Four years for fire crew attack
Fire engine
The crew was pelted with rocks and bottles during the riot
A teenager who was identified as the ringleader of a mob which attacked a fire crew and yelled sectarian abuse has been given four years' detention.

Martin Wason, 19, was convicted last month of four assaults and breach of the peace, all caused by religious prejudice, in Coatbridge.

He and 17 other youths threw bottles, stones and fence posts at the crew as they fought a school fire.

One fireman was off work for three weeks after the riot in December 2003.

Passing sentence at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Sheriff Alfred Vannet told Wason: "You were the ringleader of a prolonged and serious attack on members of the emergency services in their line of duty.

'Exceptional sentences'

"Courts will mark offences of this nature with exceptional sentences and I only just find it within my powers to deal with you rather than remit the case to the High Court for sentence.

"It must have been a very frightening experience for the firefighters, who sadly have changed their approach to the job."

The crew had been called to tackle a significant blaze at Carnbroe Primary School when the trouble began.


Brian Sweeney
Firefighters work to protect our communities so why on earth someone thinks it is a good idea to attack them defies belief
Brian Sweeney
Strathclyde chief fire officer

Leading firefighter John Kearney told a six-day trial that the youths were shouting and swearing, calling the them the "Queen's 11".

The crowd sang Irish Republican songs then threw missiles including fenceposts dug up from gardens.

One fireman was hit on the face by a bottle, another was struck on the face by stones and a third was on crutches after being kicked on a knee.

During the attack, the youths shouted that the crew should be ashamed of being Catholics but working for the Queen.

Wason, of Southfield Crescent, Greenend, Coatbridge, claimed that the riot began after he was pushed and kicked in the chest by Mr Kearney.

The trial also heard that the crew made four calls to the police for assistance but that it took 55 minutes for them to arrive.

CCTV trial

Brigade chiefs have been concerned about a rise in the number of attacks on firefighters.

CCTV cameras have been installed on fire engines on a trial basis, leading to at least one conviction of people who assaulted the crew.

Strathclyde's chief fire officer Brian Sweeney welcomed the sentence and said he hoped it acted as a deterrent.

"I think the courts have sent a very clear message today that this is totally unacceptable," Mr Sweeney said.

"Firefighters in our communities are facing enough risks with the incidents they have to deal with.

"Firefighters work to protect our communities so why on earth someone thinks it is a good idea to attack them defies belief."

Same is happening to paramedics responding to emergency calls (seriously WTF?!).

Its very sad...

People seem to see the emergency services as easy targets for some reason. The whole lot of them should carry some form of weaponry to lay the buggers out....or (along the lines of the thread title) they could each carry a noose and hang them from the back of the vehicle...




[Edited on 12/4/05 by flak monkey]

4 years???? he,l be out in 2 or less,should nail him and his mates to the fence and threw that on the fire as well

Wait till it's their house on fire then refuse to attend it, this kind of thing in the name of religion is a mockery. They should be tried for treason if they claim it's because the fire crew work for the Queen. The hanging penalty is still applicable for that I believe. I wonder how many of them go to church regularly anyway.

some people in this world just make you sick

Don't kill them to quikly, let them suffer first (for a vey long while).

That or this country needs a colosseum and hungry lions to feed.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Peteff
Wait till it's their house on fire then refuse to attend it, this kind of thing in the name of religion is a mockery. They should be tried for treason if they claim it's because the fire crew work for the Queen. The hanging penalty is still applicable for that I believe. I wonder how many of them go to church regularly anyway.

---

equally daft, they would probably have got sued or prosecuted if they had turned the hose on them...

Oh how easy it is to find the scum bag with the net...........

funny place to put a prison!

atb

steve

my mate got 4 years for causing death by dangerous driving the other day... shame, he's a nice guy and wasnt totally to blame.

There was a child killed in Scotland recently with an airgun, IIRC the kid was caught in the crossfire as the gunman was firing at some firemen, there's another one who I hope is "Bubba's little puppy now"

"Flog em" thats what I say, alternatively flog em on ebay for spares, Hearts Kidneys, Livers the whole shebang.

Hey! we could have a locost Frankensteins monster builders website: as with all projects certain components are going to be rare i.e. brains but with enough input we could do some sort of workaround on a megasquirt or something ;-)

I have the heart of a liberal.
In a jar on my desk!

The little s**t will be out in six months!!! and will probably be sent on holiday while inside!

When are people going to realise that rehabilitaion doesn't work in fighting crime?

However I would say that I do not beleive hanging would be a suitable punishment in this case...... being locked in a burning building however........?

Brand the turds! Either a firebrand or freeze brand (same as the dairy moo-cows ID numbers) right in the middle of the forehead; "R" for Rapist. "C" for child molester, "F" for (manic) fundamentalist, "H" for hooligan and "M" for murderer etc. then watch the turds try and do something as mundane as nip into a shop for a pint of milk.
Human nature is not very forgiving and the culprits would forever lead a life of persecution and misery. Who knows, some lads on a street corner may even stone them some night.

The sad thing is that fire crews up and down the country regularly get abused and attacked and it doesnt make the papers.
My fire engine recently had to have a new windscreen fitted after some low life shot at it with an air rifle. No one was hurt fortunately but it never gt any press coverage.

My Prime reason for my extreme dislike of Dundee. Service workers all get it from the scum. Stones bricks and spat on are the three that spring to mind.
Should arm the firefighters with paint ball guns with the same ink they use for elections in 3 world countries(you have to use acid to get it off)
Then all the idiots could be identified and sorted out. Taken to a remote island of the west coast and dropped off.

I can see this country would be just right for strict islamic law, cutting of the right hands of thieves etc.

did anyone notice the sentence the other day?


guy runs amok one night in north of england and sexually assaults 4 women.

he bit the tongue off one.

judge gave him life

described him as a very dangerous man

and recommended he serve at least 5 1/2 years.


WTF!!!!!!!!!





atb

steve

[Edited on 13/4/05 by stephen_gusterson]

Judge robert brown also recently jailed another man for only 2 years, for a pair of sexual assaults on two sleeping women. He seems to have a problem handing out proper sentances.

The man steve mentions should have a genuine life sentance. Why can these judges not see this? They are ignorant fools.