Handgun joke that backfired (From Daily Echo)

I'm due for life imprisonment then!!
As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers"
Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!!
Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

Bassett Boy wrote:
I'm due for life imprisonment then!!
As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers"
Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!!
Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

You'd probably all be up on charges of impersonating a police officer, too. As for cowboys and indians, well, the race-relations mob would have something to say about that. Thank god today's kids stick to safer games like glue-sniffing and dealing drugs, eh!

Bassett Boy wrote:
I'm due for life imprisonment then!! As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers" Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!! Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

You should have been working for Mr Lowe's defense team, I bet they never though of the 'I was just playing Cops and Robbers' excuse, claiming that the police are unable to tell the difference between a child's game and possession of an imitation firearm.

SW: chip-shoulder

Is this headline a contender for "Echo Pun of the Week"?

Bassett Boy wrote:
I'm due for life imprisonment then!!
As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers"
Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!!
Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

I can see what your saying but this lad hardly qualifies as a kid & unfortunately since the more innocent times of our childhood gun crime is through the roof, so everyone is on edge.

Is it worth commenting on this potentially immature man (as mentioned) kids played Indians and cowboys, BUT he is not a boy. I would say this man/child is immature, and something not quite right in his head and he needs keeping an eye on because one day he will be termed as having a mental problem, unable to relate to modern day life - a saddow! His family must be very disappointed in him.

goard

... and he pointed it at someone random in the street. Fine if you're messing around with a mate, but to point at just anyone in public is a bit stupid.

I'm sure he's learnt his lesson. Being tagged by armed police is hardly a pleasant experience

... and he pointed it at someone random in the street. Fine if you're messing around with a mate, but to point at just anyone in public is a bit stupid.

I'm sure he's learnt his lesson. Being tagged by armed police is hardly a pleasant experience

Shoong wrote:

Bassett Boy wrote:
I'm due for life imprisonment then!!
As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers"
Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!!
Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

I can see what your saying but this lad hardly qualifies as a kid & unfortunately since the more innocent times of our childhood gun crime is through the roof, so everyone is on edge.

I partially agree with your sentiment. The guy isn't a kid playing cops and robbers, no. But surely wasting public money on pursuing this particular case is in nobody's interests? The police these days seem far too reluctant to back down, to recognise a non-case when they identify it. Had he pointed a replica gun at the motorist and threatened him, that would be another matter. But he didn't. What happened was, a gun was spotted, armed police were - quite rightly - deployed, and the force did not want to admit that this was just a silly prank and leave it at that. So the pursue a ridiculous case as far as they can. As long as this sort of reaction remains commonplace, common sense can never return, and we will remain forever "on edge". Time was when the armed police, upon finding the gun was just a toy, would've breathed a sigh of relief, the guy would have been given a stern talking-to by a burly sergeant, and that would be an end of it.

Perfectly put George. This smacks of a bit of stupid perhaps inappropriate horseplay coupled with all too familiar massive police overreaction. The police are so terrified of accusations of victimisation that every single situation has to be treated with maximum severity regardless of commonsense or circumstance. The police always claimed they only perform their job with the consent of the public. After witnessing their incompetent inability to prioritise real crime from enforcment of political correctness in recent years I for one withdrew my consent some time ago.

Not so sure I would agree with the sentiment of many on here. Yes you could view it as a childish joke, but my view is why is a man old enough to bet carring a replica fire arm?

Cant believe no one has noticed he entered a bookies with a replica fire arm. To me, that spells potential attempt at an armed robbery.

People are quick to jump on the band wagon of carrying a knife and rightly so, however, carrying a replica fire arm into a bookies to me seems a little more than a 'joke'. He will be lucky if people believe his story about giving it to a mate. He probably bottled it or heard sirens before he intended to use it.

greystonesben wrote:
Not so sure I would agree with the sentiment of many on here. Yes you could view it as a childish joke, but my view is why is a man old enough to bet carring a replica fire arm?

Cant believe no one has noticed he entered a bookies with a replica fire arm. To me, that spells potential attempt at an armed robbery.

People are quick to jump on the band wagon of carrying a knife and rightly so, however, carrying a replica fire arm into a bookies to me seems a little more than a 'joke'. He will be lucky if people believe his story about giving it to a mate. He probably bottled it or heard sirens before he intended to use it.

Straw man, Ben: it wasn't a replica gun, it was a plastic toy. Not the same thing.

There are two things at play here. One is whether the police reaction was correct, and the other is whether following through with a prosecution and a court case is worthwhile. But unless it was some brightly coloured water pistol or something, it's probably safe to assume an armed response was appropriate. But since then, it has been ascertained to be a toy, and unless they can actually prove he intended to, for instance, hold up a jewelers shop, this is just the police being afraid to look stupid, and pursuing a case beyond where it's necessary. IMHO, if he really was intent on robbing someone with it, he wouldn't be careless enough to be waving it about in public beforehand.

Georgem wrote:

greystonesben wrote:
Not so sure I would agree with the sentiment of many on here. Yes you could view it as a childish joke, but my view is why is a man old enough to bet carring a replica fire arm?

Cant believe no one has noticed he entered a bookies with a replica fire arm. To me, that spells potential attempt at an armed robbery.

People are quick to jump on the band wagon of carrying a knife and rightly so, however, carrying a replica fire arm into a bookies to me seems a little more than a 'joke'. He will be lucky if people believe his story about giving it to a mate. He probably bottled it or heard sirens before he intended to use it.

Straw man, Ben: it wasn't a replica gun, it was a plastic toy. Not the same thing.

There are two things at play here. One is whether the police reaction was correct, and the other is whether following through with a prosecution and a court case is worthwhile. But unless it was some brightly coloured water pistol or something, it's probably safe to assume an armed response was appropriate. But since then, it has been ascertained to be a toy, and unless they can actually prove he intended to, for instance, hold up a jewelers shop, this is just the police being afraid to look stupid, and pursuing a case beyond where it's necessary. IMHO, if he really was intent on robbing someone with it, he wouldn't be careless enough to be waving it about in public beforehand.

Carrying an imitation fire-arm is a weapon, was it a pink water pistol then?? could anyone at a distance know the difference?? Careless at best, frightening for someone at worst... yes they were right to pursue it but I don't think he should have been acquitted, what sort of message does it send out? that it's ok to go waving a gun around. Ask the parents of those children killed in Dunblane whether they think it's ok, you can bet there's no toy guns in that town!

Everyone knows in this day and age it's inappropriate and bordering upon mad, or should us mums turn up in Iceland and start waving a few plastic guns around? Joke?? if your elderly father or mother had keeled over in fright, would you be quite so keen on it?? i don't think so!

Carrying an imitation fire-arm is a weapon, was it a pink water pistol then??

It was a plastic toy gun. Read the story.

yes they were right to pursue it but I don't think he should have been acquitted, what sort of message does it send out? that it's ok to go waving a gun around

He was convicted of possessing an imitation firearm, but acquitted of intent to cause fear and violence. Read the story.

Everyone knows in this day and age it's inappropriate and bordering upon mad, or should us mums turn up in Iceland and start waving a few plastic guns around? Joke?? if your elderly father or mother had keeled over in fright, would you be quite so keen on it?? i don't think so!

But they didn't. Read the story. And drop the "what-ifs".

As long as people continue to believe that every single stupid thing anybody does should be pushed as far as the legal system will allow, we'll continue in this downward spiral until we're an army of good little conformist voter-citizens. No harm was actually done here, why bother with a court case? Frivolous. Ten years ago, we'd have laughed at this

"Won't somebody please think of the grandparents! What if he'd bitten a child? If you're not against this, the terrorists win. You don't hate Britain, do you?" etc

People are too quick to rise to hysterical levels these days. No wonder the entire nation is jumping at it's own shadow

There is also a craze for huge brightly coloured "ray-gun" water pistols used by kids and adults alike for innocent fun. Are you suggesting that if I buy one in Makro and some old person in the car park sees me carrying it out and keels over because they think it's actually an AK47 and I'm about to go beserk I am guilty of manslaughter??......
..no no that's not a straw man you're putting up Freemantlegirl that's a whole b*****y haystack! I might equally say that an armed police response unit pouncing on a small child playing with a toy gun would traumatise that child for life, yet that small child could actually be a killer indoctrinated by fanatics. So now what?
The police have to apply circumstance and judgement, not just dumb proscribed action.

Exactly, Andy. This new policing is why playground scraps - a fact of life - now result in criminal records for all involved. This is why saying "that police horse looks gay" results in prosecution for a hate crime.

Georgem wrote:

Carrying an imitation fire-arm is a weapon, was it a pink water pistol then??

It was a plastic toy gun. Read the story.

yes they were right to pursue it but I don't think he should have been acquitted, what sort of message does it send out? that it's ok to go waving a gun around

He was convicted of possessing an imitation firearm, but acquitted of intent to cause fear and violence. Read the story.

Everyone knows in this day and age it's inappropriate and bordering upon mad, or should us mums turn up in Iceland and start waving a few plastic guns around? Joke?? if your elderly father or mother had keeled over in fright, would you be quite so keen on it?? i don't think so!

But they didn't. Read the story. And drop the "what-ifs".

As long as people continue to believe that every single stupid thing anybody does should be pushed as far as the legal system will allow, we'll continue in this downward spiral until we're an army of good little conformist voter-citizens. No harm was actually done here, why bother with a court case? Frivolous. Ten years ago, we'd have laughed at this

I agree with Georgem & Andy.

And not just because you both made me lmao at your witty rhetoric.

How "swift and efficient" are the police (suddenly) when a crime not worthy of time or money is neatly processed, packaged and binned. Do they really deserve a pat on the back for that? Hm let me think abou...NO. Does the tw*t of a young man brandishing a toy gun like an idiot deserve a smack upside his head? Hmm YES.

I feel a lot safer knowing the police are capable of distinguishing a fake gun situation and a REAL crime being committed. *not*

"GO ahead,... "fake" my day"

if anybody came into my shop and held any sort of weapon towards my direction, joking or not I would hit the panic button, its just not funny, and many toy guns do look quite realsitic even from a few steps away.

wilson castaway wrote:
if anybody came into my shop and held any sort of weapon towards my direction, joking or not I would hit the panic button, its just not funny, and many toy guns do look quite realsitic even from a few steps away.

Sounds reasonable enough. At the time of incident, you probably haven't got the luxury of deciding whether or not there's actually a risk.

Point is, once the police had ascertained there was no risk, they decided to pursue a court case anyway, at great expense, rather than apply some common sense

Georgem wrote:

greystonesben wrote: Not so sure I would agree with the sentiment of many on here. Yes you could view it as a childish joke, but my view is why is a man old enough to bet carring a replica fire arm? Cant believe no one has noticed he entered a bookies with a replica fire arm. To me, that spells potential attempt at an armed robbery. People are quick to jump on the band wagon of carrying a knife and rightly so, however, carrying a replica fire arm into a bookies to me seems a little more than a 'joke'. He will be lucky if people believe his story about giving it to a mate. He probably bottled it or heard sirens before he intended to use it.

Straw man, Ben: it wasn't a replica gun, it was a plastic toy. Not the same thing. There are two things at play here. One is whether the police reaction was correct, and the other is whether following through with a prosecution and a court case is worthwhile. But unless it was some brightly coloured water pistol or something, it's probably safe to assume an armed response was appropriate. But since then, it has been ascertained to be a toy, and unless they can actually prove he intended to, for instance, hold up a jewelers shop, this is just the police being afraid to look stupid, and pursuing a case beyond where it's necessary. IMHO, if he really was intent on robbing someone with it, he wouldn't be careless enough to be waving it about in public beforehand.

It would have been the CPS that took this case to court, not the police

Georgem wrote:

Shoong wrote:

Bassett Boy wrote: I'm due for life imprisonment then!! As a kid we used to quite often play "cowboys & Indians" or "Cops & Robbers" Always had a "relica firearm" (as the PC brigade call it now!) and you used to AIM it at PEOPLE and pretend to kill them!! Good job kids don't play those games now, the courts would be so full of cases of "possessing an imitation firearm in a public place" that there wouldn't be any time left to prosecute motorists!

I can see what your saying but this lad hardly qualifies as a kid & unfortunately since the more innocent times of our childhood gun crime is through the roof, so everyone is on edge.

I partially agree with your sentiment. The guy isn't a kid playing cops and robbers, no. But surely wasting public money on pursuing this particular case is in nobody's interests? The police these days seem far too reluctant to back down, to recognise a non-case when they identify it. Had he pointed a replica gun at the motorist and threatened him, that would be another matter. But he didn't. What happened was, a gun was spotted, armed police were - quite rightly - deployed, and the force did not want to admit that this was just a silly prank and leave it at that. So the pursue a ridiculous case as far as they can. As long as this sort of reaction remains commonplace, common sense can never return, and we will remain forever "on edge". Time was when the armed police, upon finding the gun was just a toy, would've breathed a sigh of relief, the guy would have been given a stern talking-to by a burly sergeant, and that would be an end of it.

It would have been the CPS that took this case to court, not the police

Andy Locks Heath wrote:
There is also a craze for huge brightly coloured "ray-gun" water pistols used by kids and adults alike for innocent fun. Are you suggesting that if I buy one in Makro and some old person in the car park sees me carrying it out and keels over because they think it's actually an AK47 and I'm about to go beserk I am guilty of manslaughter??...... ..no no that's not a straw man you're putting up Freemantlegirl that's a whole b*****y haystack! I might equally say that an armed police response unit pouncing on a small child playing with a toy gun would traumatise that child for life, yet that small child could actually be a killer indoctrinated by fanatics. So now what? The police have to apply circumstance and judgement, not just dumb proscribed action.

It would have been the CPS that took this case to court, not the police

Georgem wrote:

wilson castaway wrote: if anybody came into my shop and held any sort of weapon towards my direction, joking or not I would hit the panic button, its just not funny, and many toy guns do look quite realsitic even from a few steps away.

Sounds reasonable enough. At the time of incident, you probably haven't got the luxury of deciding whether or not there's actually a risk. Point is, once the police had ascertained there was no risk, they decided to pursue a court case anyway, at great expense, rather than apply some common sense

It would have been the CPS that took this case to court, not the police