.
Having said I’m retired, I don’t think there really is such a thing as a retired actor for I am still available for work, I just don’t have an agent or any connections with regards to obtaining any worthwhile work.
I have over the years done student films when there is nothing else available, always low paid (if at all) the only incentive was always the promised copy of the finished film for your show reel which nine times out of ten always failed to materialise.
I spent many years looking after my aged mother and shortly after her death I was lucky enough to run into an ex-girlfriend of many years ago and our romance blossomed once again, resulting in us getting married in 2013.
My move to the countryside inspired me to write The Diary of a Country Bumpkin which tells of my continuing dilemmas in dealing with the rigors of the countryside from the unexpectedly large number of pollens, fungal moulds and hay products waiting to attack the unsuspecting townie.
I enjoy writing, see my play Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori on The Wireless Theatre Company, The Plays Wot I Wrote and The Battle of Barking Creek both available on Amazon.co.uk and am very fond of classic cars so my ideal occupation would be acting in a film I had written set in the 1930s/40s, we live in hopes.
I am delighted to say that since venturing to the countryside where space is not quite the premium it is in town, I have due to the availability of two double garages acquired more classic cars to form a small collection the pride of which are a 1947 Bentley Mk VI and a 2000 Bentley Arnage.
My various blogs and websites are continually evolving and I’m sure that by following the appropriate links you will find something which will edify or amuse.
I have written a number of different books all available on Amazon, so don't be shy should you feel the urge to purchase. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Joe-Wells/e/B06XKWFQHT/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
As I said it’s fairly simple if you do criminal damage and there is evidence to prove you did criminal damage you are guilty of criminal damage. It’s the same thing as, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it very probably is a duck, except in this topsy-turvy world, it’s not a duck and they are bizarrely found not guilty. It leaves me lost for words too!
Strange indeed.
The Bristol Activist, a post that popped up under yours, said “it came down to a question of doing the right thing”
One defendant said ‘I believe I had a lawful excuse to damage that statue, preventing further harm to the people of Bristol.’
The mind boggles!
As I said it’s fairly simple if you do criminal damage and there is evidence to prove you did criminal damage you are guilty of criminal damage. It’s the same thing as, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it very probably is a duck, except in this topsy-turvy world, it’s not a duck and they are bizarrely found not guilty. It leaves me lost for words too!
Joe, very well said, but I wish you had a much louder voice!
Me too!