"If you don't move I'll run you over".
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From: The Todal on 4 Mar 2010 08:59 "Steve Walker" <spam-trap(a)beeb.net> wrote in message news:7v9qa7FqqcU1(a)mid.individual.net... > > So I think it's highly likely that the gyrocopter crew will say that they > were fearful of being assaulted, and the prosecution's evidence is so far > supporting that - for example the Times says that Julie Sargeant (a hunt > supporter accompanying Mr Morse) "told police that Mr Morse, 48, had been > angry during a "white knuckle ride" to Long Marston airfield" in > Warwickshire Hunt's Land Rover and that she expected there was going to be > trouble 'kicking off' when they confronted the gyro crew. > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7048129.ece > > If I was the pilot (who apparently isn't an activist) then I would be > seriously fearful for my safety in that situation, and I certainly > wouldn't want to get out of my aircraft and be confonted by 6'2" of > purple-faced furious hunt supporter, determined to make sure that I was > taught my place. I think that may actually be the main issue in the case. See the BBC site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8546071.stm Mr Evans [prosecuting] said Mr Griffiths was saying he did nothing criminal and that his actions may have been deliberate but out of necessity. The prosecutor told the court: "We say that's just not on. Mr Morse had made no threats, he had made no attempts to take the keys or prevent the refuelling operation and we say at all times was adopting a passive, obstructive stance." The case continues.
From: Cynic on 4 Mar 2010 09:05 On Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:51:54 +0000, Phil W Lee <phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk> wrote: >>>Presumably the prosecution can only be on the basis that the pilot could >>>have safely brought his aircraft to a halt and should have been aware that >>>if he failed to do so, he was likely to cause Mr Morse's death. And >>>presumably the jury will decide whether or not that is what happened. >>Yes, there is quite obviously a duty to prevent injury *even if* >>someone is behaving unreasonably or even illegally. It is exactly the >>same as a motorist who runs over a pedestrian who is deliberately >>standing in the road when the motorist could easily have stopped and >>prevented the collision. >Except that a pedestrian can legally stand in a road. >To invade an airport and deliberately disrupt legal flight operations >is an act of terrorism. Hmmm. I think more than one poster is thinking in terms of a commercial airport. IIUC we are talking of a farm strip, which is often no more than a mown strip of grass in an open field. Nevertheless, even at a commercial airport it would still be murder if you were to deliberately run over a trespasser. -- Cynic
From: Steve Walker on 4 Mar 2010 09:07 Cynic wrote: > I understoodthat the supporter tripped over a strut and fell into > the propellor whilst attempting to impede the progress of the aircraft > rather than the pilot deliberately using the propellor as a weapon. Ah, that's an interesting & useful insight. Thanks
From: Ret. on 4 Mar 2010 09:14 The Todal wrote: > "Steve Walker" <spam-trap(a)beeb.net> wrote in message > news:7v9qa7FqqcU1(a)mid.individual.net... > >> >> So I think it's highly likely that the gyrocopter crew will say that >> they were fearful of being assaulted, and the prosecution's evidence >> is so far supporting that - for example the Times says that Julie >> Sargeant (a hunt supporter accompanying Mr Morse) "told police that >> Mr Morse, 48, had been angry during a "white knuckle ride" to Long >> Marston airfield" in Warwickshire Hunt's Land Rover and that she >> expected there was going to be trouble 'kicking off' when they >> confronted the gyro crew. >> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7048129.ece If I >> was the pilot (who apparently isn't an activist) then I would be >> seriously fearful for my safety in that situation, and I certainly >> wouldn't want to get out of my aircraft and be confonted by 6'2" of >> purple-faced furious hunt supporter, determined to make sure that I >> was taught my place. > > I think that may actually be the main issue in the case. See the BBC > site: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8546071.stm > Mr Evans [prosecuting] said Mr Griffiths was saying he did nothing > criminal and that his actions may have been deliberate but out of > necessity. The prosecutor told the court: "We say that's just not on. > Mr Morse had made no threats, he had made no attempts to take the > keys or prevent the refuelling operation and we say at all times was > adopting a passive, obstructive stance." The case continues. Also, from the same article: Mr Evans said there was no doubt that Mr Morse wanted to stop the gyrocopter from taking off. He also said Mr Griffiths had not gently inched his way in the gyrocopter towards Mr Morse but had travelled at speed. "We say the defendant deliberately chose to drive quickly at Mr Morse and face the consequences, when he could have driven slowly towards Mr Morse until he had a gap." Kev
From: Steve Walker on 4 Mar 2010 09:14
The Todal wrote: > "Steve Walker" <spam-trap(a)beeb.net> wrote in message >> If I was the pilot (who apparently isn't an activist) then I would be >> seriously fearful for my safety in that situation, > I think that may actually be the main issue in the case. See the BBC > site: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8546071.stm Interesting - Yesterday the hunt supporter was quoted as saying "The gyrocopter started and it moved forward and hit Trevor.� She said it initially nudged him but, despite repeated requests for him to stand clear of the aircraft, Mr Morse stood his ground.... (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7048129.ece) ++++ That's a slow, close-range, eyeballing confrontation. Your BBC article from the previous day has "Mr Evans said ...Mr Griffiths had not gently inched his way in the gyrocopter towards Mr Morse but had travelled at speed. "We say the defendant deliberately chose to drive quickly at Mr Morse and face the consequences, when he could have driven slowly towards Mr Morse until he had a gap." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8546071.stm ) ++++ That's a high-speed dash to get through a perceived gap. Those seem to be quite inconsistent versions - perhaps we have to wait for the video to arrive on Youtube... :o) |