The death of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs this week led to lots of historical footage likening him to a modern day Robin Hood. In fact he was just an East End thug who robbed from the rich and kept if for him-bloody-self.
A dead git now, but still a git
This has brought to mind other bits of crime related trivia
US FACT 1
The total US deaths from all wars since the Declaration of Independence – WWII, Vietnam, Korea – Everything, is fewer than the total killed by gun crime since 1950.
And yet the National Rifle Association still claim the right to bear weapons based on a mis-quote of an amendment to the US constitution.
Simple sods
US FACT 2
The US has 5% of the global population but has 25% of the global prison population
There’s clearly something very wrong with the US legal system here and things must surely be changed.
Conversely, let’s focus on a few UK legal points
UK FACT 1
As a 17 year old, some friends and I mounted a night time raid – approaching at night with car headlights turned out, and stole a 3 foot high Frog Crossing road sign. One of only two signs in the country marking the site of an annual frog crossing between two streams
We featured as Cruel Thieves in a local newspaper but were never apprehended. The Statute of Limitations now applies so I will never be charged, but I’d now quite like to be.
There’d be something slightly cool about a criminal record for frog related crimes
UK FACT 2
For centuries, there was a crime in the UK of ‘Being an Incorrigible Rogue’
That would also be a remarkably cool criminal record to have. However, without anyone even telling me it was there, that crime was quietly removed from the Statute Book earlier this year so I can no longer commit it.
Clearly, there’s something right about UK Law and it just shouldn’t be messed with
I feel sure someone out there can suggest a harmless and, yet entertaining item for a criminal record that I can aim for now
davedawsonhaswaytoomuchtimeonhishands 