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Harry Roberts

Henry Irving
Henry Irving Posts: 85,290
in Not Sports Related
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29734816

to be released on parole aged 78
«1

Comments

  • iaitch
    iaitch Posts: 10,255
    Police are arguing that he should remain in prison till he dies because he killed policemen.

    Surely they should argue that all killers should stay in prison for life.
  • Riviera
    Riviera Posts: 8,167
    Very surprised at this.
  • stilladdicted
    stilladdicted Posts: 4,307
    These killings resulted in the Police Dependants Trust being set up and my dad collected local donations. Billy Butlin gave a substantial sum of money and people at the hospital where I was working were keen to donate. It was a crime that really shocked people. I think that being chucked out into the ordinary world after so many years inside will be pretty tough, so I feel neutral on this one.
  • Cardinal Sin
    Cardinal Sin Posts: 5,233
    48 years is a very long time in prison.
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,398
    Cardinal Sin said:

    48 years is a very long time in prison.

    They were only a couple of years away from getting their necks stretched. Shame.
  • stonewallpenalty
    stonewallpenalty Posts: 3,842
    edited October 2014
    Surprising.
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,206
    I suppose the Wall will be bringing out a new one-off commemorative kit? "Harry Roberts is our friend..." is one of theirs isn't it?

    image
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 57,896
    No problem with someone who has done his crime being released after 48 years. Do have a problem that at his parole 5 years ago he was seen to be unfit for release, with evidence giving of him hassling / threatening a women and other stuff.

    Seems strange what could change in the time since.
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,206
    Interesting that he is released on parole rather than "on compassionate grounds" like Ronnie Biggs. So I guess there are no failing health issues despite his age?
  • The_Organiser
    The_Organiser Posts: 3,999
    All being said a coppers life is no more or less important than joe blogs life, so don't agree with the reasonings behind the ob stance.

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  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,075
    Have Sheffield United offered him a contract yet ?
  • kentaddick
    kentaddick Posts: 18,729
    cafcfan said:

    I suppose the Wall will be bringing out a new one-off commemorative kit? "Harry Roberts is our friend..." is one of theirs isn't it?

    image

    my dad says he remembers either in the covered end or an away day when the OB were being particularly shirty, the charlton fans singing something similar at them. This must've been 70s or 80s though.
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,898
    The Organiser said:

    All being said a coppers life is no more or less important than joe blogs life, so don't agree with the reasonings behind the ob stance.

    No sure anyone is saying that a copper's life is more important than joe bloggs. However in my opinion their role of policing, by consent to protect us citizens, is - and killing a policemen as he or she is executing those duties does deserve to be treated differently. Harry Roberts should never be released.

    I remember the incident so well - I really must be getting old!
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,385
    He'll remain a 'burden on the state' after release just as much as he was in the nick. How will the dependants/descendants of the men he killed feel about this. Ian Brady is not getting out, why should Roberts ?.
    The man is obviously a nasty piece of work, perhaps a psychopath who got prison rather than Broadmoor all those years ago. For my part ?: keep him locked up until he dies.
  • rananegra
    rananegra Posts: 3,695
    The parole board have asked is he a threat and decided not. The police federation are doing a bit of special pleading here - there are plenty of examples of where the police are treated differently. Had Roberts killed a train driver or security guard he would have been out years ago. But equally, no copper has ever been convicted (and until the scumbag who killed the Millwall fan even charged) for the many hundreds of people who have died at the hands of the police since Roberts was jailed.

    Fairly certain that the chant has been used by loads of different clubs' fans, and indeed anyone else who has a reason to dislike the police. There's a novel called "He Kills Coppers" by Jake Arnott that fictionalises these events which I enjoyed reading. He places the Roberts character as being under PTSD from his service in Malaya and keeps him on the run for longer, while scoring points against the puerile "he kills coppers" chanting by people incapable of the same level of violence.
  • CostaFortune
    CostaFortune Posts: 404


    my dad says he remembers either in the covered end or an away day when the OB were being particularly shirty, the charlton fans singing something similar at them. This must've been 70s or 80s though.

    Quite a few club's fans used to sing it to the old bill to wind them up

    Harry Roberts is our friend, is our friend, is our friend
    Harry Roberts is our friend, he kills coppers

    ..... And we got a few lickings because of it
  • CostaFortune
    CostaFortune Posts: 404
    Bloody predictive text

    We got a few KICKINGS because of it
  • stilladdicted
    stilladdicted Posts: 4,307
    Perhaps he's ill in some way. Clearly it has been decided that he does not pose a threat so I suspect that there are health issues involved.
  • Brendan_O_Connell
    Brendan_O_Connell Posts: 8,938
    CostaFortune said:

    Bloody predictive text

    We got a few KICKINGS because of it

    Sorry, we have to take your first answer....
  • Uboat
    Uboat Posts: 12,205
    I wouldn't lick a German if he was glazed in honey.

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  • happyvalley
    happyvalley Posts: 8,996
    It is tragic that good/young people get terrible cancers, yet this piece of utter shit lives to a fair age.
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,658
    Big inconsistency in this man serving 48 years and yet other murderers might do eight. Age 78 I think he should be released.
  • ross1
    ross1 Posts: 51,034
    Why should any murderer, no matter who they killed, be released to live out their life, the people they killed did not have that option
  • Rob
    Rob Posts: 11,857
    This bloke is a naughty boy. 10/15 years earlier he would have been hung. Murdering 3 coppers in cold blood is bad. I'm not sure if he should be let out and I'm not sure how he could adjust anyway. What a way to lead your life though. It takes all sorts I suppose but he is a very naughty boy.
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,069
    3 years earlier, he would have hung.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,290
    Covered End said:

    3 years earlier, he would have hung.

    Hanged
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,069
    Boo.
  • MillwallFan
    MillwallFan Posts: 3,359
    Would say every club in the country has had fans who have sung it at some point cafcfan. But if it makes you feel better just say it was a Millwall song. NOLU WDC
  • Rob
    Rob Posts: 11,857
    Even soft ol' Charlton used to sing it
  • Riviera
    Riviera Posts: 8,167
    I really find it sad the attitude to the police these days. Not just on this thread but also what I've heard today on the wireless regarding this case.
    I've had some fairly innocuous run ins with the police over the years, innocuous because I not a hardened criminal but I have done a few silly things.
    Also when the victim of crime I have been totally underwhelmed by the police's attitude to my situation. I have found them disrespectful, arrogant and a complete bunch of pugs sometimes BUT they are the police and overall they are decent professional people laying their lives on the line everyday they go to work.
    Overall I have nothing but respect for them, face it; where would be without them? Therefore if you kill a copper, you should be put away for ever.

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