05 October 2008

Scum

Given that humanity is capable of plumbing the depths of depravity I wonder why I am surprised by this BBC report but it just goes to show that you don't have to go far to see what pieces of shit some of our fellow humans are.

Shaun Dykes, 17, from Kilburn, fell to his death from the top of the Westfield Centre multi-storey in Derby on 27 September, as onlookers shouted "jump". The Chief Constable of the Derbyshire constabulary Mick Creedon said "It disgusts me to think of their motivation and their lack of compassion. While we are very used to dealing with incidents like this, this was unusual with members of the public videoing, taking photographs and even shouting for Shaun to jump. All my experience and belief in the good in people tells me that the vast majority of the crowd who watched the events unfold were wishing for the best result, hoping that Shaun remained safe and well. However, all of us associated with the force see the actions of that small minority who were encouraging Shaun to take his own life as totally abhorrent. It disgusts me to think of their motivation and their lack of compassion towards a fellow human being obviously in distress."

Police had spent three hours trying to coax the teenager down. Some onlookers even used phones to film the event. Mr Creedon explained that there had not been enough police officers available to arrest those onlookers urging the teenager to jump.

"I know people are asking why these irresponsible idiots weren't arrested at the time, but I ask the public to understand that the few available officers at the scene were doing their best to manage a difficult situation.

A shame that there weren’t a few more officers available. A number of people deserved to find out in a particularly degrading manner that calling for a disturbed person to jump is not a joke. I hope they choke on their videos and their memories.

My thoughts are with Shaun's family. To lose their son at such a young age and in such a way is terrible.



20 comments:

Marites said...

What a shameful action to coax a kid to continue with his plan for suicide. And I am in agreement with you in hoping that they may choke on their videos, that is really disgusting. I hope karma won't catch up with them.

Dragonstar said...

Scum is the only word to use. Sometimes people disgust me.

jams o donnell said...

I would have used anopther word dragonstar but it would have been an insult to vaginas the world over. I hope nobody laughs at them when they are dying of cancer

Ms Smack said...

I read about this. How tragic...

James Higham said...

I was referring to bottom of the barrel people today too but in a different context. Yes - this was a bad one.

Crushed said...

That is pretty shocking, yes.

YOu wonder how they'd live with themselves afterwards.

Can they REALLY have meant it?

jams o donnell said...

It is Ms Smack and it is James. Perhaps a fai few thought it was some big joke Crushed. I wish it had not had the dreadful ending

Liz Hinds said...

Just horrendous.

jmb said...

What a horrible story. How do people become so insensitive?

jams o donnell said...

jmb Liz, it is. I know people are capable of far far worse... still it hit me perhaps because it was so close to home

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Unfortunately, you always find some vermin in a crowd that large. And yes, they could do with some up and close attention.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

It makes me really despair of people.

Nunyaa said...

I wonder how the parents of those children coaxing the young man feel about what their children have done. What a terrible indictment on todays society.

Nunyaa said...

Their punishment is that they will have to live with what they have done, hardly enough I know but long term it will haunt them, especially if they come to have children themselves.

jams o donnell said...

Sadly so Snoopy, My gut reaction (and it's a large gut sadly) is that the up close and personal attention involves a knee to the nuts!

I so despair too Welshcakes. I hope they do live with the sight of that lad dead in front of them. I hope it's never themselves or their children in the same situation.

Anonymous said...

"The Shaun Dykes incident is telling. The mantra that crime, violence and anti-social behaviour is due to social deprivation has been chanted for decades. Only now is one hearing it less. It is becoming just too embarrassing for its adherents to cleave to this obviously fraudulent line of argument. Since when does social deprivation lead naturally and inexorably to such unspeakable cruelty and sadism? To suggest this, is to be disgustingly insulting to those lower down the economic scale who have no problem remaining civilised. Was the crowd who gathered even 'socially deprived'?"

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2008/10/i-am-socially-d.html

jams o donnell said...

Not everything is a consequnece of social deprivation. scumbaggery transcends class and circumstance.

Ms Smack said...

I wonder if they feel guilty now...

jams o donnell said...

I bloody hope so ms smack

Anonymous said...

I very much doubt if the scum who encouraged Shaun to jump are bothered in any way by what they did and what this led to.
These people are the garbage who have become insensitized to suffering and misery and actually enjoy it.

I am sorry the police didn't move them away or put anything on the ground to protect Shaun if he jumped.

I didn't know you Shaun, but with
many others I am so sad about how you died and I am sorry that no
one noticed how bad things had
become for you.
You deserved MUCH better.

I can only hope you are happier where you are now.

David