Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Footballers face arrest over bad conduct even on the pitch warns Lord Advocate Elish ‘Labour’ Angiolini, copying George Laird but 13 days behind me













Dear All

One of the things about this blog which you may have noticed is that George Laird writes something and then others copy it.

For example the Scottish National Police Force, 4th September, I proposed it at my party’s national assembly then everyone started to climb onboard.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2010/11/scottish-police-back-idea-of-national.html

From politicians to police!

‘East Coast Weasel’ Labour MSP Iain Gray was two months behind me.

On the 3rd March, I wrote another post, this time on football and the problems of the old firm game between Glasgow Rangers and Glasgow Celtic.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2011/03/police-call-for-ban-on-old-firm-clashes.html

I wrote:

“Quite simple, a player starts a fight on the pitch; he gets lifted by the Police on the pitch itself, no red card. Then, court case, found guilty, Barlinnie Prison, next door to Scotland's Nelson Mandela, Tommy Sheridan”.

Now, it seems that Elish ‘Labour’ Angiolini, Lord Advocate has gotten in touch with senior police officers to inform them that football players, their coaches and club officials should face arrest and prosecution if their behaviour boils over, whether on the park or on the touchline.

Elish Angiolini copying George Laird thinking!

13 days behind me.

In the new guidelines Angiolini says that in deciding which incidents to investigate the police should pay:

“particular regard to incidents where the violence or disorderly behaviour has occurred after the whistle has been blown and whilst the ball is dead and to incidents where the violence or disorderly behaviour has occurred in circumstances designed or liable to provoke a disorderly or violent response from spectators”.

Actually, this isn’t rocket science.

It is sending a message that causing trouble on private property doesn’t carry immunity from prosecution for those involved in football.

Rangers’ player El Hadji Diouf was earlier involved in an angry touchline clash with members of the Celtic management team, including manager Neil Lennon. He should have been dealt with by the Rangers Manager Walter Smith immediately.

Smith was guilty of a failure to exercise discipline.

Later on Lennon was also involved in an angry exchange with Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist,

At that point the Police should have stepped in and arrested both Lennon and McCoist on the touch line.

And charged them; kept them in custody till they appeared in Court on the Monday morning.

You would find measures like this would curb people squaring up to each other in front of an ‘audience’.

Angiolini added:

“Sportsmen cannot be regarded as exempt from compliance with the criminal law”.

Well patently they do.

So, we have a Cup Final in the offing and the clubs better start changing their act or it will be arrest and detention even if that means walking on to the park and slapping the cuffs on violent players.

A Strathclyde Police spokesman says that they will treat the final as normal with 1000 officers on duty.

This is giving people their chance to enjoy the final in the spirit that it is meant to be played.

Within the rules!

Can’t say I am surprised that Angiolini is copying me when Strathclyde Police, Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament all come to my blog.

George Laird was right again.

And ahead of the curve!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

No comments:

Post a Comment