Rochdale street life

cyfrifia wrote:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/article6565570.ece/ALTERNATES/w460/Flag%2Bwaver%3A%2BGilmour%2Bat%2Bthe%2BCenotaph.jpg  

I'm not sure how this old photograph fits in with the Post title but, 3 years ago, the 21-year-old was among the thousands who protested in Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square on December 9 - against Tuition Fees - and was photographed hanging from a flag on the Cenotaph during the march.

The protestor, a Uni student, issued an apology the day after the demonstrations, self-describing it as a
" moment of idiocy ", and adding that he did not realise the Whitehall monument commemorated Britain's war dead.

Whatever, the young man broadcasted an apology at the time; I think public contrition can often be helpful  

The young man in the photo, hanging from a union jack flag on the Cenotaph memorial, may well have been, as he claimed to the court, drugged up, ignorant and very sorry.

Seemed illustrative of widespread attitudes to war memorials, mentioned in connection with the attack on the street name sign dedicated to a local military hero in Heywood.

cyfrifia wrote:The young man in the photo, hanging from a union jack flag on the Cenotaph memorial, may well have been, as he claimed to the court, drugged up, ignorant and very sorry.

Seemed illustrative of widespread attitudes to war memorials, mentioned in connection with the attack on the street name sign dedicated to a local military hero in Heywood.

Given that he received a 16-month prison sentence when the cases finally got to court many months later, no doubt he had plenty of time for sober 'reflections' as well.

I wouldn't consider substance misuse, ignorance and remorse to be illustrative/descriptive of widespread attitudes to war memorials mentioned.     That could have the hallmarks of a sweeping stereotype.

How much has drug use effected the society we live in? It's certainly considerable and widespread. How ignorant the population is depends how you define ignorance. Recent information about the first and second world wars shows that a wish, or necessity, to forget has meant following generations have not been properly aware of the facts.

Remorse expressed in court is often on the advice of counsel, how genuine may vary.

It's difficult to talk about changes, trends and attitudes in society without using stereotypes, but yes, every stereotype will be more complicated on closer examination.

Apart from general background, it seems recent attacks on things representing the military that fought in Iraq and Afghanistan arise from more recent and specific motives, and may be understood as a 'sign of the times'.

‘ Killer on the run in Rochdale from HMP after giving warders the slip on day release. ‘

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/killer-paul-maxwell-run-rochdale-6733906

The arrangements that led to this prisoner escaping in the town centre need to be changed.
On one of my increasingly infrequent trips into Rochdale, I was frightened to find myself very close to a prisoner in handcuffs under very loose 'guard' and quickly moved away.

Mojo Hill wrote:

A 49 year-old man sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for murder and robbery has absconded, while on ‘ day release ’ from prison in Rochdale town centre yesterday, Friday 21st February.

‘ Killer on the run in Rochdale from HMP after giving warders the slip on day release. ‘

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/killer-paul-maxwell-run-rochdale-6733906

It's been reported that police are appealing for the public's help in tracing him .....

I believe this absconder is the same one who had a re-trial    … more than £3million of taxpayers' money had been spent on the case by the time Maxwell finally admitted, in 2011, murdering a vulnerable 85 yr old man - for which he’d received a 17½ year jail term.     Be due for parole next year !    

Over the years, this case appears to be mired in numerous and continuing blunders:   Detectives took Paul Maxwell murder case witness Karl Chapman to brothel:   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017179/Detectives-took-Paul-Maxwell-murder-case-witness-Karl-Chapman-brothel.html

-  Police warn the public not to approach a convicted murderer who is on the run, repeating an appeal for help in finding him.  
   
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/85562/police-warn-public-not-to-approach-convicted-murderer-who-is-on-the-run

He must have been assessed as suitable for day release, ?,  but now a warning has been issued remarking on the safety of the elderly!      Add to the saga, as copy post above, it reads like one hoofing big mess up.    Any sightings, or ...

This prisoner escape in Rochdale town centre could now go under the 'Rochdale in the news' heading, as he is still loose, and it is now national news of national concern.

The prisoner, a convicted murderer, on his first-ever day release in 17 years, had only one guard 'escorting' him, £50 in his pocket, and from what is known, is a definitely dangerous person.

Don’t know about ‘definitely’ he was in Buckley Hall and I’m sure you know which category of prisoners abide there. I would have thought his dress sense would be of more concern as he was wearing a Deer Stalker hat.
Anyway he has been rearrested in Albert Park, Lower Broughton, not in Rochdale.

I also think that the handcuffed chappy had just been arrested, not on ‘day release’.  Just thinking.

A brutal murderer who escapes and is on the run is as near to the definition of definitely dangerous as most people would like.

The prisoner I encountered in handcuffs with two vague looking guards was at Rochdale infirmary, there for his health I suppose.

Old Regulator wrote: Don’t know about ‘definitely’ he was in Buckley Hall and I’m sure you know which category of prisoners abide there.    

I would have thought his dress sense would be of more concern as he was wearing a Deer Stalker hat.
Anyway he has been rearrested in Albert Park, Lower Broughton, not in Rochdale..

Oh 'well spotted' there          Escaped killer Paul Maxwell, who went on run after absconding in Rochdale 3 days ago, is arrested in Albert Park, Salford:               http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/escaped-killer-paul-maxwell-who-6739300

Yes, Buckley Hall is a closed, male Category C prison, where some prisoners now abide by virtue of their personal re-categorisations and prison moves, over time.      Perhaps a bit incongruous when an assessed low risk of attempting to escape is, or was, part of the Category C measures.

cyfrifia wrote:A brutal murderer who escapes and is on the run is as near to the definition of definitely dangerous as most people would like.

The prisoner I encountered in handcuffs with two vague looking guards was at Rochdale infirmary, there for his health I suppose.

'Most people’ or just you?

So not Rochdale ‘street life’ but in the infirmary handcuffed and under 2 guards, vague or otherwise.      
You really do make good reading at times.       As for me I’ll sleep well knowing that the authorities
not ex professionals are in charge.

Matron, where’s me blunderbuss and deer stalker, time for some action.