That picture of the Southport killer

[User09678]

That has been circulating today.

Remember that sweet boy that was in all the reports at the time? The one who looked about nine?

Can anyone think of any other serious criminal who has pictures of them as a child out in the press?

What I did find about odd was the narrative that it was ludicrous to assume in anyway that it was a terrorist attack in the initial stages.

It must have. I am going to bow out of the thread for now. A lot of the posts going round in circles. Thanks for your insights @PeppyGreenFinch.

Such a tragic series of events.

I understand that Keir Starmer was possibly involved in a case involving a group of Rwandan asylum seekers - nearly 30 years ago

That comes as no surprise to me as he was a human rights lawyer long before he became an MP

If it's actually true [there are some doubts about the identity of the asylum seekers involved] it's what is commonly known as a co-incidence

People who read too much into co-incidences are conspiracy theorists or highly superstitious

Humans are very good at looking at evidence that supports their views and also very good at disregarding evidence that rejects their views.

And humans are also very good at reacting emotionally to things that support their views - and social media just makes it much much worse.

I suspect that was because he had been referred and investigated by prevent 3 times and no terrorist links were found.

That’s not focus - that’s factual reporting. Although that is not done all the time.

Do you think it’s impossible for people to carry out a terror attack and have mental health issues.

Oh is that what the Establishment said about the perpetrators of 9/11, 7/7, the Manchester arena bombings and the murder of David Amess?

Could you link please, because I remember no such statements?

He is too young for a full life tariff. Presumably he gets "detained at his Majesty's pleasure". What will he get as a tariff, 25 years? Then out with a new name?

Are Brits seriously that interested in Trump's inauguration? It's a one day event in another country on another continent, and we have no control over any of it. It seems to me it's only people in the London media bubble who'd really be interested in it.

Axel Rudakubana now - his case really has affected us and continues to do so. It was a terrifying photo of him, like something from a horror movie.

I referred to this up thread.

Similar here www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7vddrjjgr0o

Base rates. It's always base rates. Every second online discussion is driven by someone's failure to understand base rates. When I am President Of The World, all children will spend a year studying nothing but base rates.

Male or female? The main predictor for violence is being male, surely. Everything else is subsidiary to that.

The picture is bloody scary but it would only "fuel the right" if you are as thick as pigshit - the guy is clearly mentally ill, we should be angry at how this was not apparent to anyone around him...

I’m not sure it meets anywhere’s definition. I’m not honestly sure if it should. What it does highlight is a gap in what we do when we know or suspect someone is at risk of committing acts of mass murder without an ideology. Hopefully that is what the inquiry will look at.

It does seem to be the UK equivalent of a US school shooter. They don’t seem to have solved the problem of trying to identity them before they kill either and even if parents or teachers do spot signs they help often isn’t there until it is too late.

@JHound I have already made the point that the Plymouth shooter was a shooter so it was like Raul Moat. I don't remember any Islamic terror attacks in the UK involving mass shooting? Have there been any white islamic terrorist attacks? When I've heard about people getting stabbed outside a mosque I have assumed that's far right.

You obviously have these “well researched facts” sorry I mean baseless far-right bullshit allegations at your fingertips. Share them. Evidence - let’s go.

Because whenever I hear a spurious allegation followed by “do your own research”, I know for a fact we’re in wingnut territory. It’s strong in you. I feel it. Must be something nasty in your vape.

Did people say it was ludicrous to assume it was a terrorist attack?

A terrorist attack could not have been ruled out but there were some people who were convinced it was a terrorist attack and nothing anyone said would change that conviction.

Can we add Bayes too?

@BaronessEllarawrosaurus I'm sure that information wasn't released on the day of the attack?

This is not the first crime committed by someone who is severely mentally ill, shows signs of being dangerous but is released into the community for whatever weird reason. I can't understand how it keeps happening. Severely mentally ill people should not be free wondering the streets, for sure!!!

@cakeorwine certainly I saw & heard that.

This.

To me it sounded exactly like a terror act and I already had a deep distrust of the media which deepened when the details released were clearly designed to quell inevitable unrest that an event like this is going to cause. I knew I was being lied to. They think we're stupid and they treat us with contempt.