The story of the man who threw a passenger off a train in Scotland gets more and more complex each day, so we must be careful to look at it from a totally unbiased viewpoint, without prejudice or pre-conceived ideas.
Basically last week, some drunken wretch started to get a bit gobby with the conductor and was thrown off by another passenger. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-16177725
Alan Pollock (who threw the passenger off the train) hasn't said anything to the press and has been charged with assault. Was he a good citizen or just a bully?
Sam Main (wretch) has not been charged and says that he was given the wrong ticket. He also (predictably) claims to have something wrong with him that makes him a complete pain in the backside). He has spoken to everyone who will listen to him, as has his father.
The conductor was completely useless and nobody wants to speak to him. He will no doubt be given counselling.
Mr Herris, a teacher filmed the incident and put the footage on Youtube. (I have no idea whether it's legal or not to post footage of people without their consent).
The moral seems to be- if you are ever involved in an incident, get on Facebook and form a support group, call a press conference and get a mark on your face, then you should be ok.
STOP PRESS: The Facebook page that supports the prosecution of Alan Pollock has about 35 members. The one that is against it has 963. I can't help but think that using the membership of Facebook pages to decide appropriate punishments rather than expensive judges and barristers would save the taxpayer a considerable amount.
14 comments:
A brilliant piece, sensitively looking at the complex issues without prejudice or pre-conception. Particularly like the way you refer to an assault victim as a "wretch".
I've seen the video, and I feel for the chap whose been charged with assault.
What should be done with an abusive drunk with no ticket.
Should we let him shout and swear and threaten and ride for free, or should we take a stand and chuck him off.
If every one got involved for the grater good and stood up to yobbos and gits, then the world would be a better place.
How does this square with David Cameron's statement back in 2008 that people should challenge anti social behaviour and not just ignore it?
What would Cameron have done?
He would have councelled the wretch
Can't see the big man getting charged.The PF in Scotland must be more sensible than our CPS surely?
Jaded
Dear "Teacher", you are such a wanker.
by the way, which subject is it that you purport to "teach" ?
It is perfectly legal to film anyone in a public place (such as a train) and post the footage anywhere you like. The clue is the word "public".
I can't help thinking that you're right. About summary justice.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4028054/17-duff-teachers-axed-in-10-years.html
Hello Mr Chalk, I am 14 years old and go to one of the comprehensive schools that jumped hoops for the maniacally grinning Ofsted inspectors to scrape an outstanding result. I was inducted in to the Gifted & Talented programme, but yet to see anything to assist me in my all-important chase for my GCSE's. My maths teacher is just like Miss Beacon, the hopeless maths teacher you describe in your second book, and many Mr Jones-esque teachers skulk the corridors, waiting for the next pay check. The article link above shows how secure a profession teaching you can be, even if you are truly incompetent at doing so. It's from The Sun, so they probably picked random numbers for the figures, but shocking reading nonetheless.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4028054/17-duff-teachers-axed-in-10-years.html
Hello Mr Chalk, I am 14 years old and go to one of the comprehensive schools that jumped hoops for the maniacally grinning Ofsted inspectors to scrape an outstanding result. I was inducted in to the Gifted & Talented programme, but yet to see anything to assist me in my all-important chase for my GCSE's. My maths teacher is just like Miss Beacon, the hopeless maths teacher you describe in your second book, and many Mr Jones-esque teachers skulk the corridors, waiting for the next pay check. The article link above shows how secure a profession teaching you can be, even if you are truly incompetent at doing so. It's from The Sun, so they probably picked random numbers for the figures, but shocking reading nonetheless.
My understanding of the Blogger website is demonstrated in that accidental double post. Sorry...
The guard will probably face the sack. And of course he's useless as he has no power whatsoever. The actual policy of train companies is that staff should not get involved in confrontation and should walk away.
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