Crucifixion too good for him?

Stratavarious · September 2023

My daughter was very upset by it, it was an early memory for her toddling along to it.

Strange act of vandalism. Unfathomable… quite an effort for a single 16yr old too. Would have taken serious skills and equipment in the dark on a stormy night.

My first thought was local farmer/landowner but the local reaction to that would have been massive.

victorludorum · September 2023

Are there any of those 'travelling' fellows living round there?

fretmeister · September 2023

Ha ha hahahah

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/work/teenage-lumberjack-would-rather-not-talk-about-how-his-first-day-went-20230929240704

lustycourtier · September 2023

victorludorum said:

Are there any of those 'travelling' fellows living round there?

um....seriously?

fretmeister · September 2023

digitalscream said:

fretmeister said:

axisus said:

An utter sh*t. I hope he pays for that for the rest of his life. If they are merely charging him for an act of vandalism then that is not enough. I feel enraged over this.

Perhaps you can quote the additional laws you'd like to use in charging him?

At the same time pen an essay on the dangers of making law to target a single person, retrospectively.

With that said...I'm pretty sure the sentencing guidelines for criminal damage at Heritage sites made more severe a few years back?

Pretty sure it won't just be a vanilla vandalism charge...

The guidelines did get updated. But that's going to be mitigated somewhat by the fact that he's not an adult. If he's convicted.

It's definitely weird though. I think there's a fair bit more of this story to come.

TeleMaster · September 2023

EricTheWeary said:

That's quite a bit of effort as vandalism goes.

Meanwhile they have arrested someone for arson of The Crooked House so Dudley magistrates will be checking the statutes to see if they can order capital punishment.

[the arson has been huge news locally, I can only assume it has made the national and international press]

All of this stuff is an awful destruction of our history but to suggest that the death penalty could be on the cards for the cutting down of a tree or the burning down of an empty building would be an insane over reaction. We don't even consider it for the most heinous of crimes towards people, but a building? Nah, it won't happen.

EricTheWeary · September 2023

victorludorum said:

Are there any of those 'travelling' fellows living round there?

I know it will probably go nowhere but FWIW I've flagged this as a racist comment.

Shrews · September 2023

I blame Suella Braverman. Typical Tory distraction technique.

Stratavarious · September 2023

TeleMaster said:

EricTheWeary said:

That's quite a bit of effort as vandalism goes.

Meanwhile they have arrested someone for arson of The Crooked House so Dudley magistrates will be checking the statutes to see if they can order capital punishment.

[the arson has been huge news locally, I can only assume it has made the national and international press]

All of this stuff is an awful destruction of our history but to suggest that the death penalty could be on the cards for the cutting down of a tree or the burning down of an empty building would be an insane over reaction. We don't even consider it for the most heinous of crimes towards people, but a building? Nah, it won't happen.

Damn it.. I really wanted the lad nailed up to die slowly over days while descending into a final madness from dehydration.

oh well….

hollywoodrox · September 2023

It’s very sad ,very sad indeed especially given it’s unique landmark status , but after all , we are facing a nuclear threat, kids going without breakfast , years of austerity at the hands of self serving toff’s , a public health service that’s been privatised in all but name . I find it hard to get all riled up about a tree being chopped down to be honest , it’s just very sad . A lot of landmark trees have been lost either because they’re dangerous or blown down in storms we eventually learn to live without them

thebreeze · September 2023

It’s a terrible thing to see but it’s the usual Daily Mail/media thing of whipping everyone up into a frenzy of outrage and bile so that all the woes of the world can be projected onto one pathetic individual. So many 300 year old trees are being cut down across the country and indeed the world on a daily basis. The wood near me has been decimated over the last 10 years, all perfectly legally. I pass a massive sawmill everyday on the bike and it’s such a sad monument to destruction. You can sense the sadness and pain seeping out of the piles of timber which line up into the distance. The natural world needs much more protection but the media can’t get so worked up about that for some reason.

TeleMaster · September 2023

hollywoodrox said:

It’s very sad ,very sad indeed especially given it’s unique landmark status , but after all , we are facing a nuclear threat, kids going without breakfast , years of austerity at the hands of self serving toff’s , a public health service that’s been privatised in all but name . I find it hard to get all riled up about a tree being chopped down to be honest , it’s just very sad . A lot of landmark trees have been lost either because they’re dangerous or blown down in storms we eventually learn to live without them

I have to say that I do ultimately agree. People get more riled up over a tree and 20mph speed limits than the fact we have the worst living standards in decades and the highest level of corruption in politics for generations. In fact people will still vote for these people. This isn't to say that I don't understand peoples anger, and destruction can be a violent act which makes it much more visceral, and avoidable but some of the comments on Facebook calling for the kids head are insane. People need to get some perspective.

Shrews · September 2023

I can't see it being a local farmer with a gripe. Walkers along the wall bring a lot to the local economy and don't really go to see 'the tree' anyway. It's just something to see and take a picture of whilst walking the wall. Right now however, 'the stump' will likely become a tourist hotspot.

I think the lad has boasted about his chainsaw skills and someone has bet him to cut down the tree in the middle of a storm for him to 'put up or shut up'. He may well be an easily led, vulnerable type but has decent skills even at a young age. He's proved himself to his doubters, probably really chuffed with himself, but didn't understand that it was something really stupid. He will be local, well known and that's why they've arrested him quickly. Perhaps reported by someone who overheard the bet taking place.

Stratavarious · September 2023

TBH, many of the better news sources have highlighted how it represents the wider lack of respect for the environment and threats to forest and habitats generally. It’s symbolic.

As individually destructive as it is, it does also represent bigger issues in society to many.

I’d also agree that at 16, he’s either a very naive and easily led kid or got some major home struggles.

sev112 · September 2023

If it's only a tree then I suppose people don't mind if a tiny bit of a tree is stolen, like your guitars ? Those must be totally trivial crimes

I am really saddened by this

fretmeister · September 2023

sev112 said:

If it's only a tree then I suppose people don't mind if a tiny bit of a tree is stolen, like your guitars ? Those must be totally trivial crimes

I am really saddened by this

Image: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgflip.com%2F1eeklx.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=295f8a547f7525c26955477c680e501bd2407c38c7e127564bcf3d7cc1e51d60&ipo=images

Kilgore · September 2023

axisus said:

An utter sh*t. I hope he pays for that for the rest of his life. If they are merely charging him for an act of vandalism then that is not enough. I feel enraged over this.

Leaf it, leaf it! He's knot worth it.

Paul_C · September 2023

1. It's just a tree.

2. People in the north shouldn't have nice things.

3. Google Maps shows the location has been renamed Sycamore Stump.

4. Maybe they'll knock down that rusty birdman thing next.

Shrews · September 2023

Just thinking further about who this kid might be, and perhaps we just need to hold fire a little before we crucify him.

By all means, string him up if he's just a cocky little cunt. But this kid could have all manner of issues.

Just looking at another news item today about the acceptance of Russian para-Olympians at the next games. I wonder if they will be booed as their able-bodied countryfolk are?

Maybe we are quick to boo (or crucify) but will feel uncomfortable in hindsight about doing so.

digitalscream · September 2023

Shrews said:

Maybe we are quick to boo (or crucify) but will feel uncomfortable in hindsight about doing so.

Not if somebody else does it. Then we'll just tut at them with hindsight.

axisus · September 2023

I hear that there is unrest in the forest, trouble with the trees, the maples want more sunlight and the oaks ignore their pleas. Sycamore are just collateral damage.

Also the Ents are rather riled. I fear they could be on the warpath.

Kilgore · September 2023

Community Service.

Put him to work knocking down that knackered old wall.

skullfunkerry · September 2023

There should be a media blackout of his name, so other than "16 year old boy", no-one knows who he is; thereby dooming him to a lifetime of people not believing him when he says he was the one who cut it down.

Chalky · September 2023

Biggest disappointment for me on this topic is that @Emp_Fab didn't start this thread...

fretmeister · September 2023

Chalky said:

Biggest disappointment for me on this topic is that @Emp_Fab didn't start this thread...

Give him time.

It will be a "What chainsaw..." thread.

hollywoodrox · September 2023

sev112 said:

If it's only a tree then I suppose people don't mind if a tiny bit of a tree is stolen, like your guitars ? Those must be totally trivial crimes

I am really saddened by this

I was being objective as should those who sentence him

Im willing to bet that HS2 that no one really wanted may have decimated one or two Copses & Spinneys or other significant environmental rarities & long standing landmarks ,for a train line that was not absolutely necessary . Somehow the perpetrators behind this will escape any personal vilification & sit comfortably clinking their brandy snifters while summoning the steward at their London club to s up off the end of their Cuban cigar

hollywoodrox · September 2023

Paul_C said:

1. It's just a tree.

2. People in the north shouldn't have nice things.

3. Google Maps shows the location has been renamed Sycamore Stump.

4. Maybe they'll knock down that rusty birdman thing next.

I can thoroughly see how people would be upset , it really is a bloody waste but it’s done now,
vilifying the poor young dimwit who did it won’t bring it back though I guess . Perhaps he will learn from this and go on to serve a valuable role in society . If he has done it he obviously has skills perhaps he could serve a community service type thing where he can put those skills to use with a view to future employment in the forestry service and he could be made to give talks to schools about how stupid it was and encourage youngsters to help with the environment .

but then again I’m starting to talk like some middle class yoghurt knitting do gooder who suggests rewarding people for doing bad but sometimes it just , may e once or twice does work or have a positive outcome.

DefaultM · September 2023

Plant a few new trees to account for it, that will make it ok.

Sporky · September 2023

Make him eat a sycamore seed so that a new tree sprouts from his belly and kills him.

Well, that's what they said about eating apple pips when I was a nipper.

Sassafras · September 2023

Meanwhile, huge swathes of rain forests and jungles are being decimated.
As long as we have plenty of palm oil and burgers, that's OK.

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Crucifixion too good for him?

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