Harry Roberts

For older Town fans only of a certain age:

Harry Roberts, Britain's most dangerous man is to be released from jail shortly.  He was jailed for life in 1966 ( at least 30 years) for gunning down 3 policemen in cold blood.   He had no remorse then or since.  Even recently it was reported that he had been stalking (from jail) a relative of one of the dead policemen. The police are furious that he is being released and the Home Secretary said that the law will be changed to prevent this happening in future.  

What is this to do with Grimsby and football?  At many football grounds in the 1960s, including the Pontoon, there was a infamous chant  to rile the police of "Harry Roberts is our friend, is our friend, he kills coppers".

Sick but that what happened in society and at football at the time.   Generally we have moved on since then.   Some Leeds and Man United fans still need to.

He was convicted not long after the death penalty was abolished in the UK. One of the conditions raised about the abolition was that anyone sentenced to " life in prison" for these kinds of murder would serve a life sentence. This should still be the case and he consequently shouldn't be released. There are certain crimes for which life should mean life eg child murderers, police murderers, those who kill old/defenceless people and terrorists who kill.

Quoted from rancido

There are certain crimes for which life should mean life eg child murderers, police murderers .

What's the difference in someone killing a policeman to lets say a engineer, plumber, doctor or  politician?  Or are policeman's life valued more than everyone else's?

Quoted from 1739

What's the difference in someone killing a policeman to lets say a engineer, plumber, doctor or  politician?  Or are policeman's life valued more than everyone else's?

It's not a question of value , more of vulnerability or in the case of the police in the line of duty. Personally, I would sentence ALL murderers to life but I'm sure society wouldn't tolerate that. To have a structured society that is safe to live in then the intentional taking of a life should carry the severest sentence that can be administered. This should be the removal of the perpetrator from society for the rest of their natural life.

Quoted from rancido

It's not a question of value , more of vulnerability or in the case of the police in the line of duty.  .

Surely people in all aspects of whatever jobs they are in put there life at risks as well. I would say your life is more at risk with being in industry as it is with being a police officer. Lets be realistic, most police officers don't do there job for people but for the cash as do most people. They don't have to do that job or are not forced into taking that career path.

Quoted from 1739

Surely people in all aspects of whatever jobs they are in put there life at risks as well. I would say your life is more at risk with being in industry as it is with being a police officer. Lets be realistic, most police officers don't do there job for people but for the cash as do most people. They don't have to do that job or are not forced into taking that career path.

Regardless of the motives for being in the police the fact remains that they are trying to protect society and inevitably at times will have to put their lives on the line to protect us. It's possible that the two policewomen who were murdered in Manchester might have joined the police for various reasons but were still killed in the line of duty whilst investigating a " supposed break-in ".

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

What is this to do with Grimsby and football?  At many football grounds in the 1960s, including the Pontoon, there was a infamous chant  to rile the police of "Harry Roberts is our friend, is our friend, he kills coppers".  

Undoubtedly the most distasteful chant of the late 60s/early 70s 'Boot Boys' era, and there were plenty of other shockers then.

Quoted from rancido

He was convicted not long after the death penalty was abolished in the UK. One of the conditions raised about the abolition was that anyone sentenced to " life in prison" for these kinds of murder would serve a life sentence. This should still be the case and he consequently shouldn't be released. There are certain crimes for which life should mean life eg child murderers, police murderers, those who kill old/defenceless people and terrorists who kill.

More often than not we hear of sentences that when good behaviour is taken into consideration are considerably less, Oscar Pistorius is an example where a 5 year sentence is given but he could be out in 10 months. I know this is not the UK legal system but is an example.

In the case of Harry Roberts, it was refreshing to learn he was given a minimum of 30 years but has actually served 45 years.

Football thread?

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Total time served for the deaths of these innocent people: 0 years,

Appreciate the police have a difficult job to do and a vital one in society though at times like in any walk of life they will get things wrong. Personally wouldent like to do their job due to the stress they get from some quarters. Hence I once knew someone whos sister was in the police in London.Said she was a really nice women before joining but once joined changed due to the constant arguing she had with members of the public. Hence lets face it  they deal mainly with the unsavoury part of society and largely police will leave you alone if your a law abiding citizen.

Quoted from Rick12

Appreciate the police have a difficult job to do and a vital one in society though at times like in any walk of life they will get things wrong. Personally wouldent like to do their job due to the stress they get from some quarters. Hence I once knew someone whos sister was in the police in London.Said she was a really nice women before joining but once joined changed due to the constant arguing she had with members of the public. Hence lets face it  they deal mainly with the unsavoury part of society and largely police will leave you alone if your a law abiding citizen.

The police do themselves no favours whatsoever when they do get things wrong then try to cover it up or deflect the blame, only this week they have had to pay out £400,000 to a woman who had a relationship with a under cover cop, Was she a drug dealer? a terrorist? people trafficking? running a paedophile ring? NO she was campaigning against fox hunting , how much did this operation cost , is it what the civil police are for, who authorizes this?, this woman had a child and the cop just left and said nothing until it was uncovered nearly 20 years later , this is a moral disgrace, will anyone be even disciplined for this , of course not there are different rules for the police.

Quoted from codcheeky

The police do themselves no favours whatsoever when they do get things wrong then try to cover it up or deflect the blame, only this week they have had to pay out £400,000 to a woman who had a relationship with a under cover cop, Was she a drug dealer? a terrorist? people trafficking? running a paedophile ring? NO she was campaigning against fox hunting , how much did this operation cost , is it what the civil police are for, who authorizes this?, this woman had a child and the cop just left and said nothing until it was uncovered nearly 20 years later , this is a moral disgrace, will anyone be even disciplined for this , of course not there are different rules for the police.

Fair points.On the flip side though and I know its not often  families of police have it rough eg those lost in the line of duty not just here but abroad as well and probably more so in countries like Brazil,Africa.Like others have said they put themselves in the lives of possible danger of every day and I feel for the family of that policeman lost in the Broadwater farm riots in London in the 80s where no one has been brought to justice despite campaigns.Shows that in a ideal world justice should always be served though like you have pointed  out its not always the case as police have gotten away with things.

Quoted from Rick12

Fair points.On the flip side though and I know its not often  families of police have it rough eg those lost in the line of duty not just here but abroad as well and probably more so in countries like Brazil,Africa.Like others have said they put themselves in the lives of possible danger of every day and I feel for the family of that policeman lost in the Broadwater farm riots in London in the 80s where no one has been brought to justice despite campaigns.Shows that in a ideal world justice should always be served though like you have pointed  out its not always the case as police have gotten away with things.

I do not disagree with you on this, there are probably at least a 100 people who know who killed pc blakelock  and it is terrible no-one has been jailed for it.  What I am saying is that if the police want to be treated with special privilege they should stick absolutely to the law and admit straight away when they are wrong and discipline those responsibly in a proper manner, because they do not do this they lose a lot of respect.  The police are not trusted by large minorities in this country and this is not for no reason. If you are in the forces and you break the law or the rules you are dealt with very strictly and this should apply to the police as well..

With Harry Roberts , i have no time for him at all but will be seen as a sort of hero by some as alluded to in the football chants ( which also show the police were not at all popular with football fans back in the 60`s either)  I remember going to a boxing dinner at the winter gardens a few years back when Mad Frankie Fraser was wheeled out as some sort of celebrity, the man was apparently a psychopath but we were encouraged to see him as some sort of hero because east end gangsters were popular at the time and there was a strange myth they only hurt other gangsters

If life means life it should be the same for all murderers, everyones life is special to their friends and family and which is worse for the family a man serving 45 years for murder or no-one even disciplined for a man being killed by the police?