Coronavirus outbreak

[Pale Rider]

Two men have admitted stealing bikes belonging to hospital staff who had been caring for patients with coronavirus.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-52102791

Bad enough at anytime but now

At least the magistrates have done their bit by locking them up pending sentence.

In ordinary circumstances these two might not have gone to prison, but on this occasion we might see a judge flex his muscles - to the limited extent they are allowed to.

 

[tom73]

At least the magistrates have done their bit by locking them up pending sentence.

In ordinary circumstances these two might not have gone to prison, but on this occasion we might see a judge flex his muscles - to the limited extent they are allowed to.

True can't see them just walking away with the normal slap.
Given the current situation it won't just be the "harry grout's" they need to worry about.

 

[winjim]

People sometimes wonder why lawyers are regarded as low-life, then this berk comes along:


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-52101615

Lawyer explains the law.


View: https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1244955326551556096?s=19



View: https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1244976379877371906?s=19

 

[DaveReading]

People sometimes wonder why lawyers are regarded as low-life, then this berk comes along:

It's hardly the lawyer's fault that the advice coming from the government and the police on social distancing is inconsistent and at times contradictory.

In fact you could argue that in pointing it out he's just doing his job.

 

[winjim]

It's hardly the lawyer's fault that the advice coming from the government and the police on social distancing is inconsistent and at times contradictory.

In fact you could argue that in pointing it out he's just doing his job.

There's been plenty of talk on this very forum about what we're 'allowed' to do, mentions of 'compliance' etc.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Nope. He's looking for loopholes, publicising them and others will use them to endanger people's lives.

 

[Pale Rider]

I don't get it though - my GP told me that the guidance on self isolating isn't law (yet).

If that's the case How can fines be issued?

The fines are issued for being outside without a reasonable excuse, those roughly being getting food/medicine, going to work (if you have to), daily exercise, and some emergency situations.

I suppose the GP is correct in that you cannot be fined for 'failing to self isolate', although the police could get you for failing to disperse if you were outside with people not in your family unit.

 

[DaveReading]

Nope. He's looking for loopholes, publicising them and others will use them to endanger people's lives.

Ah, "loopholes" - the standard excuse of the sloppy law-maker.

 

[mjr]

News from Belgium: a 12 year old dies, youngest victim in Europe, chief medical officer barely holds it together when delivering the news (pictured); hospitals start redistributing patient to stave off saturation; Johnson and Johnson start testing three candidate vaccines on monkeys - maybe ready for general release early next year; tale of a recovered patient; website showing pharmacy stock gets wider use to avoid people visiting multiple branches needlessly; lockdown fixed penalty notices issued by councils are illegal, say the college of general procurers; one man in Brussels will be in court 10 April for breaking lockdown four times in quick succession; a minute's silence in Italy; cruise ship Zaandam in Panama (pictured) has four deaths and is heading for Miami port; stagiares, jobistes and volunteers now being used in Belgian hospitals; how to tackle sleep disruption during homeworking or furlough; ex players of RFC Liege auctioning off shirts to raise funds for crisis charities.

And a bonus image from BBC News this morning of two of Avon and Somerset's finest explaining to dog walkers that they should not be driving up Worlebury Hill (the hill on the north edge of Weston-super-Mare) to walk their dogs like usual - and rather letting the side down by not keeping 2m distance from each other.

 

[tom73]

Or the other option is detain you for testing and force you to quarantine up to 28 days.

 

[mjr]

I suppose the GP is correct in that you cannot be fined for 'failing to self isolate', although the police could get you for failing to disperse if you were outside with people not in your family unit.

Could there be some assault charge similar to the one threatened against the daffodils spitting at police?

 

[winjim]

Or the other option is detain you for testing and force you to quarantine up to 28 days.

I have to say that if the coppers did stop me, I would be asking them exactly which powers they were using. Having said that, I'm not going to be going out looking for loopholes and I'm not ovine enough to need the government and the law to regulate my general behaviour and define exactly what I should and should not be doing.

Keep taking the piss and the police will be given those extra powers.

 

[Pale Rider]

Nope. He's looking for loopholes, publicising them and others will use them to endanger people's lives.

Yes, the lawyer is correct there's nothing in the law about the number of times you can be out for exercise each day.

But it's not very helpful to point that out in the current climate.

The time to do that is when he is representing someone who has been wrongly nicked for taking multiple walks.

Publicity seeker.

I wouldn't want him representing me.

The best barristers go about their business quietly and efficiently.

 

[mjr]

Nope. He's looking for loopholes, publicising them and others will use them to endanger people's lives.

I'm pretty sure that the endangerers will find the loopholes anyway. Fair play to the lawyers for pointing out the terrible mess the government has made of the law. Even with the rush, it seems a bit of a shocker that no two countries in the union have exactly the same rule in law. Where does the buck stop for this? Is it still the responsibility of the Cabinet Office to coordinate the nations? Who's in charge there? Oh. Gove. Might have guessed he'd not have enough experts!

Here's a different lawyer explaining how not even England and Wales have the same rules on exercise, as well as the usual differences with Scotland, NI, IoM and the Channel Islands: https://barristerblogger.com/2020/03/30/those-british-isles-lockdown-questions-answered/

 

[Pale Rider]

Could there be some assault charge similar to the one threatened against the daffodils spitting at police?

There could if the coppers try to wind the punter up a bit, and he's stupid enough to fall for it.