20 June 2011

St John's vandalism, charges pending.

| johnboy
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broken headstones

Members from ACT Policing’s Crime Targeting Team are expected to charge a 24-year-old man with property damage after a large number of headstones at Saint John’s Anglican Church in Reid were extensively damaged last month (May 23).

Police were called to the church on Tuesday, May 24 in relation to a report that a large number of headstones had been extensively and maliciously damaged.

The cost of the damage is estimated around $20,000.

The man, who is currently in custody for unrelated matters, will be charged with property damage when he appears in the ACT Magistrates Court this Thursday (June 23).

[Courtesy ACT Policing

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And now James March has been put away for three years:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/crime-and-law/gravestone-smasher-gets-3-years/2339533.aspx

According to the newspaper report, March had earlier broke into a house and stolen a laptop, and then committed the desecration with another man which he refused to shop. Unfortunately he’ll be out July next year and then spend another year in periodic detention (how does that work?)

colourful sydney racing identity9:30 am 29 Jun 11

fgzk said :

The hardest thing with people is showing them how their actions effect others. If its OK to mock the dead on RA then its got to be ok to smash up some grave stones. If RA is going to continually show no respect for the families of the dead, then why expect thoe’s same people to show any respect for your memorials to the dead.

Seeing as most of you fail to accept responsibility for the part you play in mocking dead people you may need a greater punishment than wrecking just one grave yard. Will that stop the repeat offenders. I doubt it.

ARRRGH, I am precariously close to agreeing with your sentiment. Must log out of Riot Act before it happens.

To put it in words you would use LSWCHP, Dudley may be just invoking the ANZAC tradition of defending the honor of his dead mate’s.

The hardest thing with people is showing them how their actions effect others. If its OK to mock the dead on RA then its got to be ok to smash up some grave stones. If RA is going to continually show no respect for the families of the dead, then why expect thoe’s same people to show any respect for your memorials to the dead.

Seeing as most of you fail to accept responsibility for the part you play in mocking dead people you may need a greater punishment than wrecking just one grave yard. Will that stop the repeat offenders. I doubt it.

I challenge every bogan who was ever offended by comments about their dead mates to tear down a site and spread the love. More punishment for the wicked. Follow the example set by the normal people, as expressed on RA. Keep on offending.

fgzk said :

The courts decide if he is mad bad or sad.

While we are making assumptions about “people’s” motivations. If he was an idiot and woke up every morning to RA, he might have a very good reason to trash Canberra’s grave stones. Maybe he got angry at the constant disrespect of his dead friends, thought “FUA” and then systematically destroyed memorials to dead people. Whilst I would not condone the destruction of property, Id support this motivation as an expression of a legitimate feeling. FU and your ancestors.

You’d support this motivation as an expression of legitimate feeling? I’m not even going to begin to try to comprehend what that tortured sentence means. However, on another note, many thanks for the offer to have sex with me and my ancestors. I think I’ll decline though, as I’m concerned that whatever causes your strange thinking and writing may be communicable through intercourse.

Violet68 said :

Classified said :

Violet68 said :

Classified said :

I for one hope they lock this filthy scumbag away for a long time. He’s clearly a criminal with zero regard for the community.

How will locking him away from community = to his being socially connected with a positive regard for community and ability to assimilate when he is released? I like the ideas previously mentioned of making him accountable for the protection of historical sites – financially and physically. Maybe (and yes it is a maybe) he would respond to the opportunity of becoming a “valued” member of the community rather than an outcast. I can’t see how segregating people who are already so disconnected from community will make them friends rather than foe.

The guy is a known thief, having stolen cars and other stuff. He already has a substantial criminal record.

Locking him away is not about helping him become a productive member of the community. It’s about protecting the community from someone who is clearly a criminal scumbag. Don’t forget, this guy has been in front on the judiciary before and has already been given second chances. He has now blown these chances, and it’s time for him to be removed from society.

I can see what you are saying and I agree that vandalism is a thoughtless, selfish act (and in this case the damage can never be undone) but I doubt removing this person from society is going to address any of the issues he clearly has. They can’t keep people locked up forever, so while the community will be protected from this particular person for “awhile”, they won’t be in the long term.

There are plenty of others with similar world views to him too. It worries me that we expect prisons to be the only way of protecting our community rather than addressing some of the inequality and disadvantage that has become the norm.

Maybe we could stick them all on boats and send them off to another terra nullius?

You make a sensible point. I guess I’m just getting sick of people being allowed to reoffend over and over and over without any seemingly useful consequences.

There’s no way a normal citizen does things like this, and I think we need a ‘carrot and stick’ type approach. Carrots are good to encourage people to clean up their act and get themselves sorted, but there still needs to be some stick for those who won’t try.

The courts decide if he is mad bad or sad.

While we are making assumptions about “people’s” motivations. If he was an idiot and woke up every morning to RA, he might have a very good reason to trash Canberra’s grave stones. Maybe he got angry at the constant disrespect of his dead friends, thought “FUA” and then systematically destroyed memorials to dead people. Whilst I would not condone the destruction of property, Id support this motivation as an expression of a legitimate feeling. FU and your ancestors.

NickD said :

Probably worth noting that whoever did this is unlikely to have been in their right mind at the time, for whatever reason. Nobody gets up in the morning with a clear head and decides to spend a large chunk of their night systematically destroying a graveyard. Some combination of better mental health and drug rehabilitation services would be better at stopping this kind of thing than Tough Laws Against Crime (if you’re loony, then you’re not going to be considering whatever’s on the statute books before doing stuff).

I disagree. I think that there are people who wake up in the morning with a perfectly clear head, and think it would be a helluva lot of fun to go around around and smash up a graveyard. I don’t think we can attribute all the crap we see happening in our town to mental illness.

I drove down Baldwin drive on the weekend, and a large sign that had been put up by some real estate people had been tipped over and smashed. Regardless of what you think about real estate people, their attempt at working honestly to serve their customers had been trashed, and I don’t think that was attributable to mental illness.

So yeah, some of this stuff is due to mentally ill people who need help. But I believe a lot of it is caused by people who could best be described as evildoers, and who wreak their havoc simply because they enjoy it.

My personal opinion is that the hoodlum who perpetrated this obscenity did so because he thought it looked like a bit of fun, and he didn’t think he’d be caught.

Violet68 said :

It worries me that we expect prisons to be the only way of protecting our community rather than addressing some of the inequality and disadvantage that has become the norm.

If it was food theft in order to survive, that argument might be valid. But this is stealing cars for joyriding and damaging public property.

Classified said :

Violet68 said :

Classified said :

I for one hope they lock this filthy scumbag away for a long time. He’s clearly a criminal with zero regard for the community.

How will locking him away from community = to his being socially connected with a positive regard for community and ability to assimilate when he is released? I like the ideas previously mentioned of making him accountable for the protection of historical sites – financially and physically. Maybe (and yes it is a maybe) he would respond to the opportunity of becoming a “valued” member of the community rather than an outcast. I can’t see how segregating people who are already so disconnected from community will make them friends rather than foe.

The guy is a known thief, having stolen cars and other stuff. He already has a substantial criminal record.

Locking him away is not about helping him become a productive member of the community. It’s about protecting the community from someone who is clearly a criminal scumbag. Don’t forget, this guy has been in front on the judiciary before and has already been given second chances. He has now blown these chances, and it’s time for him to be removed from society.

I can see what you are saying and I agree that vandalism is a thoughtless, selfish act (and in this case the damage can never be undone) but I doubt removing this person from society is going to address any of the issues he clearly has. They can’t keep people locked up forever, so while the community will be protected from this particular person for “awhile”, they won’t be in the long term.

There are plenty of others with similar world views to him too. It worries me that we expect prisons to be the only way of protecting our community rather than addressing some of the inequality and disadvantage that has become the norm. Maybe we could stick them all on boats and send them off to another terra nullius?

Violet68 said :

Classified said :

I for one hope they lock this filthy scumbag away for a long time. He’s clearly a criminal with zero regard for the community.

How will locking him away from community = to his being socially connected with a positive regard for community and ability to assimilate when he is released? I like the ideas previously mentioned of making him accountable for the protection of historical sites – financially and physically. Maybe (and yes it is a maybe) he would respond to the opportunity of becoming a “valued” member of the community rather than an outcast. I can’t see how segregating people who are already so disconnected from community will make them friends rather than foe.

The guy is a known thief, having stolen cars and other stuff. He already has a substantial criminal record.

Locking him away is not about helping him become a productive member of the community. It’s about protecting the community from someone who is clearly a criminal scumbag. Don’t forget, this guy has been in front on the judiciary before and has already been given second chances. He has now blown these chances, and it’s time for him to be removed from society.

Classified said :

I for one hope they lock this filthy scumbag away for a long time. He’s clearly a criminal with zero regard for the community.

How will locking him away from community = to his being socially connected with a positive regard for community and ability to assimilate when he is released? I like the ideas previously mentioned of making him accountable for the protection of historical sites – financially and physically. Maybe (and yes it is a maybe) he would respond to the opportunity of becoming a “valued” member of the community rather than an outcast. I can’t see how segregating people who are already so disconnected from community will make them friends rather than foe.

I for one hope they lock this filthy scumbag away for a long time. He’s clearly a criminal with zero regard for the community.

Probably worth noting that whoever did this is unlikely to have been in their right mind at the time, for whatever reason. Nobody gets up in the morning with a clear head and decides to spend a large chunk of their night systematically destroying a graveyard. Some combination of better mental health and drug rehabilitation services would be better at stopping this kind of thing than Tough Laws Against Crime (if you’re loony, then you’re not going to be considering whatever’s on the statute books before doing stuff).

Simpsonhj said :

It will not be long before people start taking the law into their own hands and vigilanty groups created to stop these crimes. I for one have thought about it. It will happen unless the government pulls their finger out.

Sorry for my rant, I am just sick and tired of people getting away with these crimes. Take some responsibilty for your actions people.

FFS, take responsibility for learning to spell and write before you take to the streets beating people up.

Chop71 said :

just add the 20k to his taxes like a HECS debt (and charge interest at CPI), if he ever earns more than 50k a year he starts paying it off.

Minor technical correction: HECS debt is repayable once one’s income reaches $22K pa (wife still has a $25K HECS debt some years after completing a 4 year degree in the late 90s).

But then, with a record like his, it would be unthinkable that anyone would want to employ him. At least any potential employer can now Google him and find these gems against his name…

This guy doesn’t just need to pay for the damage – he owes the community BIG TIME; having wrought immeasurable historical damage. Maybe he could be forced to undertake Community Service keeping the grounds of St Johns clean and tidy (being around those who get to repair the damage), and be a nighttime security presence on weekends; any damage happening on his watch could be added to his bill…

Even mentally ill people, and people missing their “friend” Mully know what is right and what is wrong… What a tool…

To fill in the blanks from the Canberra times. “James Dudley March, 24, was charged in the ACT Magistrates Court with one count of damaging property more than $1000 in value.”

He has appeared on RA before “This is not Mully Williams, this is just a tribute ” Seems like a good fit.

http://the-riotact.com/this-is-not-mully-williams-this-is-just-a-tribute/24918

Bigfeet …People are not like me. Like I care what happens to them.

Captain RAAF12:10 pm 25 Jun 11

I say they come hunting with me, i’ll give em’ 10 minutes head start.

We could make a reality TV show out of it and donate the profit to the victims of crime.

Simpsonhj said :

Sorry for my rant, I am just sick and tired of people getting away with these crimes. Take some responsibilty for your actions people.

If you ask people like ‘fgzk’ ,being sent to bed early is a sufficient punishment for any crime.

Apparantly that should be enough incentive for people to take responsibility for their own actions.

If that doesn’t work then I guess immediate (but temporary) suspension of chocolate rations is the next step.

Anything else would be inhumane.

It sickens and disgusts me at what this person has done to these graves. What kind of low life has that amout of disrespect for not only the dead, but the families of the dead and and the historic nature of these graves.

I cannot see how they can put a price on these damaged headstones, they were a part of our cities pioneer history. the original headstones are priceless, in my eyes it is like someone destroying and ancient pyramid, then some one turning around and saying we will just rebuild it. It is not the same as the original, you will never get the original headstones back to their oringinal state.

Our laws and punishments are way too soft, I don’t give a damn about these snivel libitarians and do gooders thoughts, bring back to good old days where people were actually punished for their crimes. we need our legal system fixed to prevent more of these pointless crimes taking place. The Government needs to grow some balls and stop being scared of who they may offend by toughening the legal system.

I for one will vote for any Government that is serious about stopping crime and providing strong sentences that will discourage any form of crime.

It will not be long before people start taking the law into their own hands and vigilanty groups created to stop these crimes. I for one have thought about it. It will happen unless the government pulls their finger out.

Sorry for my rant, I am just sick and tired of people getting away with these crimes. Take some responsibilty for your actions people.

fgzk said :

How about we offer an extended stay at AMC to all those people who keep promoting the jail as a holiday.

even if it was illegal to ‘trash talk’ the prison system, i’d get a verbal warning from a judge. *rolls eyes*

Also, i never said Jail was a holiday, i said the consequences for committing certain crimes are too low. Anyway, we will see on thursday what path the justice system is going to take.

Are you allowed to have a computer at AMC?

Anyway I’m sure it’s quite dreadful. I’m the kind of girl who needs to know she can run through the back door and over the fence and at AMC you can’t even run through the front door!

fgzk said :

Thumper “What, as a society, have we become when this happens? “

Damaging grave sites and sacred sites is nothing new. Its always been part of our society.

I think that Thumper, and others on here, are saying that it doesn’t have to be a part of our society. Nor should it be. This behaviour just simply should not be tolerated. And when it’s detected, the punishment should fit how the community views it.

Also agree with Gungahlin Al – great job by the ALF folk.

Thumper “What, as a society, have we become when this happens? “

Damaging grave sites and sacred sites is nothing new. Its always been part of our society.

Henry82 “It may be backwards, but it would probably be effective. It would also send a strong warning out to others that property damage (/breaking the law) is unacceptable.”

Ive got a cheaper alternative that will get the message out. How about we offer an extended stay at AMC to all those people who keep promoting the jail as a holiday. Any one that thinks the AMC isn’t enough of a deterrent should be given the opportunity to test their theory and then report back to the community. The police can pick you up from your place at any time. You would think that some of you here would jump at the opportunity for a government funded holiday. What could go wrong. Hands up how many of you would volunteer for a week away. A week with Scott or Stott.

We could have a RA poll to see how long your holiday should be.

Gungahlin Al8:32 pm 21 Jun 11

I’ll just say what no-one else sems to have gotten around to: well done to the police for solving this in quick time.

fgzk said :

I see violent thieves getting long jail terms..

I see no disincentive for criminals to commit crimes. I see offenders causing tens of thousands worth of damage, who will get off with just a warning. Meanwhile everyone else has to fork the bill.

fgzk said :

If anything I think you may see the whole public humiliation thing backwards.

It may be backwards, but it would probably be effective. It would also send a strong warning out to others that property damage (/breaking the law) is unacceptable.

PBO said :

fgzk said :

PBO” But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.”

If the tax payer does not mind putting in the investment in guards, vehicles, and mobile security. Not to mention the searches for lost prisoners. Then there is the opportunity for prisoners to interact with the general public.You know what that means. ….Score.

I think you may have failed to remember “old school” was mostly crap.

I think that you are failing to see the extent of what i meant by “chain” gang. They are all chained together at the ankles and waists working in an extended line formation. And if we did not spend $40,000 on glass “art” for the prison and wasted money on a needle exchange for prisoners then we would have money for these things. And when i say old school, i am talking about my grandfathers time, not mine. If it was my time then it would be run like a military correctional establishment.

Chaingangs are a good preventative measure as they publicly shame the criminal and show’s society what happens when they break the law.

force them to wear those exploding neck bracelets from Running Man

CanberraGirl196:29 pm 21 Jun 11

Jivrashia said :

Henry82 said :

I like Chop71’s idea, but i doubt the scum will ever earn over 50k.

Sell his kidneys. He’ll probably be able to afford an iPad with the left over change.

+1 😀

I also quite like the idea of taking the money he owes out of his pay/centrelink payments. So many offenders aren’t forced to pay the victims of property damage/theft compensation because they can’t afford to. I think forcing the offender to repay the victim would be a better punishment than community service/a good behaviour bond.

fgzk said :

PBO” But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.”

If the tax payer does not mind putting in the investment in guards, vehicles, and mobile security. Not to mention the searches for lost prisoners. Then there is the opportunity for prisoners to interact with the general public.You know what that means. ….Score.

I think you may have failed to remember “old school” was mostly crap.

I think that you are failing to see the extent of what i meant by “chain” gang. They are all chained together at the ankles and waists working in an extended line formation. And if we did not spend $40,000 on glass “art” for the prison and wasted money on a needle exchange for prisoners then we would have money for these things. And when i say old school, i am talking about my grandfathers time, not mine. If it was my time then it would be run like a military correctional establishment.

Chaingangs are a good preventative measure as they publicly shame the criminal and show’s society what happens when they break the law.

Henry82 said :

fgzk said :

So sad, yet you have demonstrated what not to do.

Thanks for your feedback. If you have some suggestions on what should be done with these trouble makers please feel free to comment, as the status quo isnt really working. Or perhaps we should give them a ‘slap on the wrist’ good behaviour bond,and perhaps 1 hour of community service *roll*

I don’t see any status quo. I see violent thieves getting long jail terms. I see career criminals spending a lot of time in jail. Maybe we don’t hear the same stories. If anything I think you may see the whole public humiliation thing backwards. Jail is spending a long time, locked in with horrid people. We all should get the opportunity to see how that works.

This scum sucking pus bucket will never earn over 50K so put him in the stocks in Garema and also take 10% from his Centrelink payments (before he gets them) until the debt and fine are paid. Garnishing Centrelink payments would be a great way to go to collect unpaid fines.

fgzk said :

So sad, yet you have demonstrated what not to do.

Thanks for your feedback. If you have some suggestions on what should be done with these trouble makers please feel free to comment, as the status quo isnt really working. Or perhaps we should give them a ‘slap on the wrist’ good behaviour bond,and perhaps 1 hour of community service *roll*

PBO said :

Ahh Chain gangs is one thing that we actually do need in Canberra, no joke.

I really like the idea of putting this little fu*#ker on a chain gang on Northbourne, I really do, but our softer than air judges would not allow it.

The doo gooders will not allow it because it might shame the criminals.

The crims wouldnt like it because people would see who they were and they would not be able to get around unrecognized.

Katy Gallagher will not allow it because she would have the wrong idea about it (like ciggies being worse than heroin in jails) and she would screw it up by appointing a committee of lefties and greenies to look into the viability of it.

The greens wouldnt allow it because it might work and it is not a progressive approach.

The unions would not allow it because it might make their workers look bad and lazy.

TAMS wouldnt want it because much needed work might get done and it would make them look bad.

But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.

I say install a set of stocks in Garema.

+1. I would LOVE to see this approach implemented.

Grumpy Old Fart said :

@chop71, @Mysteryman ……….you guys are dreaming right???? Based on the team that has arrested him and that he is already in custody on unrelated charges we will all be paying for him.

Perhaps he should be staked to the ground in the graveyard overnight for many months

No, me saying “he will certainly be held financially responsible for the damage” would be dreaming.

PBO” But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.”

If the tax payer does not mind putting in the investment in guards, vehicles, and mobile security. Not to mention the searches for lost prisoners. Then there is the opportunity for prisoners to interact with the general public.You know what that means. ….Score.

I think you may have failed to remember “old school” was mostly crap.

PBO said :

Ahh Chain gangs is one thing that we actually do need in Canberra, no joke.

I really like the idea of putting this little fu*#ker on a chain gang on Northbourne, I really do, but our softer than air judges would not allow it.

The doo gooders will not allow it because it might shame the criminals.

The crims wouldnt like it because people would see who they were and they would not be able to get around unrecognized.

Katy Gallagher will not allow it because she would have the wrong idea about it (like ciggies being worse than heroin in jails) and she would screw it up by appointing a committee of lefties and greenies to look into the viability of it.

The greens wouldnt allow it because it might work and it is not a progressive approach.

The unions would not allow it because it might make their workers look bad and lazy.

TAMS wouldnt want it because much needed work might get done and it would make them look bad.

But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.

I say install a set of stocks in Garema.

You have my vote!!

Ahh Chain gangs is one thing that we actually do need in Canberra, no joke.

I really like the idea of putting this little fu*#ker on a chain gang on Northbourne, I really do, but our softer than air judges would not allow it.

The doo gooders will not allow it because it might shame the criminals.

The crims wouldnt like it because people would see who they were and they would not be able to get around unrecognized.

Katy Gallagher will not allow it because she would have the wrong idea about it (like ciggies being worse than heroin in jails) and she would screw it up by appointing a committee of lefties and greenies to look into the viability of it.

The greens wouldnt allow it because it might work and it is not a progressive approach.

The unions would not allow it because it might make their workers look bad and lazy.

TAMS wouldnt want it because much needed work might get done and it would make them look bad.

But all this would lead to a massive saving in the ACT budget and our “leaders” fail to realise it is sometimes better to go old school.

I say install a set of stocks in Garema.

Henry82 said :

I like Chop71’s idea, but i doubt the scum will ever earn over 50k.

Sell his kidneys. He’ll probably be able to afford an iPad with the left over change.

Classified said :

No doubt he was ‘suffering from a mental illness’ and got ‘angry’ but ‘didn’t mean it’, and so there will be no real consequences.

Yep – I can see it playing out that way as well. I suggest that whatever he owns (furniture, phone, car, bedding, hoodie, medication, tatt sleaves,etc) be taken from him to a public place and burned. Let him feel the rage that the public are feeling.

Henry82 said :

I like Chop71’s idea, but i doubt the scum will ever earn over 50k.

There really needs to be [stronger] laws in place to stop this anti social behaviour like glassing, and property damage. Compulsory prison sentences or chain gangs on northborne to demonstrate to other members of society what not to do. Cutting government support for those that break the law sounds like a good start.

So sad, yet you have demonstrated what not to do.

No doubt he was ‘suffering from a mental illness’ and got ‘angry’ but ‘didn’t mean it’, and so there will be no real consequences.

I like Chop71’s idea, but i doubt the scum will ever earn over 50k.

There really needs to be [stronger] laws in place to stop this anti social behaviour like glassing, and property damage. Compulsory prison sentences or chain gangs on northborne to demonstrate to other members of society what not to do. Cutting government support for those that break the law sounds like a good start.

Grumpy Old Fart11:39 am 20 Jun 11

@chop71, @Mysteryman ……….you guys are dreaming right???? Based on the team that has arrested him and that he is already in custody on unrelated charges we will all be paying for him.

Perhaps he should be staked to the ground in the graveyard overnight for many months

I’d like to see the culprit pay for the damage out of his/her own pocket.

ConanOfCooma11:14 am 20 Jun 11

Ah, be a good day when this bastards name is announced in the crime department. I know of several grave buffs that have their spears sharpened already. Literally. Maybe not spears, but ready for preventative measures none the less.

just add the 20k to his taxes like a HECS debt (and charge interest at CPI), if he ever earns more than 50k a year he starts paying it off.

Hope they throw the book at him.

No. On second thought, throw a piece of broken headstone at him. A large piece. A VERY large piece.

Then plant whats left head first in a deep dark hole.

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