to be annoyed with myself for defending them

[smoggii]

my family had a discussion last week basically ripping the Philpots to shreds really more about them courting publicity and the usual comments of the DM reader about benefit scroungers etc.

I jumped in with a 'they are clearly devastated and it doesn't matter which walk of life you're from you love your kids and everything else is irrelevant when you have endured such tragedy'

Don't I feel a bit silly?

I just can't get my head around it. I know they haven't been found guilty but to be charged means that the police are satisfied that they (at the very least) can make a case against them and the CPS believe there is enough evidence.

I suppose it is hard to think that anyone could be so stupid, or so evil. I would go with stupidity rather than them having the intention of what ultimately happened.. they thought they could pull off an insurance scam or something...

I just can't bring myself to believe they did it :( but then I generally see the good in people, and expect everyone to have the same morals/standards as me iyswim

Insurance scam? How?

Wonder if Carol Malone will be asking for an apology?

Nothing wrong with showing sympathy to folk. The case is interesting but I'll wait to see what happens and what can be proven before I judge them anyway.

House insurance scam... they may have thought it was some great idea to raise money to redecorate, get new furniture.. be rehoused... who knows..

If they are found guilt Carol Malone was still wrong because she said it was as a result of resentment in the community against families like this when in fact it could be even worse!

Who is Carol Malone?

Very sad story. I agree with a pp, will withhold judgement for now until more is heard.

I'm really struggling to get my head round the fact they might have done it as I used to live near this family and know them a little bit. Yes they are total benefit scroungers and whatever else you want to call them, live very unconventional lifestyles etc but murdering their own children? All I ever saw of them was a family that loved their kids and I just can't imagine how they could go fom that to this! I only hope it's wrong and it was someone else, I really do.

I completely stood up for Karen Matthews in a huge multi generational (and slightly tipsy) family argument. I felt like a right twat when the whole sorry saga unfolded.

YABU for defending that gobby trout as even if the philpotts are guilty she still got it wrong didn't she, i personally think she is a rude old bag and would rather not have her on me telly!
Hope they wernt involved though

I must admit when I first saw the story on the news I did wander if the Dad had anything to do with it, cos he was always in the papers/on TV moaning about wanting a bigger council house.

But I'll reserve my judgement and see how the trial unfolds

They could well be innocent for all we know.

For the record - I didn't defend Carol Malone - she's an arse

Loopy - Carol Malone is a columnist who sometimes talks rubbish on TV. She basically said the family were asking for it by being on the take. She was bang out of order.

Statistically when children are killed the most likely person to have done it is a parent. Obviously it doesnt mean that you can work backward from the stats and decide that someone is guilty because of that.

There have also been a lot of cases in America recently of presumed false abduction, when parents have said that a child has been kidnapped but the evidence seems to point toward the parents.

There are some stats here from the UK: nspcc

You dont know if you were right or wrong yet, because they havent been convicted. Who knows what the evidence will be at the trial.

I'd rather look foolish for giving someone the benefit of the doubt (especially in a serious case like this) than be one of those people who jump in judging before anything has been proven. I picture them back in time in Paris knitting and cackling at the gallows.

I really couldnt imagine that they intended to kill their kids. I just dont think anyone could set out to do that. At least I would hope not.

my comment that 'it' could be even worse was reference to the fact that it could have been caused by the parents and not potentially by resentful people in the community. Both are distressing but the possible parental involvement, more so (in my view).

Thanks for the explanation :)

i think it's interesting that they've been charged with murder (ie premeditated) rather than manslaughter (which i would have thought it would have been if it was a botched insurance job - i really don't mean to sound flippant btw). but i just can't believe any parent would plan to murder their kids like this.

we've all made errors of judgements smoggii - i think the fact you defended them shows that you are not a cynic and still believe in most people generally being good. i'd like to think this is the case too.

but how could it be accidental? they can't surely have believed they could get al the kids out??

I think it would be classed as murder even if they didnt set out to kill, because setting a fire would mean life was endangered intentionally (dont know the legal terminology).

There is discussion here too.

Why would you be annoyed with yourself for defending them.

They haven't been charged with anything and may not be. And even if they are it by no means that benefit claimants (even scroungers long term claimants), set fires and murder their kids or deserve to be attacked by arsonists.