A few days ago a British market trader was convicted of selling her goods in pounds and ounces rather than kilos
and grams. For this crime she received a £5000 fine and told her she would have a criminal record after being
found guilty of eight offences under the Weights and Measures Act (see here).
Phew. Thank goodness for that. We can all sleep soundly in our beds safe in the knowledge that we reside in a country where a market trader trying to make a living by selling carrots by the pound can receive a stiffer criminal penalty than a drunk driver or a burglar. I wonder if that's why the midwife who helped deliver my newborn son at the weekend gave us his weight in kilos and grams: maybe fearful that some bureaucrat would be listening in, shackles at the ready, dare she give us the imperial truth rather than the metric confusion. My son, by the way, named Andrew, was delivered a very healthy 8lbs 3ozs. See picture! Mother and son both doing well...
So, to the point of this blog being the justice about to be metted out to Gary McKinnon and his failure to prevent extradition. I previously declared a lack of sympathy but I've changed my mind. Enoughs enough. The energy and resources being put into dragging this hapless chap over to America for a pointless trial are ridiculous. There'll be plenty of people out there happy to justify the consequences and punishments for his actions that the American's seem so keen to dish out but I thought we stopped burning witches centuries ago and this is a witch hunt if ever I saw one. He did something wrong, he admitted it, he's been living in hell for the past few years as a consequence, he has no job, no money and an uncertain future. Personally I think that's more than enough persecution for now. Don't you?
Phew. Thank goodness for that. We can all sleep soundly in our beds safe in the knowledge that we reside in a country where a market trader trying to make a living by selling carrots by the pound can receive a stiffer criminal penalty than a drunk driver or a burglar. I wonder if that's why the midwife who helped deliver my newborn son at the weekend gave us his weight in kilos and grams: maybe fearful that some bureaucrat would be listening in, shackles at the ready, dare she give us the imperial truth rather than the metric confusion. My son, by the way, named Andrew, was delivered a very healthy 8lbs 3ozs. See picture! Mother and son both doing well...So, to the point of this blog being the justice about to be metted out to Gary McKinnon and his failure to prevent extradition. I previously declared a lack of sympathy but I've changed my mind. Enoughs enough. The energy and resources being put into dragging this hapless chap over to America for a pointless trial are ridiculous. There'll be plenty of people out there happy to justify the consequences and punishments for his actions that the American's seem so keen to dish out but I thought we stopped burning witches centuries ago and this is a witch hunt if ever I saw one. He did something wrong, he admitted it, he's been living in hell for the past few years as a consequence, he has no job, no money and an uncertain future. Personally I think that's more than enough persecution for now. Don't you?
Comments (3)
Gary is a British citizen who commited his crime on UK soil, so should have his case heard here! Also the extradition law is skewed so that US can pull any UK citizen out to the US without presenting evidence infront of a UK court, but strangely we cant pull any US citizen into the UK for a trial. Hang on, why is this. Why does US have strangle hold over the UK. This is 100% wrong!
Gary may have hacked a few PCs but the money the US govt claimed he cost them in damages is 100% made up figures so is a false claim and the case should not be heard on false claims.
He faces large jail time and will be used as an icon to warn off other potential hackers when his hack was actualy a very tame one as he got into sites without passwords! God help us if the US cannot protect its systems and they have to use basic risks like Gary to pretend they are doing their job. In short Gary is a scapegoat and the US will just make a mockery of justice with his trial... so why is the UK letting him go out there to be the next Kevin Mitnik, put in jail probably without even a trial!
As Doctor Harry Beckhouse, who was one of the enigma codecrackers who helped win the second world war told me , "We should be using people like Gary as they are a British asset". Seems like Britain is happy giving its assetts away to a tyranical idiot run Republic.
Posted by Matthew Williams | October 14, 2008 10:48 PM
Posted on October 14, 2008 22:48
Now the US wants London resident and United Synagogue member Farshid Gillardian for terrorism. Terrorism? He openly and legally sold some IT equipment to someone in Iran. It could be used as parts of a bomb. But would a Jew really sell bomb parts to his enemy? What he sold was no more bomb making material than the Ajax in every American bathroom.
The US lost its stupid case agains Ian Norris who committed legal acts on British soil as CEO of Morgan Crucible.
Who is next?
Posted by Kenyon | October 15, 2008 11:04 AM
Posted on October 15, 2008 11:04
Indeed enough is enough, but I believe that not with respect to abandoning extradition but finally enforcing it. It's long past the point where it's been about McKinnon, it's about the rule of law. Everything, except McKinnon's criminal behavior, has taken place in accordance with the laws of the UK and US. Let the justice system work. If you don't like the laws, contact your legislator. Stop whining.
Posted by Dave | October 17, 2008 12:58 PM
Posted on October 17, 2008 12:58