The photograph is one of a 19 year old ex-public schoolboy urinating on a wreath which had been placed on a war memorial. The drunk's name is Philip Laing and it is reported he's studying sports technology at university. He attended the £8,700 a year King's School in Macclesfield, Cheshire, which he left in the summer.
Barking Moonbat, an American who is presently living in England, has highlighted an article which compares Laing with a soldier called Edwin Levers who fell in WW1. The wreath the drunk destroyed was from Mr Lever's family.
We have a serious alcohol problem in Britain yet this drunk was part of a commercially organised drinking binge entitled Carnage UK. He was one of 2000 students on a seven-hour pub crawl through Sheffield while another similar event was taking place in Cardiff.
Before we even consider raising prices of alcohol, shouldn't these businesses which encourage thousands of youngsters to drink themselves into oblivion be banned? Can't universities be more creative in their attempts to entertain new students? It doesn't take much intelligence to organise a pub crawl and even less to find a company to do it for you.
Yesterday Lain answered the door of his mother's home and said : 'My lawyers have advised me not to talk about it until my hearing is over. I intend to plead guilty and issue a full public apology when the time is right.'
I would have preferred to hear him say that from a police cell rather than the comfort of his mother's home, wouldn't you? A night or two in the cells would possibly make this foolish kid start to take responsibility for his behaviour.
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35 comments:
Can we find out what university the idiot is from, and arrange an online blitz of that hallowed institution calling for internal disciplinary action?
There are plenty of students who get moderately or even blind drunk without urinating on war memorials. This is conduct beyond what is acceptable or even tolerable.
OHHH.Don't get me started on this one.I'm so fucking ANGRY I could be arrested for my thoughts.So safest thing is to keep them to myself.:(
This young man is in for a right beasting.
Sounds like he's trying to make amends and that he's suitably contrite.
What he did was terrible but calling for, effectively, his public flogging is ridiculous - and rather typical nowadays. This will be an unpopular view judging by some of the other, slightly hysterical comments here. Good.
You are right about student union entertainment however. It should have far less to do with drinking alcohol and much more to do with culture.
"Before we even consider raising prices of alcohol, shouldn't these businesses which encourage thousands of youngsters to drink themselves into oblivion be banned?"
Oh dear. Here we go again. NO, is the answer.
As you said yourself, there were 2000 in that event and more at a similar one in Cardiff. How many caused trouble? A very tiny minority, I suspect. But because one idiot does something monumentally (pun unintended) crass, stupid and insensitive, such events should be banned for everyone?
Sorry my fragrant caleonian friend, but that's nonsense. There are laws already in place to punish those who act anti-socially or criminally, whether sober or not. Simply enforce them.
'We' also shouldn't look at raising alcohol prices either. It won't do anything except collectively punish all of us for the actions of a minority who, again, should be dealt with firmly by the laws we already have in place.
Alcohol is currently more expensive here than in the rest of Europe, so further price rises are just an extension of an already failing policy. The solution lies elsewhere.
Well, having been there (but didn't do that) I would simply invoke the mighest words I can "forgive them father, they know not what they do" and neither did this young man.
Perhaps a session on the DVD with the "World at War" series followed by community service at the local disabled serviceman's home or chelsea barracks would ensure that he was never quite as daft again
Jess, hopefully someone will find out which uni he attends. I'm sure the Mail on Sunday could find one of his pals who would be happy to say for a few bob.
I'll certainly write to the uni.
Let's keep an eye on the Sundays, may be something there.
Hell Ansel, me too, indeed I took a few breaks when I wrote that because it sounded far too emotional at first attempt.
It's difficult being female and writing about such things, so much easier to be called hysterical you see. :)
Don't worry about speaking your mind, it's still a free country - well to a point.
Denverthen, who's calling for a public flogging? You could say this fool was just unfortunate because someone took his photo but that's not the point.
The point is what I say to Wardog. This problem is vast these days. I agree there have always been youngsters who have acted daft but the amount of them has increased so dramatically over the past 25 years or so.
I still say if these youngsters were put in the cells for 24 hours to sober up, that would be the best punishment.
Yoohoo Dick, I thought you may have something to say about this. :)
The solution lies elsewhere right enough but our politicians think pumping money into schools for teachers to 'educate' youngsters in the dangers of alcohol is the way to go.
Dick, I've heard of youngsters having a hellish time on these mass organised pub crawls. For some it's the first time they've left home and they go along with the flow only to end up with injuries (some of them serious) because they can't handle drink.
As you know I certainly wouldn't decry anyone for having a drink but the young can't seem to enjoy life without getting out of their minds regularly.
Perhaps I was fortunate. I bought a car when I was 18 and therefore never had money for alcohol plus I tended to be the chauffeuse for my pals (as you can imagine).
That's not to say I have never driven when over the limit when younger, but I was fortunate and always managed home in one piece and without incident.
What are we to do? Part of the problem is financial. Students in my day didn't have the money for getting drunk every weekend nor did the average youngster who worked. But that's not the real problem because young folk in Europe have the same advantages today as those in UK, but they don't have the same degree of drunkenness.
I do wish the police would act more and stop pushing drunks onto the NHS A & Es.Adverts in the newspapers saying 'If you get drunk you'll sober up in a cell and not in a hospital bed' might help.
For you of course that would be too radical. ;)
Dram, I'm not trying to be a killjoy at all here and I'm sure this bloke won't be the last to behave like this, but something has to be done about this drunken culture.
It's not even safe at night to walk through the streets of my wee town, on a Friday or Saturday night, without groups of drugged up, drunken yobs shouting abuse.I know some of these youngsters and they come from considerably 'comfortable' homes.
SR - Oh I agree. Have the same problem here - yobs of both sexes pissing in the street and hedges, howling at the moon, damaging property (incl £800 damage to my car)and doing it at all hours from dusk until dawn.
I've posted on this subject before and what the police response is likely to be. Now while the SNP have at least had the courage to take the drink industry on, we've still a long way to go regarding dealing with this drunk / violence business from a legal perspective.
I've a few thoughts on it but since they range from the left of Joe Stalin, to the right of Adolf Hitler and a number of points in between......I'll leave it till I'm sober.
"Adverts in the newspapers saying 'If you get drunk you'll sober up in a cell and not in a hospital bed' might help.
For you of course that would be too radical. ;)"
Not at all. That's exactly what I want to see.
It's how it used to be. I'm afraid that there isn't any way of beating a centuries old culture of drinking, into submission. It's akin to trying to ban prostitution or drug-taking. Nothing along those puritan lines will work. All the idiots in charge at the moment are trying to do is penalise everyone in a vain attempt to reach an unattainable target. (Plus, I doubt their altruism in doing so, to be honest)
It only works if people DO end up in a drunk tank for being objectionable, of course, which needs sorting. And by objectionable, that has to comprise being a danger to oneself or others, not just zig-zagging down the pavement harming no-one.
Government should advise with ads and ... that's it. Give the police some of the 50% taxes they impose on us to tackle the excesses, or have a levy on binge hotspot venues if you like, just leave the harmless majority out if it entirely, like the SNP in Scotland, for example, seem to think is a very strange concept.
In a 'free' country, the innocent should never have to suffer a single penny in extra cost, or a single option for their enjoyment. A house of painful unintended consequences lie in wait if we ignore such things.
Right, I'm off to watch a Sky+'d film about Scots nicking a stone from under Westminster Abbey's Coronation chair ... you thieving gits. ;-)
Before we all get carried away slagging this prat off, bear in mind that it is really a back door attack on booze Britain in support of the control freak fools who wish to see alcohol go the same way as tobacco.
" ooooh, look, that's what alcohol causes,mmm, that nice man wants to control alcohol,mmm yeas that sounds good, stop silly boys like that pissing on Memorials that will ".
Sheffield Hallam 'university' btw.
Jeez Dick, you ok? I'm surprised you agree.
You know I agree with your comments about punishing the many to attempt to reach the few and you also know I've yet to see evidence that price increasing makes any difference.
Surely you could find something more interesting to do on a Saturday evening that watch a film about a bit of stone? The bittie nicked from Westminster Abbey wasn't the original, you know that don't you?
Enjoy. ;)
Killie, his excuse will be he was too drunk to remember. He wasn't too drunk to aim straight onto a war memorial wreath though was he? That's the insult.
A night or two in a cell without a phone call, no shoes or belts etc could well be the answer banned.
Instead of shipping them off to warm and comfy A & E's where they take up space needed by those who are really in need of immediate medical care.
Like you Dram I've changed opinion several times in the past couple of months, but Dick (Puddlecote) has kept up a good argument and I'm certainly more informed.
Perhaps I'll post on this in a few days. It needs a wider debate - especially the price increase business. Where's the evidence? I've seen none.
Like others, it has taken me a little time to calm, and put together this post. Such mindless actions to not sit well with my generation.
Alcohol, its uses and abuses have been with us since man first discovered alcohol. How we deal with the consequences of its misuse has varied from generation to generation. For too long, I would argue, we as a society have been far too lenient on those who abuse it, especially our youth, passing off their drunken anti-social behaviour as mere ‘youthful exuberance’. As in this case.
Where have been his privileged educational values of social responsibility, and a simple regard for the sensitivities of others?
Where has been his parental influence in establishing a basic sense of self-respect, and a simple understanding of what is right and what is wrong?
At some stage society has to say – Enough! Such behaviour, cannot and will not be tolerated a moment longer.
Perhaps, in the long term, this may be an argument for the re-establishment of nation service, or something similar.
However, in the short term, Philip Laing, must bear the publics total disapprobation. A statement of apology issued through the office of his college will not suffice, neither should we be waiting for him to issue an apology “when the time is right”.
That time is now!
I wonder where this young man will be on Remembrance Sunday?
Evening John. You will gather the main point of the post was to show drunken, mindless behaviour from the young isn't just part of the 'council estate' culture, it crosses all sections of society.
As you say, what good has his private education done him other than keep him out of his parents' hair?
Possibly lying in bed like all students of his age - unless he's joined his university's Officers Training Corps but I very much doubt that. They wouldn't have him.
Yes, well, the qualifier "effectively", which you ignored, makes all the difference doesn't it? Metaphors and all that.
Agree with the the night in the cells idea. And a stern rebuke from a copper and so forth. But physical punishment is what was suggested by someone (a "beasting" is a very serious, though uncommon, physical punishment in the army and Royal Marines) - and you seem to support it, bafflingly. Should national service should be brought back, too?
That's not really the point, though. This silly lad's actions, while horrible, were hardly on the same scale as the kind of drink-related violence and other serious crime you seem to have equated it with. I think that's wrong and I think the kind of publicity you're giving it, given the young man's reaction, is also wrong. But hey ho.
One thing is certain, if the old drunk tank idea comes back, we're going to need a lot of cells!
It is, however, a far less authoritarian solution than cranking up drink prices and/or revoking the licences of pubs and bars that serve drunks alcohol. This is already illegal anyway so, as always, it's a question of enforcement of the law and not the law itself.
I have no idea about Scotland, but I think we have enough laws and we pay enough taxes in Wales already.
Rosa
The link below gives my reaction to this turd when I first saw him on television.
He is attending Sheffield's Hallam University
Regards
TBD
http://bigdollop.blogspot.com/2009/10/philip-laing-worthless-piece-of-human.html
My understanding of a beasting was a good talking to from your peers, so I apologise if I've interpreted it wrongly.
Denver, I don't profess to be an essayist - I write my blog during short breaks in my daily life.
Of course national service shouldn't be brought back. The army isn't as it used to be - full of souls who were lost of could find no other work. Today's army has more graduates in it than any other organisation in the UK and they're all working flat out. They wouldn't have time to train thousands, not while they are fighting wars.
I have always said though that young people should give some time, 6 months or a year, towards some sort of community service. We are, I think, one of the few European countries which doesn't make this mandatory. Instead we allow our youngsters to have what is called a 'year out' - something which most feel is their entitlement.
I don't think I'm giving this young man any 'kind of publicity'. He chose to behave like this and the matter was in the public domain long before I posted on it.
I reiterate denver, the main point of the post was to say this behaviour crosses all classes. Far too often it's the poorer in society who are labelled drunks and louts.
Don't forget denver, sorry is such an easy word. You seem to accept it, I don't - not until I see some apology to the family whose memory he defaced.
Banning is something I prefer to use as a last resort.
A first resort could be a new law - "defacing war memorials"
and
"actions likely to insight hatred against the armed services"
I would love to see a few Muslims banged up for jeering at our soldiers with that last one.
Hi BD, thanks for the link. I've not been reading my usual blogs this week as you may know, so I missed your post.
If this lad is to be made an example at his university then so be it. It may well just show his peers that there are punishments for such behaviour.
I'd like to see your idea extended to '... and graveyards' WW. So many graveyards these days are wrecked by daft youngsters who have no idea whatsoever how much pain and grief they cause the families.
"If this lad is to be made an example at his university then so be it. "
That would be unfair to the idiot, the only reason that he would come to the Universitys attention was that he was caught on camera. Personally I think the adverse publicity and humiliation have been punishment enough ( though an apology to the relatives would help ).
I admit I possibly over reacted there banned but somehow this lad's not got to just get a slap on the wrist.
The family involved are really important and he ought to be made to face them, not just word a mindless apology.
Dick Puddlecote
One of the perpetrators, at least one, is still alive, kicking and blogging; Ian Hamiltn QC
http://www.ianhamiltonqc.com/blog/
I can recommend his blogs and feel very sure you will too.
He's pleading guilty and offering a full apology. Being pilloried over the internet is punishment enough.
I do hope it is Jack and his behaviour doesn't make him a hero with his peers.
He's not offering anything as yet he says, because his lawyers have told him to keep quiet.
Let's wait and see what he says and whether he has the courage to face the family involved.
Billygoat, why didn't I think to recommend Ian Hamilton to Dick?
The best lawyer's blog around it is, you're right.
Has anyone considered that this young lad is the inevitable product of our continued capitulation to political correctness, dumbed down expectations, no lessons ever being learned - despite political platitudes etc. which strikes across all sections of society?
Picking on his school background is a divertion. Passing the blame to his university comes too long after the stable door has been slammed shut by decades of our lax attitude to yoof 'culture'.
"We have met enemy - and he is us"?
The school (in the late middle of the last century) that I attended had a seriously strict code of behaviour during and outwith school hours. This was backed by my parents whose attitude to behaviour, work and respect echoed that of the majority of my friends families. There was little question that up to twenty or thirty(?) years ago the respect that was automatically associated with family, school and other institutions that established leadership and professional example was aspired to by many youngsters. Now we have a student-lead ('little darling')ideology pervading society which demotes experience, wisdom and authority (and the fear/repsect of it) to some secondary role in the home, in school and at many universities.
I remember Student Rag Weeks that were great fun and collected huge amounts for charity.
Perhaps if we made an example of all the oiks - from whatever origin - who indulge in thoughtless behaviour as full-frontal as the above appalling action demonstrates (as long as we, of course, don't jeopardise their Human Rights??) by actually implementing the law as it stands it might eventually filter back to our currently submerged societal consciousness that self-respect must start within a robust family ethos.
Strangely - my word ver. is 'AMEN'!
Thanks for the link, Billy Goat. Very interesting that he is still passionately active.
It was a good film too. :-)
Yes Clarinda, I wrote the post knowing that my readers would possibly think in that manner too.
His schooling was a diversion but it was also to remind us that it's not only the less well educated who abuse alcohol. So many TV shots show hoodies on park benches with bottles of cheap cider.
Now there's a thought. Do all universities still have a Rag Week? I wonder how much Sheffield raised.
It will take a few generations before any real form of family can be restored I think. The importance of family was washed out of our society at least two generations ago by various means.
Very apt WV indeed - on a Sunday too!
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