and on that Bombshell.

[localzuk]

To be honest @mthomas08, it is somewhat irrelevant what the victim wants when it comes to what is effectively violent crime. It is a zero tolerance thing. It isn't up to the victim as to whether Clarkson is charged with a crime either, it is up to the CPS. If they determine that it is in the public interest to prosecute, even without the victim's help, they can and will do so. Of course the victim is the one who suffered, and that should be taken into account if a prosecution takes place, including the eventual punishment, but the law doesn't focus entirely on the victim, it focuses on the actions.

 

I agree with @pcstru - anyone who signed that petition needs to grow up and wake up. Violence is not acceptable, and rallying around behind someone who engages in such violence is a poor choice too. It makes it seem like Clarkson should not have been punished, regardless of the reason you signed it personally. You say you deserves to be punished, yet you were happy to try and express that his punishment shouldn't be the same as anyone else in that situation.

[LeMarchand]

What is interesting though people who complain about us, don't mention much about the actual victim or what he wants. It doesn't matter about us 1million or people who don't like Jeremy. What actually does matter is the victim.

 

I can't remember the victim getting any sympathy in that petition.

[mthomas08]

To be honest @mthomas08, it is somewhat irrelevant what the victim wants when it comes to what is effectively violent crime. It is a zero tolerance thing. It isn't up to the victim as to whether Clarkson is charged with a crime either, it is up to the CPS. If they determine that it is in the public interest to prosecute, even without the victim's help, they can and will do so. Of course the victim is the one who suffered, and that should be taken into account if a prosecution takes place, including the eventual punishment, but the law doesn't focus entirely on the victim, it focuses on the actions.

 

Although you are right, it is up to the Law/Police to take it further. The victim does have a choice if he wants to be a part of it, then you have the witnesses who also can turn down if they want to be a part of it. It’s well within their right to say “No Comment”.

 

Let’s face it if it goes to a Court Judge, what’s he going to do with no witnesses and the victim. Community Service for 10 Days? Pay Court Costs? The silly thing is, with people slating Jeremy – He will be the one that says he is guilty and will take whatever punishment the Court decides.

 

I agree with @pcstru - anyone who signed that petition needs to grow up and wake up. Violence is not acceptable, and rallying around behind someone who engages in such violence is a poor choice too. It makes it seem like Clarkson should not have been punished, regardless of the reason you signed it personally. You say you deserves to be punished, yet you were happy to try and express that his punishment shouldn't be the same as anyone else in that situation.

 

Congratulations for branding us all with the same brush and making assumptions – not surprised really. I have my own thoughts of those who want to brand people like me but I won’t go there. This is about punishing him for assault, this crime has been branded as if he has committed murder. The entire process has been dealt with appalling which hasn’t helped the situation. You may or may not like the reasons I signed the petition but saying people need to grow up for signing something you don’t agree with – probably is more childish.

 

I can't remember the victim getting any sympathy in that petition.

 

Look through comments on this Thread and on the Petition. There is a lot of Support for Jeremy but a large portion of what I’ve seen, has been he should be punished.

[abillybob]

A statement from their website:

 

"None of us has found the past month easy, and we know some of you suspect this spells the end for Top Gear.

 

It doesn't. The DG's statement confirmed that the BBC will work to renew Top Gear TV for 2016, and of course we'll bring you any news on that front as soon as we have it. Hall also stated that the BBC will look into how it can put out the remaining programmes from the current series.

 

In the meantime,TopGear.comwill continue to bring you the sharpest, funniest automotive coverage, the biggest exclusives and the oddest road trips. Right now, there's more astonishing stuff going on in the world of cars than ever before, and we reckon you deserve to know about it.

 

That isn't to underestimate the incalculable contribution of JC to making Top Gear what it is. He's a big, big hole to fill, and the team you've trusted to make the world's greatest motoring show will be figuring out over the coming months exactly how to do that.

 

And, while we're here, we'd also like to take this chance to give a shout out to Top Gear TV's brilliant production team, who are unquestionably the most talented in the business."

[pcstru]

Congratulations for branding us all with the same brush and making assumptions – not surprised really. I have my own thoughts of those who want to brand people like me but I won’t go there. This is about punishing him for assault, this crime has been branded as if he has committed murder.

 

The entire process has been dealt with appalling which hasn’t helped the situation. You may or may not like the reasons I signed the petition but saying people need to grow up for signing something you don’t agree with – probably is more childish.

Look through comments on this Thread and on the Petition. There is a lot of Support for Jeremy but a large portion of what I’ve seen, has been he should be punished.

The petition was very simple :

We the undersigned petition the BBC to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson.

Freedom to fracas.

#BringBackClarkson

 

So in signing it you want to "reinstate JC"? No mention of why he is suspended, so we can presume you don't agree with the statement "if you hit someone at work, you should be suspended"? At minimum, you don't believe it should be applied to Clarkson.

 

"freedom to fracas" given the actual circumstances of the "fracas" is calling for what, the freedom to rant at colleges for 30 minutes and then throw a few punches that result in an injury?

 

I suspect what has happened is that people didn't pay much attention to the evidence that was available and conflated the incident with just another run of the mill comedic insult/anti-pc Clarkson-calling-card publicity stunt. In the rush to press the "like" button, people didn't look, think or probably didn't even read what they were putting their name to. But you signed it, so you tell me what doing that actually meant to you? What did you think "freedom to fracas" meant? If violence at work is unacceptable to you, why exactly did you put your name to a petition when the accusation was reasonably clear at the time he was suspended? If you don't want to be branded with a brush then don't be shy, stand up and speak for yourself!

 

Clarkson has not and is not being treated like a murderer - far from it. He is in the public eye so being suspended as an employee does have consequences - the public scrutiny is part of his trade off for hugely engorged earnings. The BBC didn't have much choice. If anyone 'killed' Top Gear because Clarkson had to be sacked, then it was Clarkson. And if that does turn out to be the end of the line for Top Gear, which results in billions in loss of revenue for the BBC and benefits for licence payers, then Clarkson should be sued to the last penny, made to sell all his cars and the ungainly bicycle he rides after which, he should be made to run on a treadmill for 7 hours a day, producing "green energy" to power huge thermally controlled underground yoghurt factories and fed only salad until he simply wastes away ... And on that bombshell, goodnight!

Edited March 27, 2015 by pcstru

[GrumbleDook]

Assault (and associated offences) are rare in the British legal system in that they do *not* require the complainant to be the victim. This is done for very good reasons ... ranging from ensuring that the alleged offender cannot intimidate the victim through to the victim not being in a position to be a complainant in the first place.

 

The physical nature of the assault would give the CPS an option of ABH. The verbal tirade is additional evidence and statements as part of the BBC investigation can and would be used as evidence as well, so there is more than enough for the CPS to consider charges.

 

However, the balance of public good is something the CPS also have to consider and the additional media frenzy on this could be seen as beneficial to Clarkson, so by not continuing at this point the CPS might simply be playing a waiting game to see when best to opt to charge.

 

As someone who has nicked people for this sort of assault in the past I would expect to see Clarkson charged. Maybe not immediately, but it should happen. This is nothing to do with the sacking from Auntie, this is purely about the law being upheld in a consistent and fair manner. However, I know that the CPS have a hard enough job as it is and we do not have all the facts that they will have ... so if they decide not to go ahead I hope, and have to trust, that they have reasons for not doing so.

[sparkeh]

There is a good chance that the victim hasn't pressed charges due to the intimation from the Clarkson apologists.

 

If he is getting threats for just being punched in the face, imagine the consequences of actually taking it further.

[Arthur]

Sue Perkins favourite to host Top Gear

 

A flurry of bets has seen Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins installed as favourite to replace the ousted Jeremy Clarkson in hit motoring show Top Gear.

 

The star, who also presents an afternoon chatshow on ITV with Bake Off co-star Mel Giedroyc, is the front-runner for the job according to bookmakers Coral.

 

They make her evens to take the job, ahead of Dermot O’Leary who is 2-1, with Jodie Kidd third favourite at 5-2.

[Arthur]

Jeremy Clarkson pulls out of Have I Got News For You

 

Jeremy Clarkson has pulled out of his planned appearance as guest host of the BBC show Have I Got News For You.

 

He had been due to appear on 24 April in his first BBC appearance since being dropped as a co-presenter of Top Gear, following an attack on a producer.

 

Clarkson has hosted the satirical news quiz on numerous occasions.

 

Jimmy Mulville, managing director of show producers Hat Trick Productions, said he expected Clarkson to be available for a show later in the year.

 

Mr Mulville said: "On reflection, Jeremy Clarkson has decided not to host Have I Got News For You. We fully expect him to resume his hosting duties later in the year."

[Zoom7000]

So in signing it you want to "reinstate JC"? No mention of why he is suspended, so we can presume you don't agree with the statement "if you hit someone at work, you should be suspended"? At minimum, you don't believe it should be applied to Clarkson.

 

"freedom to fracas" given the actual circumstances of the "fracas" is calling for what, the freedom to rant at colleges for 30 minutes and then throw a few punches that result in an injury?

 

Isn't it funny that footballers and other sports people get in to all sorts of fracas in their "working environment" every week or so. (Or in the case of Roy Keane, ending someones career once in a while!) But no one calls for them to be fired! A simple red card and 3 match ban and it's all good again! Maybe Clarkson should have bitten Tymon! Top Gear would have gone on a 6 month break and he'd be back in the new year!

[pcstru]

Isn't it funny that footballers and other sports people get in to all sorts of fracas in their "working environment" every week or so. (Or in the case of Roy Keane, ending someones career once in a while!) But no one calls for them to be fired! A simple red card and 3 match ban and it's all good again! Maybe Clarkson should have bitten Tymon! Top Gear would have gone on a 6 month break and he'd be back in the new year!

So you think we should find the worst behaviour out there and deem that to be acceptable for all? A sort of race to the bottom of the heap?

 

Football needs a serious clean up. It is a seething nest of racist, homophobic, misogynistic bigotry. Why any parent would want to encourage their kids to view footballers as role models is almost beyond me. Oh, no, wait, it's the 21st century gods of money and celebrity again! Or perhaps Orwell had it right :

 

“So long as they (the Proles) continued to work and breed, their other activities were without importance. Left to themselves, like cattle turned loose upon the plains of Argentina, they had reverted to a style of life that appeared to be natural to them, a sort of ancestral pattern...Heavy physical work, the care of home and children, petty quarrels with neighbors, films, football, beer and above all, gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult.”

― George Orwell, 1984

[Zoom7000]

So you think we should find the worst behaviour out there and deem that to be acceptable for all? A sort of race to the bottom of the heap?

 

Football needs a serious clean up. It is a seething nest of racist, homophobic, misogynistic bigotry. Why any parent would want to encourage their kids to view footballers as role models is almost beyond me. Oh, no, wait, it's the 21st century gods of money and celebrity again! Or perhaps Orwell had it right :

 

“So long as they (the Proles) continued to work and breed, their other activities were without importance. Left to themselves, like cattle turned loose upon the plains of Argentina, they had reverted to a style of life that appeared to be natural to them, a sort of ancestral pattern...Heavy physical work, the care of home and children, petty quarrels with neighbors, films, football, beer and above all, gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult.”

― George Orwell, 1984

 

lol! I never said I agreed with it at all! I'm just stating how it doesn't appear to be an issue when it comes to footballers, but it does with everyone else.

 

I love football, don't get me wrong, but I've never agreed with any aspect of the top end of the sport. How we can justify salaries of £300,000/week for kicking a ball once or twice a week for an hour and a half and even then they complain of exhaustion, jadedness and fatigue!

 

It's just funny how Clarkson hit someone in anger and then all hell broke lose. Luis Suarez bit 3 different people, allegedly racially abused another and is a down right cheat (many dives and THAT handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup) and yet is still allowed to play the game at the highest level.

 

Just don't understand how people don't see things in perspective!

[VeryPC_Colin_M]

What would have happened if Oisin Tymon had got one in there first? I'm not violent, but frankly I don't care who you are, if you come at me after I've been hard at work all day doing the important stuff to make you look good, screamed abuse at me in a drunken slur about not having hot food whilst you've been in the pub all day and I've been doing the real work, and then tried to split my lip... Well.... I'd have given Clarkson an almighty head butt, stood over him for a second laughing and probably said "and on that bombshell" and tipped my drink over him, before collecting my possessions. Despite the likely frantic round of applause from all the other Top Gear staff I'd fully expect to be sacked. I do miss Top Gear and Clarkson on the telly though. We once had a staff paint ball day and our TomB kept shooting me after he'd already shot me. I didn't punch him. I like my job.

[sparkeh]

It's just funny how Clarkson hit someone in anger and then all hell broke lose. Luis Suarez bit 3 different people, allegedly racially abused another and is a down right cheat (many dives and THAT handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup) and yet is still allowed to play the game at the highest level.

 

Just don't understand how people don't see things in perspective!

But you do appear to be saying that as its ok in football it should be ok in other areas.

 

Rather than saying "its ok in football so it should be ok in the Clarkson case" we should be saying "Its not acceptable in other cases so its not acceptable in football"

[Zoom7000]

But you do appear to be saying that as its ok in football it should be ok in other areas.

 

Rather than saying "its ok in football so it should be ok in the Clarkson case" we should be saying "Its not acceptable in other cases so its not acceptable in football"

 

Ok, I didn't intend for it to come off that way! I agree, it isn't acceptable anywhere. I was just trying to highlight that it's funny that it never seems to be an issue in football, when I agree that it should be an issue. There are very little occasions when violence on the pitch have been investigated by the CPS. Why isn't this made in to such a big issue?

[CAM]

Isn't it funny that footballers and other sports people get in to all sorts of fracas in their "working environment" every week or so. (Or in the case of Roy Keane, ending someones career once in a while!) But no one calls for them to be fired! A simple red card and 3 match ban and it's all good again! Maybe Clarkson should have bitten Tymon! Top Gear would have gone on a 6 month break and he'd be back in the new year!

 

Because sport is heat of the moment. Tensions rise, a fracas ensues, sporting bodies get involved but at the end of the day everything calms and as you say, all is good again.

 

It's not just football, I've seen speedway races end in bike ramming, a well landed punch through the helmet and tales from the old days of the sport (60s/70s) of a gun being pulled by a rider on another in the pits! It's all quite rare though and doesn't reflect the sport in any way because of a few incidents.

Edited April 10, 2015 by CAM

[Zoom7000]

Because sport is heat of the moment. Tensions rise, a fracas ensues, sporting bodies get involved but at the end of the day everything calms and as you say, all is good again.

 

But that doesn't justify violence... I could say installing Windows Updates on a mission critical server is heat of the moment! Does that mean I can get violent and only expect a 3 day work ban?

Edited April 10, 2015 by Zoom7000

[sparkeh]

Here is an interesting article on why its difficult to prosecute players for violence in sport: The Law Regulating Violence In Sport Is Inconsistent, Ill-Equipped And In Need Of Reform - The Student Journal of Law

[CAM]

No, because you aren't in the adrenalin fuelled environment of a sporting event. Neither is a hotel restaurant with no hot food. Two sports personalities on the other hand have adrenalin running through them in a competitive atmosphere and this encourages hotter reactions to others. In fact, some sports like Ice Hockey deliberately start fights to get the crowd riled up and on their side!

 

However, when sports personalities clash on the pitch, track or field they do so knowing they could bring the sport into disrepute. As you say, a dodgy studs up career ending tackle (which may not be intentional) can result in a straight red and a 3 match ban. A minor scuffle with some pushing and shoving can lead to the same or even a caution. Suarez's bite FIFA had enough and suspended him from all football related activity (including promotion, training or attending matches) for a lengthy period of time which hurts for a sporting career. And the FA has retro-actively taken action against racial abuse, stamping and violent conduct that doesn't result in just a red card and a 3 match ban but levied fines and further bans for bringing a sport into disrepute. You can also expect someone who lands a knockout blow on a player to be harshly dealt with.

 

So the idea they get off lightly I don't buy because the FA does take action (and let's be honest, a light brush of the arm is enough to get a footballer rolling on the floor holding his face looking for a card).

[pcstru]

There are very little occasions when violence on the pitch have been investigated by the CPS. Why isn't this made in to such a big issue?

Practically, in a sport where contact is expected, it becomes difficult to substantiate a claim of assault since you need to show that was specifically the intent. Even so, people are occasionally prosecuted.

 

The production of a Top Gear show is not (AFAIK) deemed a contact sport.

Edited April 10, 2015 by pcstru

[mthomas08]

Isn't it funny that footballers and other sports people get in to all sorts of fracas in their "working environment" every week or so. (Or in the case of Roy Keane, ending someones career once in a while!) But no one calls for them to be fired! A simple red card and 3 match ban and it's all good again! Maybe Clarkson should have bitten Tymon! Top Gear would have gone on a 6 month break and he'd be back in the new year!

 

Your wasting your breath, those who agree differently wont change their view just like you wont. I certainly am not changing my view but I am also not afraid to admit it.

 

You can say violence is bad and you don't support it but some one will still think you are actually saying its okay to punch some one... again wasting your time.

[sparkeh]

The production of a Top Gear show is not (AFAIK) deemed a contact sport.

I would deem working with Clarkson as a contact sport though

[LiamH]

No, because you aren't in the adrenalin fuelled environment of a sporting event. Neither is a hotel restaurant with no hot food. Two sports personalities on the other hand have adrenalin running through them in a competitive atmosphere and this encourages hotter reactions to others. In fact, some sports like Ice Hockey deliberately start fights to get the crowd riled up and on their side!

 

Adrenalin is just a chemical produced by your body in certain situations though, people gets their adrenalin rush through all kinds of means not just sports.

 

I would say I have never heard anyone get their kicks from eating warm meals though. So i see your point in regards to Clarkson.

[LeMarchand]

I would say I have never heard anyone get their kicks from eating warm meals though. So i see your point in regards to Clarkson.

 

You've clearly never watched Man vs Food.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaRtHbZ9YBY

[mthomas08]

Man Vs Food, Brilliant show.

 

Strange the man is a Vegan now and the other half didn't believe me it was him when she saw him looking thin or was it because he was in a Man City shirt.

 

Still, good for him to lose that kind of weight after all that junk he ate.