I feel slightly sick...

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Nicely put, Phil. And so colourful too!

[StumpyFingers]

When I had my accident in'73 It was reported in the local press, I was to young to be named, reading the report of the case it was hard to make out they were in the same courtroom.

[alpslapper]

IT IS NOT TRUE!

Er... that's it.

Pardon

Yeah, thought as much when I read it. Noone in their right mind is going to send the guy down for 5 years if everything is above board.

I originally thought right, he'll get a night in jail, it'll go to appeal, everything will be dropped, he'll sue and get 15 squillion sheckels, a front page on the Sun and a slot as a man on the street legal eagle in the Mail, he'll be held a hero of the people, have tea with the PM and eventually be made the shotgun Tzar for new labour.

But, er, yeah, I reckon it'll all just go away. As you say.

[winxp-master]

haha get it off yer chest Phil

The media to seem to have a way of whipping everything up into a frenzied panic...

The medias big book of the world would have you believe that every police officer just fills in paperwork, every Muslim is a terrorist (and wants to change our laws and beliefs), every celebrity can shag all night, for hours and hours, even days! and there either FANTASTIC...or crap... All teenagers are knife wielding hoody murderers... Cannabis and Ecstasy kill more people than ANY other drug even though alcohol and tobacco kill MANY more (but that's ok as they are legal)

I could go on...

[datsun fan]

The police used to hold knive and gun amnesties -haven't heard about any recently - no names no pack drill - supposedly.

[AlanH]

In the original article, they report it as being a "shorn-off shotgun". I wonder how long it takes to reduce the barrel length of a 12 bore using hair clippers .

[africajim]

Well, in Scotland the guy would probably have had a cuppy of tea with plod before heading home with a pat on the back for doing the decent thing, or at least that's what I'd hope.

I have had dealings with the police and firearms and two different sergeants with different responses. Here's the tale;

Rather unsavoury neighbour comes to the door around midnight, "there's a boy with a gun next door, come and give us a hand"! Well, martial arts expert that I am, of course I helped, I went round, assessed the situation then picked up the phone and called 999! The police arrive around 30 mins later and after a visit to next door, bang on my door, the sergeant gives me a hard time about "wasting police time" as it's a kids toy! I explained that a hardened drug dealer wouldn't have been on his knees, as I saw, begging for his life due to a water pistol and sent him packing.
The sergeant from a neighbouring town who was also on the scene came to my door next and was nice as pie, "you did the right thing, ok, it was a toy but you weren't to know". I voiced my opinion on the firearm and thanked them for their politeness.
30 mins later, the said dealer was arrested with a 9mm Browning semi auto with spare clip. This went to high court, the perp got four yrs.

The moral of this tale? Common sense usually prevails in this country, I have a few mates who were, or are serving officers and the outcome of most stories are based on common sense. I do attempt to keep out of the radar if possible though! (Tell em as little as possible!)

Oh, by the way, my neighbour set off an incendiary device in his flat this week and completely gutted it! Blew the doors off the building as well! Just thought I'd mention that for Steve T and the local guys in case they were wondering about the story in the local papers!!!!! IT WASN'T ME!

[alpslapper]

I could go on...

That's not like you Craig Is everything alright

[moon]

thanx Winxp master for the follow up on that, I did say in my original post "IF this is true" & did also mention that I "don't take anything in the press at face value".

The Outrou case in northern france was a complete outrage & a full investigation has been conducted & measures have been taken, reported in length by the french media...it nearly destroyed the whole french legal system.

I don't, however, believe that the Judge d'instruction is empowered to decide what information to supply to the defence (or not) under the froggy legal system. I don't believe either that a judge d'instruction can "detain after charge at his discretion". though I woul d have to do some research to back that up... (can you give me your source WXP?) The defendants would have had legal aid, though maybe not of a quality comparative to the UK (I wouldn't know...).

I seem to have upset some people which wasn't my intention, the whole thing just seemed so 'kin stoopid that I thought it worth pointing out...

[winxp-master]

thanx Winxp master for the follow up on that, I did say in my original post "IF this is true" & did also mention that I "don't take anything in the press at face value".

To be honest Moon i was responding to what Phil wrote i forgot you were even the OP...

I seem to have upset some people which wasn't my intention, the whole thing just seemed so 'kin stoopid that I thought it worth pointing out...

You haven't upset anyone we all just like to bemoan the world and everything in it, this forum should be renamed from XRV to GOM... Grumpy Old Men...