Why would anyone get pleasure in flooring a 300 year old Sycamore tree ..?
This beautiful tree had been standing at Sycamore Gap .. along Hadrian's Wall.. for 300 years.. She was beautiful... Many visitors have photographed her and she has appeared in films..
My heart was saddened by this news..
A sixteen year old being questioned.. I reckon there will be more arrests.. This cruel yob will not take the rap on their own.. The public are horrified.. They will have to go into hiding.. I bet their parents are so disappointed... I certainly would be if it was any child of mine..
They probably want the land for a wind farm.
This is so sad, but a 16 year old boy would not be able to tackle this job or leave a clean cut, make white paint marking etc etc.. This was done professionally, but as Scrumpy asks WHY ?
(https://i.postimg.cc/NFzhX8HR/PPaul-Tavernor-poem.jpg)
.
Poem by Paul Tavernor
Lovely poem Alex.
Why anyone would cut the tree down is beyond me!
Quote from: GrannyMac on September 29, 2023, 01:10:53 PMLovely poem Alex.
Why anyone would cut the tree down is beyond me!
Many young people these days have little sense and even less responsibility.
I'm sure that he can't have done this idiotic deed on his own. Hopefully, now that he has been arrested and may be informed that if he refuses to identify anyone else involved that he will carry the can, he may well spill the beans.
Hopefully, he and any others involved will be punished accordingly.
Unfortunately, the courts these days don't seem to take much interest in punishment, so I fully expect some sort of apologetic statement on the matter.
It's sad beyond words & all started with that buck-toothed tosser Rantzen who created Childline which enabled children to do whatever they wanted with zero comeback.
If you told a child off they were straight onto Childline, with some fictitious allegations, who passed the kids's complaint onto the social services who then gave the parents a grilling.
This was followed by a raft of legislation that removed all forms of corporal punishment, followed by further legislation that banned any non-corporal punishment that could cause the child emotional stress such being made to sit on a 'naughty step'.
Quote from: Diasi on September 29, 2023, 04:41:24 PMIt's sad beyond words & all started with that buck-toothed tosser Rantzen who created Childline which enabled children to do whatever they wanted with zero comeback.
If you told a child off they were straight onto Childline, with some fictitious allegations, who passed the kids's complaint onto the social services who then gave the parents a grilling.
This was followed by a raft of legislation that removed all forms of corporal punishment, followed by further legislation that banned any non-corporal punishment that could cause the child emotional stress such being made to sit on a 'naughty step'.
Probably a 'sick' parent hoping to dodge whatever weak woke judgement might be handed down by blaming his son (16). I'd birch the brat and give him three years - pity 'hard labour' equates to 'hook bill' Khan and others these days!
No doubt the brat was thrilled to receive 'likes' on his cretinous media channels!
Quote from: Cassandra on September 29, 2023, 05:29:11 PMProbably a 'sick' parent hoping to dodge whatever weak woke judgement might be handed down by blaming his son (16). I'd birch the brat and give him three years - pity 'hard labour' equates to 'hook bill' Khan and others these days!
No doubt the brat was thrilled to receive 'likes' on his cretinous media channels!
I'm just weary of even trying to work out why such things are done, I don't understand modern life & I don't really want to understand it.
Before I moved away with my work I'd always lived in a small village near to Chesterfield which was a mining area with tough men doing tough jobs & everyone knew who you were.
Misbehave & you got a clout from a neighbour, then a clout when you got home.
My Dad always said that he knew a couple of lads who were birched but he didn't know anyone who'd been birched twice.
Childline - bloody idiotic idea - Victoria and her friends - about 11 or so at the time - used to phone it with all sorts of fictitious rubbish. Can't remember how we found out, but when we did we put a stip ti it.
Childline was a good idea .. There are children out there who have no-one to help them in their misery..
But other kids used it to dictate to their parents and get their own way.. brats.
I wonder if the reason will ever be known. I must sat that my first thought when I saw the picture was that it didn't look like something an unaided 16 year old could have done.
Cassandra.. what's the maximum punishment that could be meted out to the little twerp?
I'm betting it won't be much. I can't see it can be anything other than criminal damage and I doubt that has much in the way of a punishment attached. Waiting on Cass too....
I think Childline was a good idea too, it's a pity the organisation was abused by teenagers with no sense.
Quote from: Diasi on September 29, 2023, 04:41:24 PMIt's sad beyond words & all started with that buck-toothed tosser Rantzen who created Childline which enabled children to do whatever they wanted with zero comeback.
If you told a child off they were straight onto Childline, with some fictitious allegations, who passed the kids's complaint onto the social services who then gave the parents a grilling.
This was followed by a raft of legislation that removed all forms of corporal punishment, followed by further legislation that banned any non-corporal punishment that could cause the child emotional stress such being made to sit on a 'naughty step'.
Absolutely.
I have seen such changes, of course.
As a child, if I behaved irresponsibly at school, I'd be given a severe warning. Then if I continued to misbehave I received a clout round the back of my head or, for more serious things, a caning on my hand or my backside.
That very effectively explained to me not to do such a thing again, at least for several days or more.
Today, the most you can do at school is to give the child a telling off. If that doesn't work, not allowed out at playtime, or sent to the head (who was also severely limited as to his/her actions). You could have a word with parents if offences were repeatedly occurring, but of course those sort of kids take after their parents who almost undoubtedly behaved just like their children when they were that age.
I am absolutely convinced that today's bad behaviour of both children and adults is a result of the trendy modern idea of avoiding any form of physical punishment on the grounds that it is inhuman.
We can all see the results of this.
The really sad thing is that those in power these days cannot see the obvious solution to the problem.
Even in the animal world the parent will give their cub a clout to stop them misbehaving. My mother used to use a strap on us girls, it kept us in line and we didn't cheek any adults.
September 29, 2023, 08:36:13 PM
Just popped up as breaking news.
BBC News - Man in his 60s held over Sycamore Gap tree felling
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-66966187
During my brief sojourn as a head of maths, it became apparent that children in that school were particularly poorly behaved. I was told by some established members of staff that the recently appointed headteacher had told the children in her opening assemblies that if any member of staff raised their voices at them then they should tell her immediately and she would look into it. Standards of discipline, behaviour and morale fell overnight. I lasted two terms before I got outta there, which was more than enough. Apparently there was a Head of English appointed a few months before me who came in and at the end of the first day, reloaded her bags with the things she'd arrived with and left, never to return again.
September 29, 2023, 08:39:28 PM
Man in his 60's???!!!! What the deuce??
Quote from: Alex on September 29, 2023, 07:17:46 PMI think Childline was a good idea too, it's a pity the organisation was abused by teenagers with no sense.
Well you've just explained why I regard it as not a good idea.
The fact that it was open to abuse.
:wtf: why won't the forum let me print my sisters job title? It keeps changing it from Teach*r to weapons grade. :wtf:
In answer to Dex..... My sister next to me in age was a Physics Weapons Grade at a school in Dundee. She lasted one term before she got out of there. She said the kids were horrible to each other and had no respect for the teachers at all, the older kids ruled the school.
She applied for and got a position at Auchterarder High School and was there untill she retired. Said the kids there were a pleasure to work with and she liked all the staff as well.
Most strange as J is the most argumentative one of us 4 girls, she was a nightmare when we were growing up.
I can't stop laughing out loud at this "Physics Weapons Gtrade " bloody hilarious :grin: :grin: :grin:
Quote from: Diasi on September 29, 2023, 08:50:06 PMWell you've just explained why I regard it as not a good idea.
The fact that it was open to abuse.
They did help kids who had no-one else to turn to though, I guess you takes the rough with the smooth..
Send my best wishes to your sister please Raven. One old pro to another😊
Love the weapons grade glitch. Vasia has left a legacy. 🤣🤣
Quote from: Raven on September 29, 2023, 08:59:03 PM:wtf: why won't the forum let me print my sisters job title? It keeps changing it from Teach*r to weapons grade. :wtf:
:grin: :grin: :grin:
Sorry. I did say there was no profanity censor but a recent poster lead to me adding an item. You can say teacher no problem but the id was made taboo. I'll spend a little while fixing that and restoring some sanity,
OK I have made the appropriate changes the long way round rather than the quick and dirty profanity censor kludge. You may now enter the word Teacher without it being modified.
Great Thanks. :grin:
Well I've learnt something new from Klondy. He's a great Weapons Grade 😬
:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
The headteacher in the first school I worked in was er, "old school". I was told how he'd once heard that a pupil had told a teacher to f**k off. So, he walked straight into the classroom, grabbed the kid by collar and shirt tail and frog marched him to the school gate, kicked him up the ar$e and said "YOU f**k off".
There are times in which this sentiment seems entirely appropriate. The imbeciles who cut the tree down fit the criteria. I don't care what their motives were, nor if they had a difficult upbringing. They can just "f**k off", just as much as that tw@t who killed the girl on the bus can.
They possibly both had difficult childhoods though....
In fact when it comes to court I'll guarantee that they did.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm also old school as far as kids are concerned. :busted:
We were brought up very strictly in the Children are seen but not heard and speak politely when spoken to way.
I didn't bring my kids up that strict but they damn well behaved and we could take them anywhere. :upvote:
Yes, I did smack when they were younger, the rule was you get one warning then it's a smack. The kids knew this and learned, therefore I didn't have to smack because they knew I would.
Regan adopted the same rule with her two with the same results.
Neither myself or Regan had any of the screaming carry on in the shops that today's parents seem to have, when I see some "wee angel" on the floor screeching in a temper with a helpless parent looking on I ache to give the "wee angel" a hot ass and therefore it will have something to scream about. :angry:
I know this will upset some of you, but it's they way I am and how I feel, this letting kids rule and giving in to them all the time is not good. I know taking things they like away does work in some cases but not all, a quick slap soon pulls them into line.
During the school holidays I've seen several hacked off parents in the dunes or in the forest throwing caution to the wind and giving a well deserved smack to a shocked brat. I always think we'll done mate.
I don't believe however in a hammering, one or two (at the most) smacks round the back of the legs is enough.
Agree. One of my neighbour's (at my old house) was playing on his bike on the road and pavement of our cul de sac. He then started to head towards the busy road at the other end of the street. The mother did nothing, so I ran and grabbed hold of the handlebars and turned him round to come back towards the safe end. He started bawling.
His mother proceeded to come out with the line "he's not used to having his behaviour corrected". And explained how they tried to let him do whatever he wanted without fear of contradiction🙄
Weirdly enough, a few doors further down there was another family with oh so precious children. The son is now in prison doing life for brutally torturing and murdering some old bloke over an argument about a bit of cannabis.
I still think Childline was a good idea.. The (Kids) took it over because the adults allowed it to happen..
I noticed a difference in the schools when Teacher and Parent Association was introduced.. The parents took over.. and the kids ruled the parents.. The teachers were left out in the cold..
I've seen parents trying to smack the backs of a child's legs and missing every time.. because the child knew all the moves.. :smiley: :smiley:
The trouble is there are lots of things set up with good intentions. But then some ne'erdowells want to tweak it a bit, play silly buggers with the semantics of the wording, interpret it in a way that suits their narrow narrative and before you know it the good intentions are lost and the whole thing is (quite rightly IMHO) berated.
Quote from: dextrous63 on September 30, 2023, 07:33:03 AMThe headteacher in the first school I worked in was er, "old school". I was told how he'd once heard that a pupil had told a teacher to f**k off. So, he walked straight into the classroom, grabbed the kid by collar and shirt tail and frog marched him to the school gate, kicked him up the ar$e and said "YOU f**k off".
There are times in which this sentiment seems entirely appropriate. The imbeciles who cut the tree down fit the criteria. I don't care what their motives were, nor if they had a difficult upbringing. They can just "f**k off", just as much as that tw@t who killed the girl on the bus can.
I sometimes wonder how long it will be before the people in power begin to realise that being nice to kids and letting them get away with things that I was never allowed to results in not only bad behaviour but also falling educational standards.
Wokism is slowly destroying this country, and that's why we now have the society we deserve.
It will be a grand day when "common sense" returns to the world once more. As I'm sure it will.
Quote from: Raven on September 30, 2023, 11:03:19 AMIt will be a grand day when "common sense" returns to the world once more. As I'm sure it will.
Have you been smoking some of that sea grass again?
(https://i.postimg.cc/d0qhnbQC/IMG-0811.gif) (https://postimages.org/)
:busted: :busted: :busted:
Quote from: Ashy on September 29, 2023, 12:38:02 PMThey probably want the land for a wind farm.
Who would have thought it?
(https://i.postimg.cc/G2Sq8pkr/Hadrians-Wall-Sycamore.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Quote from: JBR on September 30, 2023, 10:33:47 AMI sometimes wonder how long it will be before the people in power begin to realise that being nice to kids and letting them get away with things that I was never allowed to results in not only bad behaviour but also falling educational standards.
Wokism is slowly destroying this country, and that's why we now have the society we deserve.
I would say we have the society that the likes of you & me don't deserve.
September 30, 2023, 03:38:49 PMQuote from: Ashy on September 30, 2023, 03:10:48 PMWho would have thought it?
(https://i.postimg.cc/G2Sq8pkr/Hadrians-Wall-Sycamore.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Well it does seem a very unlikely thing to do without a strong motive.
I suppose the motive could be that the tree would be the centre of the objections about the turbines spoiling the view & it's significance for tourism.
Quote from: dextrous63 on September 29, 2023, 07:10:27 PMCassandra.. what's the maximum punishment that could be meted out to the little twerp?
From January the 1st this year,'The Forestry Act 1967', was amended by the Environment Act to allow uncapped fines and importantly imprisonment for 'breaching a T.P.O. 'Tree Preservation Order'. However it appears that it's powers of sentence (passed into law in November 2021) to impose these new restraints is yet to be added to the statute, as far as I can ascertain. Therefore he may have to be sentenced under previous guidelines.
Previously illegally felling 12 oak trees, all at least 150 years old, attracted a fine of just £15,000 in January 2020. The case, prosecuted in a Hastings magistrates court, in my opinion was limited to puny and outdated legislation, hence the Judicial Review.
The legislation is aimed to deter 'chainsaw ready' local authorities and developers who will gladly pay feeble fines to get their way on the 'well their gone now, so lets get on with it Dodge City view' of modern life. However for the villainous destruction and deprivation of it's beauty to now and the future, the alleged offender and his arrayed associates, if proven guilty and are capable of sentencing (age restriction) would in my Crown court get handed down at least 5 years and their assets destroyed by an accompanying fine.
As I'd suggested I believe he fronted his 16 year old sibling (legally a minor) with the prime blame to avoid the penalties extending to him, suggestively as the primary suspect.
Thanks Cassandra. So there's no hidden thing in the statute books that means we could hang them??
Pity.
But when the authorities want to destroy a tree, the people in it get taken to court and the tree is put to death.
Quote from: Ashy on September 30, 2023, 05:50:19 PMBut when the authorities want to destroy a tree, the people in it get taken to court and the tree is put to death.
I once defended a man and his wife who appeared as 'Robin and Marian Hood', who lived in a tree. They appeared before the beak, draped in green complete with tights and Quarter Staffs (no bows and arrows permitted in court).
They were being evicted from the third Ash heading North on some particular Avenue as it was due to be felled in the name of progress (i.e supermarket had bunged the council to do so in the publics interest of them earning a fortune etc etc). Robin had established himself as a squatter and we managed by what is now known as 'crowdfunding' to injunct the Town Council from cutting the Hood's home down.
It was a hoot at the time and I had to appear with gravitas whilst answering questions like
"and how do your clients relieve themselves from a Tree". I then caused pictures of their Tree House to be shown including their assured privacy behind woven walls. The opposition claimed this was a permanent residence and therefore needed toilet facilities and planning permission. They wanted proof that Robin and his missus, didn't deficate from within the tree at any time, especially if it was cold and wet (weather), in reponse I insisted they had to prove they did! Also pointing out that it was not a very permanent home, as they (Council) proposed to destroy it and that the Hoods had chosen their home specifically to be adjacent to the local 24 hour public toilets (together with photographs). Also they didn't reside there for longer than 5 months and 28 days in any year, as they camped out in Sherwood Forest in the summer months. It lasted as a hearing much longer than it should have done, attracting media interest etc. Eventually a sympathetic local farmer offered them permanent residence in one of his many oak trees, in exchange for them guarding his sheep. A whole team of workers turned up and helped the Hoods produce a rather wonderful 'aboreal bijou' home complete with a hoist and lift etc. Myself, my opponent and the Judge relished it as did the majority of the town. The very pompous and arrogant Councillors were booed every day, as we entered court, cameras flashing etc. and eventually scurried away tail between their legs. :wink:
Those were the good old days ...
Crikey, what a ripping yarn Cass. 🤣🤣
You must have been involved in some right old weird cases in your time.
Cassandra - great tale - loved it!
Quote from: dextrous63 on September 30, 2023, 08:55:13 PMCrikey, what a ripping yarn Cass. 🤣🤣
You must have been involved in some right old weird cases in your time.
Much to the chagrin of my late father as head of chambers, with time I 'mellowed' but really relished 'good murders' especially poisonings :cry: .
There are three stages to maturity I found, when I was young I was a nutter, then a bit of a nutter and latterly eccentric. I can honestly say I learnt from every case and still miss the 'bench' and all my friends from those times, across the frontiers of justice very much. There are very few brief in nearly thirty years as an advocate I wouldn't rush to re-live now, the same as a Judiciary.
Those in rejection, are only because of the hateful people I had to represent and getting to realise what revolting and terrifying people there are in this world.
The rest from Robin and Marian to some of the finest 'Petermen' in the business, they all taught me something and enriched my life along the way! :smiley:
Quote from: Michael Rolls on September 30, 2023, 09:00:20 PMCassandra - great tale - loved it!
Thanks Mike. I don't think I ever had to restrain myself from bursting out with laughter more than in this case, especially when the jury in front of you are helplessly rolling in the benches with both questions and responses. The case was adjourned for half an hour, as one poor man with COPD had to recover with an oxygen bottle. Then another break, when the beak called us into his chambers admitting the real reason for the interstice was that he'd lost both pairs of his spectacles into cracks in the floor whilst trying to appear to be searching for fictional documents to hide the tears streaming down his face and that he had to get his 'dresser' go and buy two more pairs from a local optician.
I received many letters of appreciation as did my wonderful opponent who became a great friend in latter years ...
one the 'nutter' spectrum:-
I am misunderstood
You are eccentric
He is as mad as a box of frogs
:grin: :grin: :grin:
Pensioners were arrested here because of the tree cutting protests! One woman for blowing a toy trumpet. Sheffield council didn't cover itself in glory when they decided to decimate the tree population in the city. The tree lined streets are mainly in the affluent south west of the city, the residents were not happy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-64863130#
Great story Cass :upvote: :grin:
Yes thanks for all your tales Cass. Always entertaining.
I love the court stories that Cassandra chooses to tell us..
I'm am a giggler.. I wouldn't last long in court.. Far too serious for me..
October 01, 2023, 01:34:31 PMQuote from: GrannyMac on October 01, 2023, 07:36:00 AMPensioners were arrested here because of the tree cutting protests! One woman for blowing a toy trumpet. Sheffield council didn't cover itself in glory when they decided to decimate the tree population in the city. The tree lined streets are mainly in the affluent south west of the city, the residents were not happy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-64863130#
The above would be funny if it were not sad..
Quote from: GrannyMac on October 01, 2023, 07:36:00 AMPensioners were arrested here because of the tree cutting protests! One woman for blowing a toy trumpet. Sheffield council didn't cover itself in glory when they decided to decimate the tree population in the city. The tree lined streets are mainly in the affluent south west of the city, the residents were not happy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-64863130#
The same thing was done in the centre of Plymouth a bit back.
Thanks everyone, my father (who had a darkly sardonic wit) knew the circus judge in question very well, who was on the point of retiring at the time of our little joust. He apparently used to recount it in his later career as a very successful after dinner speaker, which is where Dad learnt of his son's activities, on behalf of the Hoods.
"Should have been a publican or an actor, never an advocate" he used to muse apparently, "but the almighty deemed otherwise, a punishment upon me for a previous life it seems".
I remember shaving him very near to his death. He took my hand and said, "I'm so lucky you were my boy, it's really all been such fun". I tidied up his shaving case, not wanting him to see my tears, when I turned round he'd entered a coma and 30 minutes later was gone. I was the told by his friends how he'd follow my appearances with great mirth, sometimes arriving in the public gallery in disguise, so I didn't spot him. I was indeed very lucky to have such a tolerant and understanding man at my side.
sounds a truly great guy
What a lovely memory to have of your Dad' s last words - not lovely but you know what I mean Cass.
I didn't get to speak to my Dad.
You are very lucky indeed Cassandra..
I never met my dad.. He ran off with an usherette.. way back..
Guess he was dazzled by the light from her torch ..
Sounds a bit like my ex Scrumpy :grin:
Mine had a heart attack one morning after I'd left the house. He was getting ready for work. I got a strong work ethic from both my parents. I'd like him to have met my children.
Quote from: Scrumpy on October 02, 2023, 10:20:48 AMYou are very lucky indeed Cassandra..
I never met my dad.. He ran off with an usherette.. way back..
Guess he was dazzled by the light from her torch ..
A flashlight flimsy indeed. My old man was wonderful, his unassuming sense of timing was so perfect. Very much like John Le Mesurier - he'd have made a great Sgt Wilson too!