Irrelevant testimony
Posted in Blog by Twenty Major on July 15th, 2008
I heard something on the radio last week about politicians and councillors and such getting involved, on a regular basis, with court cases. They write letters providing character references for people they barely know, if at all, to curry political favour.
It’s a fairly shameless activity but one which doesn’t raise too many eyebrows simply because it’s politicians who are doing it. Don’t mind kissing babies, they’d fuck babies if they thought if would get them some more votes.
What’s interesting is that people provide testimony for others accused of serious wrongdoings. Yesterday a writer called Desmond Hogan admitted to the aggravated sexual assualt of a 15 year old boy. To quote the Irish Times:
Sgt McCarthy said Desmond Hogan retreated to the bedroom and placed the boy on the bed face downwards and sexually abused him. The assault continued in the bedroom for some time, the sergeant said.
Not much left to the imagination there, is there? So Hogan admitted to this yet his publishers, Lilliput Press, represented by a man called Anthony Farrell, said that he was a man of ‘utmost probity’.
Do you see much decency or morality in what he did or what he was accused of doing? Why would a man make himself look so foolish by standing up in court and testifying to another man’s character when it is completely at odds with the evidence and the facts.
Farrell said Hogan was a writer with an international reputation. What does that have to do with him sexually assaulting a teenager? What is the relevance? Should we think ‘Oh, he’s a man of international reputation. He couldn’t be bad. Famous people don’t do that kind thing’?
Then there was testimony from fellow writer Colm Tóibín who said Hogan was a writer of ‘of immense power and importance who dealt with human isolation’.
So fucking what? I couldn’t give a shit what kind of a writer he is because it has absolutely no bearing on anything.
‘Your honour, I would like to testify that the accused is actually a wonderful artist and has painted some quite haunting pictures, which demonstrate an artisitic talent that is both mature and unique’.
‘That’s all well and good, but Mr Hitler killed 6 million Jews’
To me it just looks like pure obfuscation, trying to deflect the court away from the real issue. Perhaps Desmond Hogan is a writer of international repute, perhaps he does write with immense power, but those facts, such as they are, are completely inconsequential. The real issue is the sexual abuse of a young man.
I understand sticking up for your mates, we all do it, but sometimes you have to admit that your mate is a bit of a prick and he has to take his medicine without your help.
Johnny 5 can be a bit of a prick. There I said it.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Especially on his birthday, the cuntbuster
July 15th, 2008 at 8:55 am
1
It’s fetid. Character references for rapists and abusers? How about entering a character reference for the victims, ‘your honor Palul was a really funny outgoing little boy before this man sodomised him. he liked to play football and help his granny with the shopping, not he is sullen and withdrawn. But hey the accused can paint!’
Fuck the fucks who stand for them.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:59 am
2
Happy Birthday fist-jockey!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:00 am
3
I can’t really argue with this.
Though I presume some paedohiles are horrified by their own urges and want help stopping them. I think punishment, treatment, and ensuring the safety of children when the perpetrator gets out of prison should all go hand in hand.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:03 am
4
Nail em up I say. Crucifixion is too good for them. (although punishment, treatment, and ensuring the safety of children when the perpetrator gets out of prison should all go hand in hand) but Crucifixion first.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:12 am
5
There’s been so much child abuse in Ireland, physical and sexual, and it’s only now that people are really talking about it, it seems. Think how much our collective psyche has been altered and affected by it.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:23 am
6
Which is worse though, the fucker giving the glowing report, or the system that allows such a testimony to be taken into account?
It’s just wrong that someone who’s probably unconnected to the actual case in any way, and who’s reason for making a statement in the first place is usually for their own personal gain, should even be allowed into the courtroom to begin with.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:25 am
7
I’m a cuntbuster and a fist jockey? You guys are pulling out all the stops.
Some dedication that is Major, you fucking asswipe. This place would be nothing without me and this is how I’m repaid. I hope your fingers get caught in a car door today
July 15th, 2008 at 9:28 am
8
It’s just wrong that someone who’s probably unconnected to the actual case in any way, and who’s reason for making a statement in the first place is usually for their own personal gain, should even be allowed into the courtroom to begin with.
Quite so.
Better in a car door than in your ma’s gee.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:34 am
9
Again.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:42 am
10
you forgot ‘prick’ :-)
July 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
11
My Ma’s dead.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
12
So’s mine.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
13
Good
July 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
14
heh
July 15th, 2008 at 9:53 am
15
his ma died on his birthday you heartless bounder twenty
July 15th, 2008 at 9:56 am
16
Desmond Hogan sounds like a man of utmost probing, to me.
The man’s a predatory arsewipe of the lowest order. In a case like this, it couldn’t matter less how good a writer he is, or how important his writing about human isolation. 15-20 in the slammer should give him ample time to reflect on human bloody isolation.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:57 am
17
I would like to think the court can see through this, in fact if the defence offers such shit up, they should stick another 5 years on the sentence, and do the lawyer for contempt as they are wasting the courts time.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:10 am
18
Hogan is a Mk2 O Searcaigh. He’d have a grand time in Nepal. Doing it on his own doorstep in Ballybunion was his mistake and I hope the judge puts him in the clink where, no doubt, he will write his own De Profundis.
You never hear your Mr Hogan types described as electricians or plumbers or brickies of the ‘utmost probity’. Not to mind their power, importance, etc etc. Colm Toibín should know better.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:16 am
19
awwww, cut the man a break - he was dying for his hole - all that isolation clouded his judgement.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am
20
If he was dying for his hole he could have used a hole in a barbers floor, a sheep (as recommended by Morgor), or god forbid a consenting adult.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:24 am
21
Can we have a separate blog entry to abuse Johnnyplacenta5 on his birthday?
Back to the main thing - character comments - useful I guess if guilt questionable, or to help judge in sentencing. But when someone has done something really dreadful those giving character references should be done for contempt of court
July 15th, 2008 at 10:25 am
22
Dessie, fuck Johnny5. We’re talking about the bloke in the original post now.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:26 am
23
This character witness thing is bollocks, a throwback to the days of deference to anyone in a position of any power… if a priest / doctor / landowner says the child rapist is a decent skin, who are we to question it?
Imagine going as character witness for a mate…
“… sound lad, your honourship, sorted me out with a qaurter on tick just last week”
July 15th, 2008 at 10:31 am
24
I was reading recently that men who killed their wives used to get recognition for the fact that they had no criminal record up to that point.
It’s a bit like the guy who kills his parents then asks the court for clemency on the basis that he is an orphan.
I don’t care whether this guy can write weighty tomes in perfect sanscript, you do the crime, you do the time.
It will soon get to the stage where people will be submitting their sudoku prowess as a mitigating factor.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:39 am
25
Would anyone in their right mind give a charactor reference to someone who is going to plead guilty for a sex crime - Not me
The mother of the victim were allowed to state to he judge how the crime effected the family, her son and his personality so as a balancing act the defence are allowed to introduce charactor references.
Would anyone in their right mind give a charactor reference to someone who is going to plead guilty for a sex crime - Not me
Lastly do judges pay attention to these - I dont think so, judging by the spate of weird and wonderful judgements to come out in the last few months.
Mr. Hogan will be up for sentancing soon and it will be interesting if he gets incarcerated at all - Arty Farty type = Probation - Wait and see
July 15th, 2008 at 10:40 am
26
Which is depressing, as if you can do any job from prison, it’s writing.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:50 am
27
Our Courts are a load of bollocks. It’s a system set up to protect ruling classes from the mob. It’s all about property and wealth. You can actually get less time for murder than for a bank robbery. And none of the ruling elite in this country will ever suffer at the hand of our courts because they fucking well own them.
E.G. Barrister’s Little Cunt son knocks down girl while driving hammered drunk. Barrister gets high ranking cop to fuck up the evidence or serve a summons incorrectly. Little Cunt gets off the charge on a technicality. Happens all the fucking the time, you just don’t hear about it. And brown envelopes are alive and well folks.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am
28
Holemaster, she walked straight out in front of me, not much I could do about it.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
29
Someone should stop Colm Tóibín on the street and say “So how’s your friend? y’know the boy raping fella? Did your recommendation make any difference? If I raped a boy would you stick up for me?”
July 15th, 2008 at 11:27 am
30
was going to make joke about hogan’s address but couldn’t be arsed.
“There had been no explanation why that happened or assurance that it wasn’t going to happen again, Judge Moran said.” says it all really. castration with a hammer.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:29 am
31
Strange that you can embezzle your company for millions, robbing your staff of a wage to feed their kids and it is a jolly jape (one to laugh at over cigars and brandy) and six months in an open prison, but if I punch your fat red face in for being a cunt it’s twelve months in jail for ABH.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:34 am
32
I was thinking about that yesterday. There are so many more consequences for minor crimes. The scum and the elite get away with so much more than normal people, because normal people are far easier to manage.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:37 am
33
I’d just like to say Your Honour that Peter Sutcliffe once bought me a pint, so he’s a sound man as far as I’m concerned.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:39 am
34
“Would anyone in their right mind give a charactor reference to someone who is going to plead guilty for a sex crime - Not me ”
I’ve seen it with my own eyes, it’s a fucking joke.
As someone said, you do the crime, you do the time. It doesn’t fucking matter if you’re the pope himself, you do the time.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
35
I wonder if any of this has to do with the privileges given to “artists” by the state - they feel special ?
July 15th, 2008 at 11:59 am
36
I don’t think it’s just artists, maggot. People will always look for favours to try and get them out of trouble.
On the plus side I’d never really heard of Lilliput Press before this and now, if I ever hear about them again, I’ll think immediately of Desmond Hogan and his sexual assualt. Great marketing that.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
37
Monkey I like your wexford colours..
July 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
38
Heh, “Lilliput Press : we vouch for kiddie fiddlers”
July 15th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
39
Corporate crime goes unpunished essentially. It’s like a badge of honour.
Used to work in a company of 80 people which was reduced to nothing by a greedy fat cunt who bled it dry and used it to fund his lifestyle, his yacht, his jag, his garden paving, his wine cellar, his travel, his meals, his home entertaining, fucking everything went through the company. His salary was about 150K and his ‘expenses’ were about twice that.
He’s well in with Fianna Fail and certainly tried to get business from them using underhand tactics.
I hope he’s reading this because he’ll know it’s him. Your a greedy cunt of the highest order and you sank a brilliant company that was 70 years old. How’d the stomach stapling go for you?
July 15th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
40
He’s well in with Fianna Fail
He’ll probably try to get elected soon.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
41
hi dessie,did you came back from myconos?
July 15th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
42
Lilliput press- I have a few of their books. They publish Kevin Myers - I don’t have anything by him.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
43
Jesus, Holemaster. Nasty story.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
44
“myconos”
AKA..
Many young q(c)ueers on narcotics overseas.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
45
Jo, just look at Ernest Saunders, sentenced to 5, then cut to 2.5 and he then claimed he had Alzheimers and served 10mths in an open prison. His symptoms dissapeared when he was released. If that had been me nicking a car I would have got 6mths minimum, but because he was dealing in millions and he was rich it was really just a misdemeanor.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
46
“Jesus, Holemaster. Nasty story.”
Yep a cliche fat cat this guy. He wobbled out into reception one day and barked a young woman to go get him fags and take it from petty cash. He thought she worked there but she a client waiting on a meeting. He was disgusting, ate kebabs for lunch everyday and smoked while eating them.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
47
‘Hogan was a writer of ‘immense power and importance who dealt with human isolation’.
Well, he’d have no problem in a prison cell for a few years then would he?
July 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
48
There’ll be plenty of Probity in there for him.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
49
Legal learnings of Ciara for Make Benefit Glorious Place of Employment » Every Day is Election Day says:
[...] Twenty Major tells it how it is… or how the courts should see it. [...]
July 15th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
50
Holemaster, it sounds like Monty Pyton. You should have pressed him to havew a wa-fair thin mint.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
51
Is that Gluasteain’s girlfriend up there?
July 15th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
52
Jesus, I’ve just staggered back out that Ciara blog, mother of god, talk about talking about loads of stuff at the same time. I need a sit down.
July 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
53
hehe HM, i glanced at it and then beat a hasty retreat.
July 15th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
54
Post……
July 15th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
55
The human condition.
Pretty awful.
Just like Western Civilisation.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
56
The human condition.
Pretty awful.
Just like Western Civilisation.
that’s pretty deep Noddy. pretty deep.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
57
Deeeeper!
Sorry.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
58
I read an article like this and I despair.
Thats all.
The irony is that a lot of the crew backing this creep would jump on the nearest bandwagon spouting on about rights for this that and the other.
You never hear anything about the obligation to treat people decently when you are in a position of authority or trust.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
59
Protect peoples rights fine.
Speak on behalf of their reputation
But what about when they fail or abuse their obligations to the weak and vunerable.
Who mentioned crucifixation?
July 15th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
60
The Jews did.
I have a lot in common with Jesus. I went out one Friday, got crucified and didn’t get up again until Sunday.
July 15th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
61
Likewise Holemeister.
I was thinking more of the passion of the Christ kind of deal for the cunt.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
62
With all the foreplay depicted in same flick to help him reflect on his deeds.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
63
“Hogan’s mental state is discussed in the article “obsessed with death”, “paranoid”, “strange, suspicious and awkward”, ”
That could be any of us on a bad day.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
64
The link above points to an article about Desmond Hogan from the Observer, 2004.
Anthony Farrell is described as “an old-style publisher - a patron cum bank manager” (stop it you lot…) and they go back a long way.
Hogan’s mental state is discussed in the article “obsessed with death”, “paranoid”, “strange, suspicious and awkward”, and I’m surprised that Farrell didn’t highlight this as a mitigating circumstance rather than the international reputation rubbish.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
65
OK some fuckin some weird shit going on here, I posted in response to comment 65 and it went in as comment 64.
Twenty? TWENTY? I’m scared.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
66
You should be…
July 15th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
67
Thanks for that link, TS, it’s a terrifice example of the kind of pretentious crap that people write about authors.
Hogan comes across as a self-indulgent intellectual snob, but because he’s a writer rather than a washing machine repairman, his ludicrous behaviour was lauded rather than pillioried.
No wonder he believed he had the right to do anything he wanted, even if that included abusing children.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:23 am
68