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Grooming trial collapsed over jury WhatsApp group

36 replies

SerendipityJane · 23/01/2026 16:51

Apparently we can't call people stupid. Only that they identify as stupid.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0ke14er8djo

OP posts:
mcmuffin22 · 24/01/2026 10:35

SerendipityJane · 23/01/2026 17:35

I wouldn't argue.

It's not like they weren't warned.

I wonder if it's too late for any criminal charges ?

They should have been charged with contempt of court or misconduct and fined. There should surely be base level tests to ensure that jurors have a certain standard of comprehension too

RainbowBagels · 24/01/2026 15:51

Brefugee · 24/01/2026 10:19

i am wondering if there is more to this? Jury tampering was my second thought after "stupid fucking wankers who don't care about women and girls"

I was wondering about this. Its such a clear breach of the rules, put into writing on a Whatsapp group it almost seems deliberate.

Blondieeeee · 24/01/2026 16:01

Idiots

SerendipityJane · 24/01/2026 16:07

RainbowBagels · 24/01/2026 15:51

I was wondering about this. Its such a clear breach of the rules, put into writing on a Whatsapp group it almost seems deliberate.

Hanlons razor ....

OP posts:
FerrisWheelsandLilacs · 24/01/2026 16:15

CraftyNavySeal · 23/01/2026 17:49

Half of people are dumber than average, that’s the risk of jurors being random members of the public

Total aside, but this isn’t actually true. It’s like height, half of people aren’t shorter than average - the average height for women is 5’4” and there will be a lot of women at this height, probably more than any other height. Intelligence is the same, a lot of people will be at average intelligence, and some will be more or less intelligent - but it will be far less than half who are less then average intelligence.

Boomer55 · 24/01/2026 16:24

People should have an IQ test before being allowed to serve on a jury. 🙄

SerendipityJane · 24/01/2026 16:26

FerrisWheelsandLilacs · 24/01/2026 16:15

Total aside, but this isn’t actually true. It’s like height, half of people aren’t shorter than average - the average height for women is 5’4” and there will be a lot of women at this height, probably more than any other height. Intelligence is the same, a lot of people will be at average intelligence, and some will be more or less intelligent - but it will be far less than half who are less then average intelligence.

You need to account for the distribution ....

OP posts:
RainbowBagels · 24/01/2026 22:53

SerendipityJane · 24/01/2026 16:07

Hanlons razor ....

Lol thats true!

ThrowingDi · 24/01/2026 22:59

To be honest I reckon things like this happen more often than you think, not all juries are dumb enough to put it in writing. But there will definitely be juries that are biased but won’t report each other, as happened here.

HelenaWilson · 24/01/2026 23:01

The jurors should be prosecuted.

Wasn't a woman sent to prison a while ago for Googling background information on a trial? She was quite highly educated, if I'm remembering correctly, so it's not always just because people are thick.

Brefugee · 25/01/2026 10:04

ThrowingDi · 24/01/2026 22:59

To be honest I reckon things like this happen more often than you think, not all juries are dumb enough to put it in writing. But there will definitely be juries that are biased but won’t report each other, as happened here.

Edited

tbh what concerns me is it is a trial for serious (male) Violence Against Women And Girls.

It bothers me very much if people go "oh shrug, well we'll try again" with zero consequences for the jurors.

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