[BITList] Fwd: Ten-year-old faces court action after sick attack ongoose in Newsham Park - Liverpool Local News - News - Liverpool Echo

[HUGH]

Mike,

As you say, where are we going?  I note with interest that a man detained 
the little thugs until the police arrived, and that they didn't question him 
or threaten him with arrest. This highlights a difference between English 
and Scots law. Our church was attracting vandals who sported themselves on 
the sloping roof, sliding down it. One day the minister collared a couple of 
them and detained them till the police arrived. They  were more interested 
in the fact he had detained them than the reason for detaining them.  They 
"let him off" with a warning. As far as I recall, bugger all was done to the 
vandals.  In Scots law there is no such thing as "citizen's arrest". This 
was made clear to me by the more senior of two policemen who had reponded to 
a call I'd made about a matter. I'd muttered to them that the next time so 
an so did such and such I'd have him. Away they went to deliver a warning to 
the person, but the junior of the two came back. "We're not having this 
conversation, OK? Don't hit the bastard too hard, and make sure you've got a 
witness." Upon which he departed.

Hugh.