John Terry in Court

[sir.prize]

Just been reported on BBC that if John Terry was found guilty of racial abuse, he could be fined £2,500.

May he apply for time to pay?

[jno]

Elvis, reminds me of Richard Nixon's tapes in which he was discussing what to do about one of his opponents and said "We could kill him." He swore he added the words "But it would be wrong!" and they'd somehow been deleted from the tape. Very likely.

[craft1948]

JT is guilty...................

[Duncer]

I'm assuming JT and his lawyers have already consulted with Stevie G's lawyers and will go for the Liverpool defence?

[FredPuli43]

In answer to the OP, yes he will. He'll be allowed time for a cheque to clear; the practice is ask for 7 days for that to happen.

[MarkRae]

> Stevie G

Is that a rap artist?

[ludwig]

If only he'd called him a ******* **** and not a ******* black ****, everything would have been alright.

[LochNessMonster]

He once called me a f**king green G*t.

I then showed hime my teeth.

And funny he turn the same colour as me ?

Nessie

0 : - )

[venator]

Have the courts got nothing better to do with their time?

The only people who benefit from this farce are the lawyers, who will be trousering six figure fees.

[ludwig]

// The only people who benefit from this farce are the lawyers, who will be trousering six figure fees. //

******* ****s.

[dave50]

An absolute waste of time, they were just words. I suppose if he had kicked him and broke his leg then nothing much would have been said and it would soon be forgotten but say some nasty words and the thought police are all over it.

[Booldawg]

we get about 6 weeks of the year not to talk about football and footballers. why did this case have to heard off season!

[Gromit]

dave50

You obviously do not know the difference between thinking and saying. If Terry had just thought it, then he wouldn't be in trouble.

[ludwig]

It does make you wonder. Roy Keane deliberately boots someone in the knee and ends his career. - not in retaliation for a similar assault mind you - just as revenge for a perceived insult sometime prior to this.
He later writes about how he planned the assault and executed it.
No criminal charges.

Terry insults somone - albeit a racist insult (allegedly) - charges swiftly follow.

[Gromit]

// why did this case have to heard off season! //

That is a good point. If you or I had been arrested for offensive behaviour then the court date would be set and we would have to turn up even if it meant taking time off work to attend court. It is unlikely that we could get a court date at our convenience, several months in the future when we are on a break from work and don't lose any pay.

[brionon]

I mustn't say ''***'' the proper word is ''Black''-BUT If I say Black you can take me to Court. Simples Innit ?

[andy-hughes]

Two issues appear to be emerging from this thread - the size of the imposed fine, and the importance of the case being brought.

First - the fine is laid down in law, and does not get a couple of noughts put on it to match the income of the offender. Far more important for Terry than a miniscule financial loss, is the damage to his reputation and standing as a football team captain, and his potential reuturn to the England captaincy - now surely destroyed.

Second - if an example is not made of somone for committing a race hate crime, then we are never going to be able to send society's message - that this behaviour is not acceptable and it will not go unmarked, or unpunished. That is nothing to do with pedantic analysis of the phrase used, or comments about the 'thought police' - it is about laying down bondaries for acceptable behaviour in society, and then enforcing them.

John Terry comes accross like a number of his colleagues, a talented sportsman, and an odious individual, in equal measure. The ability in one area does not exclude the responsibility for the other. That is what today.s case has proved.

[bazwillrun]

"Second - if an example is not made of somone for committing a race hate crime"

I cant stop laughing...you cannot be serious, a few words alledgedly said in the heat of the moment after he has alledgedly been slandered by that fine upstanding citizen Anton Ferdinand.

JT has been surrounded by blacks for most of his professional playing career, even if he is found guilty of what is at most only a verbal slip hardly makes him a racist..., still , anything to keep the fascist PC mob happy eh !

[Brenden]

Am wondering why Doreen Lawrence was in court yesterday - any connection to the family?

[ELVIS68]

Verbal slip or not, racist or not, you can't call someone a F.B.C and expect to get away with it.

What message does it send out to kids if he gets off with this?

[McMouse]

I read most of the trial report from yesterday and couldn't believe that public money is being spent on such tosh. "He called me a @!&$" "I called him a &$@! back. "He made a gesture suggesting I had bad breath" "He made a gesture suggesting I had been shaggging a team-mates girlfriend". and on and on and on. Both a pair of big girls blouses.