Court case involving Albion players - the (new) only thread allowed - ALL found NOT GUILTY

[Doc Lynam]

Will The Argus use a similar front page to announce the not guilty verdict?

 

[Pavilionaire]

The prosecution said the players were celebrating victory in a local cup in July 2011, when they came across the drunken woman at a club.

Unfortunate turn of phrase there.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Unfortunate turn of phrase there.

 

[les dynam]

The fact that it's taken two trials to reach a verdict suggests to me that it was entirely reasonable to take this to court.

Not really, because there didn't seem any possibility of the jury reaching a majority guilty verdict. Not from the bits and bobs i read about it anyway.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I've reported it so it's probably worth editing your quote.

Lush has edited her quote , are you going to edit your quote now ?

 

[tinycowboy]

No real winners here, but we all move on...

 

[leigull]

Not really, because there didn't seem any possibility of the jury reaching a majority guilty verdict. Not from the bits and bobs i read about it anyway.

And therein lies the issue

 

[Sheebo]

I assume all the Palarse fans calling 'us' 'rapists' etc will be apologising?

Can't believe this ever went to a retrial.

 

[nwgull]

Not really, because there didn't seem any possibility of the jury reaching a majority guilty verdict. Not from the bits and bobs i read about it anyway.

This. And from following both trials it seems that there was no evidence apart from one photo with Barker giving a thumbs up and the unreliable account of a woman who claimed she wasn't drunk but couldn't remember anything. Was surprised that they couldn't reach a not guilty verdict the first time.

 

[Birdie Boy]

You might wish to retract that comment. He was found guilt of smashing a girl's phone. That's it.

I have not said he was guilty of anything, he was involved directly and indirectly in 3 criminal offences, this is undeniable.

Fact: He wound her up about her photographs being shown around the club and kidded her that a video would be put on YouTube.
Fact: He was involved in an affray, he may or may not have been guilty, we will now never know.
Fact: He smashed a girl's phone and threw it down a drain. It now turns out that girl was the same girl involved in Fact 1.

All of these facts have been said in various forms of media. All I am saying is, is he a good role model for the younger players? Players that are constantly bringing the spot light onto the club for bad reasons is not a good thing. Is his football really worth the hassle?

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Fully expecting this to get deleted, however...

If this woman has told "a pack of lies" as has been proven by jury in a court of law, then she should face the consequences. There's something very different between regretting what she has done, and going to the police for rape. She should be charged for wasting police time, court time, lying in court, whatever else they can throw at her.

Obviously the players are by no means angels, what they did was stupid to say the least, but they're young, I wonder how many times this sort of thing has happened at different clubs and gone unreported. Certainly when I used to be in Brighton there were young women in short skirts practically throwing themselves at the players in clubs / bars.

As well, doesn't this just highlight the fact that people charged with rape should remain anonymous until proven guilty of these horrendous crimes? So much for innocent until proven guilty...

 

[Everest]

I have not said he was guilty of anything, he was involved directly and indirectly in 3 criminal offences, this is undeniable.

Fact: He wound her up about her photographs being shown around the club and kidded her that a video would be put on YouTube.
Fact: He was involved in an affray, he may or may not have been guilty, we will now never know.
Fact: He smashed a girl's phone and threw it down a drain. It now turns out that girl was the same girl involved in Fact 1.

All of these facts have been said in various forms of media. All I am saying is, is he a good role model for the younger players? Players that are constantly bringing the spot light onto the club for bad reasons is not a good thing. Is his football really worth the hassle?

ALLEDGED criminal offences.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I don't think there is any good news to come out of this for anyone.

 

[HitchinSeagull]

I haven't commented yet because I wanted to see what the verdict would be first, however I work with sexual offences in my job and from my experience I was extremely surprised this got to court at all, it seemed like an extremely unreliable witness who changed her evidence, it seems the CPS are much more willing to prosecute high profile suspects and does make me wonder about the whole anonymity of suspects argument.

 

[Rookie]

Fact: He was involved in an affray, he may or may not have been guilty, we will now never know.

Because the case has been dropped therefore he doesn't have to answer anything and is innocent.

Is the first one of your 'Facts' a crime?

The only one he had to answer he was found guilty of, nothing more nothing less

 

[Goldstone1976]

I haven't commented yet because I wanted to see what the verdict would be first, however I work with sexual offences in my job and from my experience I was extremely surprised this got to court at all, it seemed like an extremely unreliable witness who changed her evidence, it seems the CPS are much more willing to prosecute high profile suspects and does make me wonder about the whole anonymity of suspects argument.

One does wonder this. It's interesting that you, who say you work in the field, support this hypothesis. Poor show by the CPS if true.

 

[fosters headband]

I suppose it's too much to hope that we could get a hatrick of good news today in time for the Bank Holiday weekend ?

1. Players found not guilty
2. The thing with Gus resolved
3. Fantastic new manager appointed

I am being greedy and like a fourth. The sample left in the Palace dressing room, proved not to be from a Brighton player or staff member .

 

[nwgull]

Fully expecting this to get deleted, however...

If this woman has told "a pack of lies" as has been proven by jury in a court of law, then she should face the consequences. There's something very different between regretting what she has done, and going to the police for rape. She should be charged for wasting police time, court time, lying in court, whatever else they can throw at her.

Obviously the players are by no means angels, what they did was stupid to say the least, but they're young, I wonder how many times this sort of thing has happened at different clubs and gone unreported. Certainly when I used to be in Brighton there were young women in short skirts practically throwing themselves at the players in clubs / bars.

As well, doesn't this just highlight the fact that people charged with rape should remain anonymous until proven guilty of these horrendous crimes? So much for innocent until proven guilty...

The players have been found not guilty. This does not necessarily mean that she lied; it just means that the jury did not consider it to be beyond reasonable doubt.

I do however agree with the sentiment, and there have been cases where women have been proven to have made false rape allegations just because they regretted their decision to sleep with someone the morning after.

 

[dougdeep]

The fact that it's taken two trials to reach a verdict suggests to me that it was entirely reasonable to take this to court.

I'd have said that the standard of juries is so poor lately that it's a wonder anyone gets convicted of anything.

 

[brightn'ove]

Unfortunate turn of phrase there.