Why can't more young offenders be like this?

[tiggerblue10]

Seb Green stole a boat off the Dorset coast and ended up having to be rescued by sea rescue team at a cost of �20k. He was 15 when he did this. He is now 18 and and is doing a sponsored walk around the coast of GB to raise money for the Sea Rescue teams and the RNLI and in doing so, trying to make amends for what he did.

Good on him I say.

[Tichfield]

I think you will find that there are a lot of people who do stupid things in their youth, when they just don't consider the consequences, who grow up and turn into good people.

Unfortunately there are others who go frombad to worse.

It was ever so.

[Lonnie]

Sounds to me, he's probably got good parents who have instilled good values into him.

[tigerlily11]

Exellent. Good for him. Nice to see a good story about our youth than the usual.

[sp1214]

If the truth was known he is probably getting a lift and not walking the length he quotes. Remember he was a common criminal stealing a boat. Leopards don't change their spots. I might believe it if he does donate the proceeds but I think he may have other ideas.

[naomi24]

My, my, SP, you are cynical. Tichfield's right. I very much doubt that many of us can honestly say we never did anything stupid when we were young, but we don't do the same now we're adults, do we? We live and learn. Good for him. I only wish there were more like him.

[Booldawg]

I saw that on the news and thought 'fair play to you'. I doubt very much he plans to run off with the proceeds after receiving media attention for it!

[IggyB]

he'll prob get swept out to sea by a freak wave during his walk and run up another �20k bill saving him again!

[andrea81]

That does give me hope that people aren�t just bad and that there are second chances to be had! It would be a sad thing if everyone who made a bad mistake was written off!

[Annie Dorset]

I think it's awesome and I've found his website! it's www.sebsodyssey.org.uk. Good on you mate

[New Judge]

It's very laudable of Seb and at least he shows signs of remorse.

However, effectively his sponsors are paying for him to slake his conscience. Looking at his website I notice that a number of them are small businesses and individuals who can probably ill afford to make the reparations Seb should be making himself.

I would be far more impressed if instead of taking himself off on all-expenses paid tour of mainland Britain, he had got himself a job and agreed to donate half of his take-home pay to the rescue services until the �20k had been repaid.

[jno]

this is true of any 'sponsored' charity effort, New Judge: rather than undertake sponsored activity we could all just resolve to skip the marathon-running and work hard to save up the money ourselves.

And yet the idea seems to appeal to people. One person does the hard work - necessary or not - and others provide money by way of reward, knowing that it will go somewhere worthy. It fosters a sense of community, which is the sort of thing that militates against crime (except for those like sp1214, who doubtless believe that if a baby throws its bottle out of the pram it is straight on a downward path to hell).

As for whether the businesses can afford it, aren't they the best judges of that?

[ivanerection]

GOOD on SEB
a sponsored walk round the coast of Britain for his foolhardness in his youth

would anyone like to Sponsor my charity walk round the Earth?

[ivanerection]

oooooops foolhardiness

[New Judge]

But this is not a �sponsored charity effort�, jno.

It is a specific task to raise a specific sum to repay a specific debt which was accumulated as a result of a criminal act.

If Seb feels the need to repay this debt (and all credit to him for doing so) he should make the payments himself.

As for sponsors deciding on the scheme�s affordability, it may well have been within their budget when they signed up (best part of a year ago). However, when they did so they did not probably envisage the type of inflation everybody is now suffering. They may find it a little harder now to either manage the payment or say no.

[Oneeyedvic]

But this is not a �sponsored charity effort�, jno.

It is a specific task to raise a specific sum to repay a specific debt which was accumulated as a result of a criminal act.

No it is not - it is a sponsored charity event. He has no duty to repay any amount of money to anyone. He estimates the amount it cost was �20,000.

There is also a slight difference between an all-expenses paid tour of mainland Britain and a 5000 mile walk over 10 months which is suitable for the DoE Award.

Good luck to him (and �20 donation has been given)

[DarkMajes71c]

Good on him. Why the media focuses more on the problem youths rather than cases like these where they have made amends is beyond me. I think the cynicism is unjustified in this case unless he had been done for fraud as well.

[Haggisdj]

Lol ivanerection - was it a hardness??

[Doc_Spock]

Sorry to put damper on things but he is having a good time at other peoples expense.

An extended paid for holiday seeing the entire coastline of Britain.

Nice work if you can get it.

Where does he stay at night, who is paying for his food etc.

Sorry to be cynical but he must be having a great time at no cost to himself.

[Oneeyedvic]

Doc_spock - well why don't you take 10 months out, walk 5000 miles with your dog for company and raise �20,000 for charity?

Since it is part of the DoE challenge, then his accommodation will probably be a tent.

Still fancy it?

[Doc_Spock]

If I was 18 again I would jump at the chance.

He is one very lucky person.