So How could the CPS get it wrong?

[Loosehead]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1 3551612,00.html
are the CPS acting from human emotions now rather than prosecuting what actually is a crime?

[Dom Tuk]

I dont understand your question LH. the CPS thought there was sufficient grounds to win a prosecution and took it to the courts. I guess that was right decision as they had enough evidence that BNP was inciting hatred. The judiciary/jury took a different view and decided to acquit. So did the jury act out of human emotions in the current climate and not stick to the letter of the law when they decided to acquit. was the jury (if this was a jury trial) properly guided by the judiciary in reaching the verdict?.

[Loosehead]

I mean the CPS should be clear about what is a prosecutable crime. In this case they have been acquited twice. Rather than going through this lengthy and expensive process could they not earlier on have determined that a prosecution would not succeed. It just appears that they acted emotionally rather than logically, There is obvious abhorrance of the defendant I just wonder if that was a factor in deciding whether to prosecute.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

its the goverment,they dont want people to speak their minds on immigration,the war etc,etc.

[Booldawg]

but please a big hand to the BBC who've wasted 1 million pounds of taxpayers money in there hellbent lust of discrediting Nick Griffin and the BNP.

[bazwillrun]

And good ole Gordon Brown wants the laws on race hate tightened cos the case was lost , boo hoo gordon, this just goes to prove that you can change all the laws you like to shut the people up but you cant stop people thinking, and they thought right in this case.
The same as the majority of the people in this country who you are trying to scare into keeping their mouths shut.

And its about time the BBC were brought to heel, they are an absolute disgrace

[kev100]

I dont understand Baz what have the BBC done?

I've only just seen this case and dont know anything about it.

[brionon]

Brown , like so many others cannot distinguish between 'Race Hate' and 'Idea Hate'. We should not be allowed to say that Muslims are crap but we should be allowed to say that their,or any other ,Religion is Crap.

[THECORBYLOON]

Loosehead by yir reasoning, the CPS would bring cases only against those they knew to be guilty. and if that were the case why bother wi a jury? Nick Griffin has not been found Not Guilty twice as the Jury could not reach a decision on the charges the first time, which vindicates the CPS in bringing the case to trial.

[Loosehead]

no TCL not cases where the defendants are known to be guilty but cases where there is a clear allegation of something illegal. Rather than bringing cases on the basis of what they would like to be illegal. The fact is that whatever Griffen said was not illegal.

[THECORBYLOON]

If it was so obvious that what was said was not illegal, why could the first jury not make that decision? The CPS bring to trial, cases where there is more than a 50/50 chance of a guilty verdict. It is a jury of 12 or 15 which decides guilt (unless directed by the Judge) and it was only after their verdict that you could say the words were not illegal.

[Loosehead]

Fair enough TCL I just think, and I do have personal expereince of this, that the CPS tend to take on cases that they are unlikely to be able to prosecute, why would they do that? It seems that their decisions are not pragmatic.

[sp1814]

I think it would be perfectly reasonable to arrest Nick Griffin every week on trumped up charges.

Just like Abu Hamza, he's an odious spreader of hate, and I would bet that if we took a poll, most non-extremist Britons (black, white and Asian) would enjoy seeing this fat-faced filth constantly harrassed.

Personally, I'd be fascinated to see whether he wears that cheap grey River Island suit to every court appearance.

[Loosehead]

So the job of the CPS should be to harrass people we don't agree with then sp? Right oh! Lets start with his tonyness then shall we and move swiftly on to the rest of New Labour....... Or did you have view based on the original question?

[sp1814]

Loosehead

Based on your original question, I don't believe for a minute that the CPS were working from human emotions...I have never seen any evidence that the CPS is some left-leaning organisation.

What I believe is that the CPS will aggressively prosecute a case if they believe that the public interest will be served.

And because the general public (and by that I mean 'me') can't stand Nick Griffin, then I fully support their efforts in maknig his life hell.

Unfortunely, every time a prosecution fails, he has the chance to appear on the news grinning in that hideous suit.

[sp1814]

By the way, inciting racial hatred is a crime, the problem is, the definition of exactly what 'inciting racial hatred is'...if you called Islam a hateful wicked religion (as I believe Griffin did), then technically that's not inciting racial hatred.

If he called Muslims a wicked and hateful race (though factually incorrect) he could be guilty.

I wish nothing but unpleasantness for Griffin. I have nothing but respect for those who wish to open and engage in an adult debate, but Nick Griffin and Abu Hamza are two different sides of the same coin.

I hope his wife forgets to defrost his turkey on Christmas Eve and I hope he finds a dead squirrel in his plum duff.

[Loosehead]

Ok Sp I'm glad we cleared that up. Now this suit, you seem very fixated with it, perhaps you should get yourself one!

[sp1814]

Loosehead,

I would do, but I already have plenty of old clothes to do the gardening in.

I may give Mr Griffin Oswald Boetang's number. He one of Britain's leading men's tailors and has a shop in Saville Row.

...and he's black.

Oh to be a fly on the wall as he's having his inside leg measured.

It's be better than vaudeville.

[sp1814]

Rather:

He is one of Britain's leading men's tailors