Another “Gullible Gunner”?
Long-time readers know about the months-long exchange between me and Australian blogger Tim Lambert over the topic of self-defense in the UK. His position is that self-defense is perfectly legal – though there might be a bit of a “chilling effect” on its practice – due, he says, to “gullible gunners” like me who blow news stories out of proportion. My position is that self-defense is legally on the books, but any citizen who actually tries it puts his freedom and fortune into the hands of the Law because the Crown Prosecution Service will most probably charge that citizen for violating some statute or six.
Case in point (h/t KeepandBearArms.com), 64 year-old Diane Bond:
Brave grandma arrested after standing up to yobs
By IAN DRURY, Daily Mail
22:00pm 4th August 2006
After months of being taunted by a gang of yobs, grandmother Diane Bond finally stood up to them when she was abused while walking her pet dog. During a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse, the frail 64-year-old prodded the teenager ringleader gently in the stomach when he urged her to “Hit me, if you dare”.
Obviously the teenaged “yob” doesn’t fear the law much.
Moments later, the 5ft 1ins pensioner found herself flat on her back and nursing a broken arm after the 15-year-old boy, who was 7 inches taller, pushed her to the ground. But to add insult to injury, police officers arrested her for assaulting a child after his mother moaned he had been attacked.
And there’s another reason for his behavior.
Now Mrs Bond must report to a police station 30 miles from her home in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales, at the end of the month to find out if she will be charged. Last night the retired lab technician spoke of her distress. “I am in shock and very, very teary,” she said.
“I have never been in any trouble before. I just want to enjoy my evenings walking my dog in peace. I am being treated like a criminal because a gang of yobs have nothing better to do than pick on an old lady.”
Buck up, Mrs. Bond. You’re not alone!*
Residents of her quiet street have complained to the police and council for several months about youths causing anti-social behaviour. In the latest letter to Powys County Council in June, residents said they had suffered an “endless stream” of damage to property and cars, intimidation, vandalism, noise and rubbish being hurled into gardens by up to 30 youths aged 11 to 17.
Well, I’m sure the local constabulary has handed out a number of ASBOs – “Anti-social behavior orders” – to the misguided yoots. What else can they do?
Signed by 35 fed-up people, it added: “Collectively, we are sick and tired of the situation and our frustration is now close to boiling over.”
They’d best be careful! That kind of wording could be considered a threat of premeditated assault!
Things finally came to a head when Mrs Bond, who has two children and five grandchildren, took her terrier Hettie for a walk on parkland near her home. She said a group of about 20 teenagers were loitering on the grass. Three others were standing on a path, deliberately blocking her way.
“As I approached they started shouting abuse at me,” she said. “They were taunting me and crowding round me and I was quite frightened because they are big kids.
“After a while one of them, whose name is Billy, spread his arms out wide to show his stomach, and said, Come on, old lady, hit me, if you dare.”
“I gave him three prods, almost like playful punches, not hard at all, and next thing I knew I was lying on the ground and I had broken my arm. One youth said I had been pushed.
“I went back home, shaking and crying.”
Yet she was the one arrested (since, being a law-abiding citizen, she wouldn’t resist and probably doesn’t even know a lawyer, much less retain one…)
Soon after, two police officers knocked on Mrs Bond’s door and arrested her on suspicion of assaulting a minor. “It seemed the lad had told his mum what had happened and she had immediately lodged a complaint of assault,” she said.
Mrs Bond, who lives alone, was cautioned and interviewed for nearly three hours by police officers before she was released on bail at about 1.30am.
Let’s do the math: Carry the one… They arrested her at about 10:30 PM! It couldn’t wait until the following morning? She was going to skip the country overnight to avoid prosecution? And bail? I’m curious as to just how much this flight-risk had to shell out to get out of the slammer!
She has now made a counter-allegation to the police of assault against the youth. But she added: “This sends out the message that if you stand up for yourself, if you try to take action to stop anti-social behaviour, you are likely to end up being arrested.”
Yes. That’s EXACTLY what it does. And it’s meant to. And that’s the point I’ve been making all along.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Tony Blair said communities had to stand up to yobs in the fight against nuisance behaviour. Mrs Bond’s neighbour Steve Simmons, who co-ordinates the Nelson Street – An End To Anti-Social Behaviour campaign group, said: “Diane is a reasonable law-abiding citizen and she has been treated like a criminal for standing up to yobs when the authorities would not.
“It is bewildering. The Government says communities should look after themselves and take a stance against anti-social behaviour. But when we do try to take action, what is the first thing that happens? The blame is put on us.”
Noticed that, did you? Once the government has seized the monopoly on the legitimate use of force, it will not surrender that monopoly willingly. What’s bewildering about that?
In May, grandmother Brenda Robinson, 66, of Bournemouth, spent a night in a police cell after being arrested for alleged assault when she gave a rowdy youth a “clip round the ear”.
That used to be known as “administering disclipline,” but no longer. Add Mrs. Robinson to the list, then. She’s in good company, too.
She acted after being abused, pushed and threatened with a plank of wood. Roger Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: “I would have expected the police to have acted slightly more proportionately than arresting Mrs Bond over this.
“It must have been a frightening situation for an elderly lady to be confronted by a gang of yobs, especially in an area with a history of anti-social behaviour, without the police compounding the problem.”
Gee, ya THINK?
Chief Inspector Steve Hughson, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “We are aware of the problems in Nelson Street and associated anti-social behaviour.
“Recent patrols in the area by the neighbourhood policing team have greatly reduced incidents of crime and anti social behaviour, to the extent that positive comments have been received by local residents.
If you interpret “About bloody time!” as a “positive comment.”
“Therefore patrols will continue.”
Until the media pressure is off.
The force declined to comment on Mrs Bond’s arrest.
I bet they did.
*Mrs. Bond is in the company of fine people like Mrs. Robinson, mentioned above, and also:
Maureen Jennings, 50, of Manchester.
Martin James, 64, late of Birmingham.
Bill Clifford, 77, late of Hampshire.
David Benton, 44, of Moorby
Linda Walker, 47, of Greater Manchester
Yes, they’re all just “gullible gunners” like me.