0 "You may take him down," - Rolf Harris jailed

Disgraced Australian entertainer Rolf Harris has been jailed for five years and nine months. The Sydney Morning Herald reports:

Veteran Australian entertainer Rolf Harris has been sentenced to five years and nine months in jail but will be eligible for release after serving half of that term for the indecent assault of four girls aged between eight and 19 in a dramatic sentencing hearing in London overnight.
In a sensational climax to the trial of the former popular showman, Harris received a blistering rebuke from  judge Nigel Sweeney who told him he had shown ‘‘no remorse’’.

‘‘You have done many good and charitable works ...   but the verdicts of the jury show that in the period of 1969 to 1986 you were also a sex offender.
‘‘You took advantage of the trust placed in you because of your celebrity status to commit the offences against three of your victims. (In another) you committed (the offence) in breach of the trust her parents placed in you.
‘‘You clearly got a thrill from committing the offences while others were present or nearby. Your reputation now is in tatters ...  you have been stripped of your honours and you have no-one to blame but yourself.’’

In detailing his sentence, the judge said he had ‘‘caused psychological damage’’ and the alcoholism of one victim and that ‘‘you took her childhood innocence’’ of another.
While he sentenced Harris to terms ranging from 6 months to 15 months on the 12 counts, many of them were to be served concurrently. Justice Sweeney said he would have imposed a higher sentence but was constrained by the law as it was at the time of the offences.
The judge said there were factors to be considered in mitigating the term, including his wife’s Alwen’s ill health, and the ability to spend the twilight years of his life with his family.
Harris showed no emotion as the sentence was read. 

That last comment typifies this whole case. Harris has shown little emotion throughout, and he has certainly shown no remorse towards his many victims, nor has he taken responsibility for his actions.

We have no sympathy for Rolf Harris. He made his choices, and he must now accept the consequences. We do not in any way condone any sexual assaults or inappropriate behaviour towards children or young women. But nor do we feel compelled to apologise on behalf of our species.

Harris has been found guilty by a jury of doing the crimes, and now he must do the time. He will be remembered as a man who used his privileged position for self-gratification, without a care for the feelings of those he abused. As the cell door slams shut behind him tonight, we hope that he understands that it is not only his own life he has destroyed.

0 How much is too much?

There's a non-story doing the rounds today concerning the streaker at the rugby in Dunedin on Saturday night. The usual suspects are suggesting the actions of the security guard involved to be over-vigorous. Here's the incident for you to judge for yourselves:

Was this an over-the-top reaction? We don't think so. And those going off on talkback radio about boofhead security guards (and yes, there are a few) might be interested to know that this particular guard is a university student looking to pay for his studies by working part-time. He's also a very good rugby player on the verge of representative honours.

Stuff has been running a poll this morning; here are the results at the moment:

We have very little sympathy for the streaker. Idiots who run onto sports fields are the only ones responsible for any consequences that follow. That is heightened should the idiot, as happened in this case, get close to the players.

The guards have one concern; to get the person off the field as quickly as possible, by whatever means possible. Instead of blaming the guard for doing his job, let's focus on the pillock who made it necessary for the guard to intervene.