8 May 2012

Michael Watt found dead

| johnboy
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The ABC is reporting that Michael David Watt has been found dead.

Michael David Watt, 25, from Conder had been charged with four acts of indecency, two sex acts and one count of using the internet to deprave young people.

All charges involved a 12-year-old boy who was in the man’s care between November 16, 2011, and February 23 this year when the offences were alleged to have occurred.

Watt was granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court last month.

Police report no suspicious circumstances.

Now the next question is how Community Services here in Canberra came to be putting children into his care.

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VYBerlinaV8_is_back4:20 pm 01 Jun 12

Jim Jones said :

thatsnotme said :

bundah said :

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

Are you serious? You come out and say ‘this guy committed suicide, therefore that must mean he’s guilty’. When someone tells you that your statement doesn’t necessarily add up, your answer is that they should research suicides due to guilt – nothing more than that – yet now you’re complaining about a lack of alternative perspectives?!

I’m sure you’ve very comfortable there in your black and white world.

+1

Revolting.

+ 2. This guy was a human, and we have systems in place to deal with his alleged actions. Suicide is not the answer.

cocksure said :

Marcus_Ashley said :

john87_no1 said :

An extremely poor result for all involved.

here here.

one less rock spider

cocksure in name and nature…

Marcus_Ashley said :

john87_no1 said :

An extremely poor result for all involved.

here here.

one less rock spider

one less oxygen stealing rock spider!

Lookout Smithers4:09 pm 30 May 12

I’m troubled by this.

Not because of what the guy may or may not have done but because he should have at least been given the presumption of innocence until a trial.

Our legal system may have its flaws, but its the best we’ve got and it has served us reasonably well for a long time.

His suicide does not sit well.

We are a civilised society people. At least, I hope we are.

Thankyou! Decency and reasonable thinking. However one comes to feel about the issues here on a personal level, the ability to commment above it is a great example of a sound mind at work. Always refreshing to read.

john87_no1 said :

An extremely poor result for all involved.

How do you figure that?

Court and mental health system escapes an expensive trial.
Victim and his family escape having to relive events in court.
Offender even gets off lightly not being taught a lesson in the slammer.

thatsnotme said :

bundah said :

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

Are you serious? You come out and say ‘this guy committed suicide, therefore that must mean he’s guilty’. When someone tells you that your statement doesn’t necessarily add up, your answer is that they should research suicides due to guilt – nothing more than that – yet now you’re complaining about a lack of alternative perspectives?!

I’m sure you’ve very comfortable there in your black and white world.

+1

Revolting.

Marcus_Ashley12:04 pm 09 May 12

john87_no1 said :

An extremely poor result for all involved.

here here.

An extremely poor result for all involved.

I-filed said :

Lissy said :

Interested that nobody has commented on the second part of the OP – why was this child in his care?

If Watt was from a minority group it would be more likely that a child would be carelessly placed; Welfare often chooses ethnicity over safety, for “cultural appropriateness” reasons. That has been a disastrous policy for decades.

Dear god, if that’s true it’s appalling!

We may never know further details beyond this:
A man died, some cheered and called it justice served.

Personally, I’d prefer we had systems in place to ensure our alleged criminals were alive to see trial, and continued long enough to satisfy any retributive sentence or victim restitution.
Bloodthirsty vigilantes would ideally provide both their own sack and doorknobs.

Anyway, as is traditional with media coverage of a potential\assumed suicide:
If you need help, call Lifeline Ph:13 11 14 (now with online chat, too)
Mandatory pamphlet

thatsnotme said :

bundah said :

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

Are you serious? You come out and say ‘this guy committed suicide, therefore that must mean he’s guilty’. When someone tells you that your statement doesn’t necessarily add up, your answer is that they should research suicides due to guilt – nothing more than that – yet now you’re complaining about a lack of alternative perspectives?!

I’m sure you’ve very comfortable there in your black and white world.

Your hilarious i merely said that i believed that he committed suicide due to guilt and your getting on your high horse also offering nothing of any substance except some nonsense that i live in a black and white world.How about saying something intelligent or is that just too hard?

bundah said :

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

Are you serious? You come out and say ‘this guy committed suicide, therefore that must mean he’s guilty’. When someone tells you that your statement doesn’t necessarily add up, your answer is that they should research suicides due to guilt – nothing more than that – yet now you’re complaining about a lack of alternative perspectives?!

I’m sure you’ve very comfortable there in your black and white world.

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

What, something substantial like in your comment where you suggest that suicide is a proxy for evidence in this case? Yeah sure.

Yet again a rebuttal where you have not expressed any opinion as to why you think he committed suicide!

Why would I?

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

No, I simply said that him killing himself isn’t evidence of guilt or innocence. Because its not.

I don’t have any opinion as to his possible guilt because I’ve only read about the story in the CT and the evidence wasn’t tested in court.

Have to say it is kind of refreshing that he chose this path. I would hope it wasn’t just cowardice, but a realisation that what he did was wrong. Too often you see these creeps being very unrepentant, they can’t understand and refuse to accept what they did was wrong.

Also possible I guess that he didn’t come to such a realisation was was merely fearful of what fellow inmates do to rockspiders on the inside.

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

What, something substantial like in your comment where you suggest that suicide is a proxy for evidence in this case? Yeah sure.

Yet again a rebuttal where you have not expressed any opinion as to why you think he committed suicide!

Why would I?

Well your prepared to dismiss my belief that it spoke volumes about his guilt but your not prepared to offer an alternative perpective!

SnapperJack said :

Good riddance to bad rubbish. Let’s not have any of this namby pamby talk about his rights, or “guilty until proven innocent”, he did it. Everybody knows that. He had form in this regard. All pedophiles should either commit suicide or be executed as soon as possible saving the taxpayer and the victim’s family all that legal expense.

I guess your audition for a commercial radio shock jock doesn’t require you to spell paedophile correctly. For what other offences would you like summary executions, without need for trial or conviction?

Lissy said :

Interested that nobody has commented on the second part of the OP – why was this child in his care?

If Watt was from a minority group it would be more likely that a child would be carelessly placed; Welfare often chooses ethnicity over safety, for “cultural appropriateness” reasons. That has been a disastrous policy for decades.

Interested that nobody has commented on the second part of the OP – why was this child in his care?

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

What, something substantial like in your comment where you suggest that suicide is a proxy for evidence in this case? Yeah sure.

Yet again a rebuttal where you have not expressed any opinion as to why you think he committed suicide!

Why would I?

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

What, something substantial like in your comment where you suggest that suicide is a proxy for evidence in this case? Yeah sure.

Yet again a rebuttal where you have not expressed any opinion as to why you think he committed suicide!

bundah said :

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

What, something substantial like in your comment where you suggest that suicide is a proxy for evidence in this case? Yeah sure.

At least now there’s no chance of his victims bumping into him in a shopping mall, restaurant, etc.

chewy14 said :

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

Really how about you do some research into suicides due to guilt and then come back with something substantial to offer!

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

No, it doesn’t.

bundah said :

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

Umm not really. If you were innocent and yet had most of Canberra thinking you were a paedophile, I’m pretty certain in the wrong mental state suicide would look to be a good option.

Then again, he could be a coward, committed the crime and didn’t want to face the music.
I don’t think we can assume guilt based on suicide though.

Good riddance to bad rubbish. Let’s not have any of this namby pamby talk about his rights, or “guilty until proven innocent”, he did it. Everybody knows that. He had form in this regard. All pedophiles should either commit suicide or be executed as soon as possible saving the taxpayer and the victim’s family all that legal expense.

carnardly said :

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

If he actually committed suicide then that speaks volumes regarding guilt!

Lookout Smithers said :

I am sure people are aware that behavior like sexual deviancy can only survive in a taboo environment with shaming and ridicule a big part of it. For all the hate of this kind of crime.

Right.
We should sweep paedophilia under the carpet because shaming paedophiles creates a taboo environment that helps sexual deviency survive.

Ever thought of getting a job in the “Sweeping-it-Under-the-Carpet” department at the Vatican?

Honestly, the grotesque nonsense people are taking away from their sociology courses is quite mind-boggling.

vet111 said :

If the allegations were true, I’ll sleep a lot better at night now.

I doubt you were his type.

I’m sorry for his family.

However, I’m going to say it. If the allegations were true, I’ll sleep a lot better at night now.

chewy14 said :

This is why I support not naming accused people until they are found guilty.

I agree, innocent or guilty, mud sticks…

As soon as someone is accused of something, unless at the exact same time there is pretty good evidence brought to light as to why the person is innocent, the damage is done to the persons reputation.

It’s basically an extension of “trust is something which takes a long time to build, but only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy”

I’m sure it’s pretty obvious to everyone but he did commit suicide. Someone very close to me worked with Michael last year.

Lookout Smithers said :

johnboy said :

They do report them when there’s some pressing public interest, as in this case.

Pretty unhealthy interest wouldn’t you say? I am sure people are aware that behavior like sexual deviancy can only survive in a taboo environment with shaming and ridicule a big part of it. For all the hate of this kind of crime.

The original alleged crime was reported, as was the identity of the accuse. Had this non-suspicious death not been reported, anyone following the case casually would be left wondering why it never went to court.

Ozi said :

Look, what you said is all very well and good and I do agree with those points. However, it is not applicable in this case as, if you actually read the details, you would note that police opposed bail on this man.

No “tacit agreement” there, then! The people in your so called “police circles” wanted him kept in custody, which would have significantly limited his ability to have a “non-suspicious death.”

Fair comment. I expressed myself unclearly – by that point in the original thread I was responding to a broader discussion. I wasn’t necessarily intimating that the police in this particular case were engineering matters for this particular man, though I can see how it reads that way.

Skidbladnir said :

“Yes he should be allowed bail, if he promises to off himself quietly when out.”

Way to go, people. :[

Did they make it a term of his bail then?

This is extremely sad no matter which way you look at it.

This is why I support not naming accused people until they are found guilty.

Lookout Smithers12:19 pm 08 May 12

johnboy said :

They do report them when there’s some pressing public interest, as in this case.

Pretty unhealthy interest wouldn’t you say? I am sure people are aware that behavior like sexual deviancy can only survive in a taboo environment with shaming and ridicule a big part of it. For all the hate of this kind of crime.

Look, what you said is all very well and good and I do agree with those points. However, it is not applicable in this case as, if you actually read the details, you would note that police opposed bail on this man.

No “tacit agreement” there, then! The people in your so called “police circles” wanted him kept in custody, which would have significantly limited his ability to have a “non-suspicious death.”

deejay said :

To quote what I said in the previous thread about this man:

As someone who has had a father and a fiance commit suicide in separate instances after allegations of this type of misconduct – one case definitively proven false, one case probably true – I can tell you that the tacit gentleman’s agreement in police circles to give men, especially older men, time to kill themselves before being taken into custody is abominable. It does not help those making the allegations, who are left with an enormous legacy of guilt (although in the case of those making false allegations, it’s deserved). It does not help the families of those accused, who will live with was-he-or-wasn’t-he-guilty forever. It does not distinguish between the guilty and the innocent, who face just as much shame and ruin. Rightly or wrongly, we do not have capital punishment in this country, and to create systems that actively encourage an informal death penalty is wrong.

To quote what I said in the previous thread about this man:

As someone who has had a father and a fiance commit suicide in separate instances after allegations of this type of misconduct – one case definitively proven false, one case probably true – I can tell you that the tacit gentleman’s agreement in police circles to give men, especially older men, time to kill themselves before being taken into custody is abominable. It does not help those making the allegations, who are left with an enormous legacy of guilt (although in the case of those making false allegations, it’s deserved). It does not help the families of those accused, who will live with was-he-or-wasn’t-he-guilty forever. It does not distinguish between the guilty and the innocent, who face just as much shame and ruin. Rightly or wrongly, we do not have capital punishment in this country, and to create systems that actively encourage an informal death penalty is wrong.

TheDancingDjinn11:47 am 08 May 12

Skidbladnir said :

“Yes he should be allowed bail, if he promises to off himself quietly when out.”

Way to go, people. :[

Oh please!! – you don’t think the stigma of being a known sex offender wasn’t enough for him to kill himself, if that is indeed what has happened to him. Don’t lay blame for the death of of this man here, he had his own issues, and if he chose to take his life then that’s on him no one else.

well he hadn’t actually been proved guilty yet….

regardless of what i think about people that leach after children.

bundah said :

It would appear he had a conscience after all!

Don’t mistake cowardice as conscience.

Hmm, so no suspicious circumstances makes me think suicide, but they don’t report suicides…

Maybe he had a pre-existing medical condition or something.

They do report them when there’s some pressing public interest, as in this case.

Holden Caulfield10:48 am 08 May 12

There’s no winners here.

Thoughts with the victim and his family. I don’t expect Watt’s death will make things any easier for them.

It would appear he had a conscience after all!

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