Simon Walsh has been acquitted of the charges of possessing obscene images. This was one of those nasty illiberal laws brought in by the previous government that criminalises people for taking and circulating pictures of themselves conducting activities that are, themselves, perfectly legal.
It didn’t take the jury long to reach a verdict, so I’m wondering if there was a bit of jury nullification going on. After all, if we look at what Walsh possessed, then he was clearly in breach of the law – irrespective of the law being an ass here as the wording is so subjective that it could apply to pretty much anything that the Victorian prudes would have had a fit of the vapours over. The law is wrong and should be repealed. If juries continue to use common sense and reach “not guilty” verdicts, the law will be unenforceable. This will be a good thing. I just wish more juries would do this with other illiberal laws when people are brought before them.
Meanwhile, Walsh has lost his job and been unable to practice because he indulges in a sexual lifestyle that the law disapproves of even though it is not itself illegal. The process has been the punishment for him. How dare he indulge in non-vanilla activities, eh?
The other thing here is someone, somewhere snitched, didn’t they? How else were the images that were not kept on his own or his work computer discovered by the police?
anal fisting, a sexual practice which is legal
Who knew ? Or wanted to know….or *shudder* needed to know.
Thanks LR for luring me onto the blog at this time of night, conjuring up such images afore I sleep and risking the sanctity of my dreams. Thanks A LOT !!! 🙁
Anytime 😉
On a more serious note, if the last government hadn’t followed its illiberal instincts and pandered to a one-woman campaign, this illiberal and deeply nasty law would never have been enacted and we would not be discussing it. Not to mention Mr Walsh having his life ruined.
Well, quite. His activities were…for all intents and purposes…behind closed doors and did not frighten any horses. Shame that can’t be said for certain others indulgences nowadays, frankly.
Did they care about the win, though? These days, the process is the punishment. And they’ve sent a message to people, haven’t they?
I hope you don’t mind this link to a very good appraisal of the case.
http://heresycorner.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-acquittal-of-simon-walsh-at.html