OB1
Well-Known Member
I hope that other supporters have enough dignity not to resort to jibes about this but I'm not totally confident that we will never hear something.
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Club statement regarding Barry Bennell's conviction
- Thread starter petrusha
- Start date
I hope that other supporters have enough dignity not to resort to jibes about this but I'm not totally confident that we will never hear something.
OB1
Well-Known Member
Having watched that Dispatches documentary one thing (inter alia) that struck me was that in the 70’s, 80’s and even the early 90’s, how much more innocent our society was; Ken Barnes perhaps being the most extreme example of this. This was an environment that predators such as Bennell exploited and thrived in; so that loss of innocence could be viewed as a necessary evil, but it’s hard not to be sad about the prevailing atmosphere of suspicion and cynicism that overwhelms modern society. Inevitable perhaps, but sad nonetheless.
Child sex abuse is probably the most selfish of crimes and I’m certain Bennell’s sentence, quite rightly, will be over 20 years, if not life. He’s just as much a sociopath as Harold Shipman or Fred West were.
I’m equally sure the club will do the right thing.
I don't know what the sentencing guidelines are but I sincerely hope that the judge is allowed to give a life sentence and does just that. Life without parole is the only suitable sentence.
I hope that other supporters have enough dignity not to resort to jibes about this but I'm not totally confident that we will never hear something.
I think it's nailed on, starting Monday night, we'll just have to soak it up like Boro fans have had to do for years now.
I just hope the victims gain some closure when on Monday the scum gets banged up for good. Hope he rots in hell.
Looks like there could be well be more cases in the future involving other clubs. For example, just saw this article...... https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...e-ormond-charged-child-sexual-abuse-newcastle
Mad Eyed Screamer
Moderator
You mean like how City fans targeted Middlesbrough fans after the Cleveland sex abuse scandal years ago? If it happens it happens.I hope that other supporters have enough dignity not to resort to jibes about this but I'm not totally confident that we will never hear something.
Not so sure about this, Bennell is a mass rapist, just because he didn't need the thrill of the kill doesn't make him less of a sick bastard than the other 2 mentioned.
Totally different kinds of sick bastards.They sought to hide their crime and conceal the results of it because they knew the severity of the punishment. Society is pretty unambiguous about murder. Bennell almost flaunted his crimes and showed off his victims. The taking of life is, apparently, the pinnacle of sin but lots of people feel more revulsion for Bennell's type of crime. Maybe we can see ourselves murdering someone someday but not doing the other. He's clearly a rather clever and perhaps gifted individual. He probably found it easy to make dupes out of people he came into contact with in his work. A lot of people may well have liked him and his extrovert lifestyle. It's a great cover. The opposite of the common perception of a paedophile. In certain other epochs his activities might not have been considered wrong. However, if he'd killed one of the boys, he'd have been toast pretty quick. The problem of course is how we protect ourselves from weirdos like this without making life a bit less happy for everyone.
Dribble
Well-Known Member
As any parent will tell you, anything to do with kids is the worst, but that's not to say Munich wasn't an utter tragedy.You seem to indicate taking the piss out of abused kids is worse than taking the piss put of people killed in a plane crash. Or did I misinterpret?
I want to live a long, healthy & happy life, but I'd give ny life in a heartbeat for my children, which is why I find things to do with our young ones, so hard to bear.
Dribble
Well-Known Member
His connection to City is the secondary fact I was desperate to ascertain behind the damage he caused to his victims. We now know City used his club as a feeder club & he was probably paid a finders fee based on the results of him finding us a stream of potential first team players & that was the extent of our legal links with him.I didn't know and was not going to guess.
I am interested to know the facts regarding his "connection" to City.
However, it seems he was held in such high esteem at the club, that he was given free rein to come & go as he pleased & to use our club's stature to lure the best talent to us, ahead of ManUre, Liverpool, Everton, Leeds ect.
What is now clear to me is even though City only had an informal, mutually beneficial, business relationship with him, it seems there were clear concerns about him from early on, but some at our club seemingly thought the risk to our kids, outweighed the benefits of us finding the next superstar locally.
If they're still alive, we need to find those who turned a blind eye or actively covered up this abuse & ensure they are dealt with to the fullest extent by the authorities.
Dribble
Well-Known Member
The fact so many clubs are now being looked at, may be a major factor to how most fans react to this issue. Regardless, I just hope this heinous atrocity transcends all football rivalry... We can only live in hope..I hope that other supporters have enough dignity not to resort to jibes about this but I'm not totally confident that we will never hear something.
blueju
Well-Known Member
I can't see it, this is just the tip of the iceberg all around the countryI think it's nailed on, starting Monday night, we'll just have to soak it up like Boro fans have had to do for years now.