Bizarre: Diver blamed psychological effects of a drowning accident for paedophillia

[Phil_C]

He could have made the child porn as well, it's hard to tell. The article says bold added

Possible but very unlikely, in English law many offences have dual or 'multiple' descriptions such as make or distribute, damage or destroy, put in fear or anticipation of violence and so on, plus in UK law saving or transferring a computer file into a different format would constitute making, if he had been involved in actually producing the porn in any way rather than just trading and passing it on then from my own experience of this type of trial I would have expected he would have got far more than just 2 years, (5-10 is about average). - Phil

 

[MMM]

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[KevWind]

Just a quick observation. I agree that attempting to blame pedophilia on a drowning incident is a pretty big stretch. And IMO anything criminal involving children is especially offensive. On the other hand simply blaming his lawyer for his attempt of blame deflection, is a bit tunnel visioned in that deflection of blame is culturally wide spread.
For example the oft used expressions "I had no choice" or "You leave me no choice" are at the fundamental level a lie. While control of the external is arguably an illusion. The only things we actually do have control over is the internal what we think,feel,say and do. And we always have a choice.

 

[Phil_C]

Hi Kev, I am not sure if your comment about blaming the lawyers is in response to my comment about "lawyers spouting", but if so you have misunderstood my point.

I wasn't blaming the lawyer for the attempt at deflection, a lawyer is duty bound to represent the defendant, and if a defendant says 'I am not guilty' then, no matter how clear the evidence seems, the lawyer (at least in the UK) has to present that plea and seek to represent his clients interests to the best of his/her ability, both in terms of trying to seek an acquittal and also in seeking to mitigate any sentence if convicted.

I was however rubbishing the lawyers spurious legal argument that there was no "gain" involved in the defendants actions. The sole point of the defendant circulating the offensive pictures when he did was in order to get access to other similar pictures held by other people, in other words to conduct a trade - and his obtaining of further offensive pictures was a gain to him!

I know a lot of British defence lawyers and barristers (Crown and High Court advocates), many are personal friends, and most are genuine people who have a firm belief in justice. - Phil.

 

[timthefish]

I wonder how the deceased guys family feel about their loved one being used as a defence. Just shoot them its easier than jail. Which is an odd reaction as I am firmly against capital punishment but I just can't convince myself that child abuse should be punished by jail. Odd isn't it? Bloody vile individuals

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[KevWind]

Phil ...Hey I have no problem questioning lawyers at all and I was not so much targeting your post specifically per se, but in much more general sense using it as an example of a very common aspect of our culture or perhaps just human nature in general, assigning blame to others for our failures, lack of success, bad choices etc. Instead of coming to the realization that just about everything that happens to us is the result of the choices we make and actions we take or choose not to take.