Gazza sexual assault trial

[Stillmuddlingthrough]

What a gross individual - admitted he kissed her to cheer her up. That's ok then it seems!?!

She didn't want to be kissed by him, yet she's just been told that her wishes are irrelevant.

Grand.

Oops - I meant to add "couldn't have put it better."

Extract from the coverage in the Times

The woman told the court that she had not heard any such taunts being made, describing the kiss as “forceful”.
The jury cleared Mr Gascoigne of sexual assault after accepting his defence that his actions were not motivated by sexual gratification of any sort....
The jury was shown a montage of images of Mr Gascoigne kissing various people including Princess Diana, the footballers Wayne Rooney and Ally McCoist, and the comedian Russell Brand. The boxer Ricky Hatton told the court that Mr Gascoigne was a “larger than life” character who was known for being tactile.
Michelle Heeley, QC, defending, told jurors that while the former footballer had kissed a woman who did not like it, that did not make him a sex offender. She said the kiss lasted two or three seconds, was on a packed train, and was not preceded by any “lecherous comment”, touching or groping

So there we have it - permission for every creep to assault women in the full knowledge that there are barristers out there who can convince juries that this is not sexual.

And this is pretty much why I don't think juries are appropriate for sexual offences.

It leads to totally bogus judgements. Juries can decide they just didn't want to convict this guy because they liked him. Or because they disliked the victim. Or because they're a bunch of misogynistic fuckwits.

And then people crow about justice being done and predatory men being "found innocent".

Utter utter bullshit.

She didn't want to be kissed by him, yet she's just been told that her wishes are irrelevant.

Grand.

This
Unbelievable verdict

What an appalling verdict. Does anyone know whether the judge gave any directions? I cannot believe that on the evidence that has been publicised, a not guilty verdict was arrived at.

Great a man decides if a women should feel she has been sexually assaulted or not

When do we WOMEN get to decide

Same old shit

Not just men though, I've seen drunken girls kissing and groping men. There was a time when some places bared hen parties because of their behaviour.

Oh of course we are not allowed to talk just about sexual assault on women

We have to talk about how men are sexually assaulted too

Even though the crime is overwhelmingly committed by men against women (and girls)

You can blame the much lauded English right to trial by a jury of your peers for this result. In Scotland this would have been heard in front of a Sheriff only and very likely he would have been found guilty.

You mean like this Sheriff who let a sex abuser of a 6 year old girl off with no criminal record or even going on the sex offenders register TooLateThePhalarope ? ?

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sheriff-who-teen-child-abuser-13941254

Perhaps she should have gone for assault and not sexual assault. I have to say sexual assault to me means fondling, groping or worse, possibly this is how the jury thought.

She doesn’t make the decision on what he’s charged with ffs!

Well her solicitor then. The police. I think she would have got more sympathy.

The prosecution made an error going for a sexual assault charge. They should have gone for assault. We kiss friends and family members and our own children so kissing on it's own isn't a sexual act as such.

He invaded her private space, made contact and she felt threatened. That is assault or intent to assault. He may well have been found guilty of that. She's been let down by the prosecution. Notice as well that this was a criminal case? No money grabber or 15 minutes of fame going on here. If that was the case, she'd have gone for a civil case. I don't doubt she was feeling on edge after this happened, I think she did the right thing reporting it. It's really not ok to go around kissing strangers on the lips and dare I say it, more so lone women on a train with not much options to leave the situation

I mat be imagining it but I thought there was still an assault charge in play. I’ll try to see.

Disgusting. Sexual or not it was still an assault.

@RJnomore1 the report I saw yesterday said he'd been cleared of both sexual assault and common assault

When I knew someone charged with sexual assault, the CPS went with both sexual assault and common assault. Makes sense, like levels of murder/manslaughter or GBH/ABH. Or even rapists also charged with assault as a separate offence etc. Means they're more likely to be found guilty of something, doesn't it?

Wonder why that isn't common practice...?

Oh bugger, should have refreshed!

You’re right, I think I saw a breaking news that the sexual assault had been not guilty but the other was still being considered.

Bloody shocking. The inconsistency of the legal system is horrendous

It’s the classic “too ugly to rape” defence. Works every time.

What’s worrying is that now there is now a legal precedent for this kind of defence.

There's a real lack of foresight when a fat and ugly bloke uses the "too fat/ugly to hurt" defence though. Especially a famous one who would be recognised easily. Should anyone decide on vigilante justice (not that I condone that!), I hope the fact he is too fat and ugly for his feelings to matter is remembered.

Meh, who am I kidding.

Disgusting individual yes we all want to be slobbered over by a drunk ex footballer that poor woman and some of the comments I read on stv news from Gazza fans are not worth repeating !