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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think being bullied doesn't justify stabbing someone in the face?

328 replies

Topaz25 · 13/02/2014 11:34

So this article popped up in my newsfeed today. Teenager stabs girl in the face and beats another black and blue because they called him HARRY POTTER
www.facebook.com/dailymirror/posts/552566581523132

I was shocked at the amount of comments defending him! I was bullied as a child so I do understand it is devastating but that doesn't justify stabbing someone in the face! He didn't just lash out in the moment, he went home to get a knife to cause maximum damage, he lead the girls to the park, he thought this through. He is a danger to the public. I am also surprised at the sentence, I think stabbing someone in the face while shouting "die, die!" indicates intent to kill and should have been charged accordingly. I do wonder if his supporters would want to live next to him when he gets out or have him round to dinner since he is so misunderstood? I don't agree with bullying but when he attacked two younger girls I feel he effectively became the bully, it was a massive overreaction to the situation and he had other options. AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
Topaz25 · 13/02/2014 11:35

Oops I meant to include a warning that the article shows the girls injuries.

OP posts:
CrystalJelly · 13/02/2014 11:37

I read this story last night, and whilst I agree there is no excuse for such awful violence maybe these girls will think twice about bullying or harassing someone in future?

Sounds to me like he'd just had enough and snapped. I feel far more sympathy for him than them I'm afraid.

iliketea · 13/02/2014 11:38

YANBU inasmuch as it's an extreme reaction and no-one deserves to be stabbed obviously.

I've not clicked the link, but I think time likely that the teenager snapped at being bullied (I'm pretty sure it probably wasn't just one incident of name calling) and maybe that teenager was totally let down by a society which does nothing about bullying prevention.(it doesn't excuse the behaviour by any means, but maybe it could explain the reaction).

MeepMeepVrooooom · 13/02/2014 11:41

I agree bullying doesn't justify the actions. However I do think there is probably more to this and there has to be the question of mental health issues and the fact they may have been brought on by repeated bullying that he endured. I think it is often underestimated the affect bullying can have on someone's mental health.

Truthfully I feel sorry for all parties involved here.

KellyElly · 13/02/2014 11:46

Of course it doesn't and he deserves the sentence given to him and more on top imo.

DanceParty · 13/02/2014 11:46

Well, they won't do it again, will they? So, lesson learned.

But the bullied boy will be punished, not them. As usual.

ConfusedPixie · 13/02/2014 11:46

YANBU. But I wonder if he's been through so much and snapped. I was bullied throughout my entire school career. I snapped when I was 13ish and whacked a girl around the head with a half full [plastic] bottle of water after months of abuse from her and her family. That wasn't premeditated but I can see how fantasies of getting revenge can go that far for those who see reality as not worth it any more.

I agree that there is probably much more to this than we can see from the articles.

MoominIsGoingToBeAMumEEEEK · 13/02/2014 11:48

Will be honest... my first thought on reading that was "Maybe they'll think again before they bully someone".

But that's speaking as someone who was horrifically bullied from the age of 3 to the age of 11 for daring to have a brother who died.

According to that they taunted him repeatedly and followed him to the park despite him having thrown water all over him... in his confession he seemed remorseful for it from the wording, yet they haven't shown remorse.

Love the mum's comment, "I feel sorry for the next person who calls him a name". I don't. Maybe they should've been taught them not to call people names?

That said, I'm a heartless bitch today

Original poster
Topaz25 · 13/02/2014 11:48

DanceParty Well if by punished you mean a pathetic joke of a sentence. Don't you think they have been punished enough? Would you feel the same if your daughter was scarred for life for calling someone a name?

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 13/02/2014 11:49

No of course it doesn't justify stabbing someone in the face but when you have been bullied relentlessly something may just snap.....the answer?? Don't be a bully!

My DS was bullied, it was absolutely awful, a really terrible time! It didn't just affect DS, me and DH were in turmoil too. If it had carried on then I may have done something I regretted, not reasonable no, but when you see someone you love being put through the mill you will do anything to make it better.

It's not black or white that's for sure.

brooncoo · 13/02/2014 11:50

I think some bullying totally justifies a violent response.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 13/02/2014 11:50

although to be fair, reading that story - just calling someone a name once is not being bullied, he must just be unhinged! That's not the sort of bullying I was talking about.

OwlCapone · 13/02/2014 11:51

But the bullied boy will be punished, not them. As usual.

Seriously? He flipped, went inside to get a knife and then returned, stabbing one in the face so hard the blade of his vegetable knife broke.

Flicktheswitch · 13/02/2014 11:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Topaz25 · 13/02/2014 11:51

I think he was repeatedly bullied at school but I don't think it was by those girls specifically because they were years younger than him.

OP posts:
SaucyJack · 13/02/2014 11:53

He didn't lead them to the park....... they FOLLOWED him for the sole purpose of harassing him further.

Obviously his response was disproportional, but thems the breaks. The cold, hard fact is it would not have happened if they'd been sat at home with their gobs shut.

KellyElly · 13/02/2014 11:54

I'm actually quite shocked anyone could think this excessively violent reaction is justified or feel sympathetic. What if one of the girls had been killed - he did have a knife after all. It's not like he gave them a slap he beat the shit out of them and used a knife.

OwlCapone · 13/02/2014 11:55

The cold, hard fact is it would not have happened if they'd been sat at home with their gobs shut.

Does that apply to all victims of violent crime?

Original poster
Topaz25 · 13/02/2014 11:55

It wouldn't have happened if he had gone home and stayed home instead of going back out with a knife.

OP posts:
LessMissAbs · 13/02/2014 11:55

YANBU. The 4 year sentence indicates the court certainly didn't agree with the comments that bullying justified it, probably because of the pre-meditation and use of a knife - this was not a sudden snapping and lashing out. Like you OP, I'm horrified by some of the FB comments. It shows the degradation of some sectors of society into a chav circus.

The article doesn't actually mention that the girls bullied him. They could well have done, but that would be speculation. OTOH it could have been an attempt to socialise with him or to engage his attention, however clumsy. His reaction is out of proportion which may indicate MH issues, although if that is the case, it is disappointing that they had not been picked up on and helped before this happened.

OwlCapone · 13/02/2014 11:56

He isn't a boy. He is an adult.
An adult who stabbed a teenage girl in the face.

KellyElly · 13/02/2014 11:57

I think some bullying totally justifies a violent response. Unless someone was trying to stab you then it doesn't justify this response!

MoominIsGoingToBeAMumEEEEK · 13/02/2014 11:57

Kelly what if he'd gone home that night and killed himself? We can play competitive 'what if's until the cows come home, what really matters is the fact of the situation. He's been punished for using excessive force, they deserve no sympathy because they harrassed, bullied and followed him, and show no remorse for their actions.

17leftfeet · 13/02/2014 11:58

He's 19

They were 15&16

Yes it says he was bullied at school but by girls 3 years younger than him -I don't think so

Yes they were being gobby but he went into his flat and got a knife which he then used to attack them -it broke during use so he continued to batter and kick them

4.5 years is not enough!

He's lucky he didn't kill one or both of them

MoominIsGoingToBeAMumEEEEK · 13/02/2014 11:58

LesMiss grabbing someone's shopping bag and calling them 'Harry Potter' is a bit of a weird way of 'socialising' with someone... as is then getting up and following them to the park when they've made it clear (by throwing water over you) that they don't want you to follow.