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Gowser Assaults Tony Fitzpatrick


Wilbur

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My earlier post is very much in tune with what you've said here.

What irks me, though, is when the "string 'im up" brigade get on their bloody high horses without having access to all the facts.

Am I missing something here.

The man pleaded GUILTY to assaulting a police officer for the second time.

I'm not sure why you think that under those circumstances there should be criticism of those wanting him punished.

What other facts do you want here?

BTW FWIW, I'd expect him to be hit with community service of about 200 hours and a £500 fine or thereabouts unless he caused serious injury. I also expect he'll be fined around 2 weeks wages by the club and possibly the SFA for bringing the game into disrepute. 3 punishments seems harsh but it's always been that way in football.

Edited by oaksoft
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Am I missing something here.

The man pleaded GUILTY to assaulting a police officer for the second time.

I'm not sure why you think that under those circumstances there should be criticism of those wanting him punished.

What other facts do you want here?

BTW FWIW, I'd expect him to be hit with community service of about 200 hours and a £500 fine or thereabouts unless he caused serious injury. I also expect he'll be fined around 2 weeks wages by the club and possibly the SFA for bringing the game into disrepute. 3 punishments seems harsh but it's always been that way in football.

Some people are demanding that he be sacked and jailed.

A sense of proportion is required.

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This must be a fishing trip.  he pled guilty to police assault for the second time, which is a very bad thing.  That is pretty much the whole story, he should be sacked if he goes to jail for this and seriously disciplined by the club and the soccer authorities if he avoids the pokey

Exactly.

That is the full story, there's no trial, we will hear no more about the incident itself.

He will now be sentenced. He deserves prison in my opinion, shocking behaviour.

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Yeah, I would lose my job if I had done the same. Being drunk is not an excuse, and at 26 he's not a wee boy any more.

Will be very interesting to see what the club do. I can't help but cynically think that, if it had been a reserve player, his contract would be quietly terminated a couple of months down the line.

Depressing stuff.

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For all those baying that McGowan should get the jail, is it safe to assume that you have been appraised of the full facts of this situation?

As for the line that he pleaded guilty etc., WTF else was he likely to do? Any solicitor worth his or her salt would have advised him to plead guilty in the circumstances. Let's see....

He was charged with police assault, presumably the principal witnesses were police officers, and he has form in this regard. Oh aye, of course he would be pleading not guilty!

Now here's a thing, and I'm only putting this out there as an alternative twist. So McGowan has a previous conviction for police assault. He won't be popular with the local constabulary, one wouldn't have thought - not if he has previously assaulted one of their own. Made himself a potential target for special attention? A soft target, even? Perhaps it wouldn't take much to make a wee example of the guy. Just saying like....

Now, let me reiterate, I am NOT suggesting that there is anything whatsoever in the above scenario, but need it be any less plausible than an alternative scenario (equally invented, on the basis of no factual backing) that would justify calling for the guy to be jailed and sacked? A few folk a bit quick to judge on here, in my humble opinion.

Edited by Drew
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Holier than thou?

Wonder if you'd be saying that if it was your brother or your father he had kicked the shite out of.

FFS football fans can be selfish as f**k sometimes.

I'm saying this as someone who has applied, taken fitness and aptitude tests, been interviewed and harbours an ongoing ambition to be a police officer.

Also, I don't have a brother, and don't reckon wee Gowser could take my da' in a month of Sundays.

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This passage from the BBC report is interesting:

He had not guilty pleas accepted to kicking Special Constable Martine McNee on the body and acting in a threatening and abusing manner likely to cause fear and alarm.

So someone must have accused him of kicking a female officer and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, yet they couldn't pin this on him. That's a curious one.

Moreover, if he wasn't acting in a threatening and abusing manner when kicking out at the other officers, you have to wonder how much intent he had to genuinely cause harm. Did he think he was defending himself? I don't know, but it does introduce an interesting slant, no?

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He's been a very silly lad, but I think in general the courts are more lenient towards footballers because of the impact on their careers. Probably wrongly, but that's the way it is and from a st mirren point of view I hope that's the case. He's a very good player. Maybe the club should give him an ultimatum. Players have done worse and continued playing. Cantona launched himself at a spectator and he played again.

There's a couple of players in England, Lee Hughes and Luke McCormick, who've both returned to playing after serving time for killing people, 2 kids in the latter's case, in car-driving tragedies.

It's a little OTT to suggest if McGowan is jailed then his career is over.

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Guest somner9

The. Desk sergeant who booked bowser in said in court "As a serving police officer I can only say if I done what McGowser did I,d be on a bonus and in front of the promotions board"

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Nile Rogers wrote an old disco classic in 'We Are Family' as far as i'm concerned he is family. So this is your child what do you do ? Obviously the club and his own parents will have been feeding Gowser double layered tongue sandwiches in all directions unfortunately he will need to put up wiith the forum pish for a few days. Stupid ok could have done better , but he is family as far as i'm concerned . Bed early , no Celtic games or tv for the next 6 month.

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This passage from the BBC report is interesting:

 

He had not guilty pleas accepted to kicking Special Constable Martine McNee on the body and acting in a threatening and abusing manner likely to cause fear and alarm.

 

So someone must have accused him of kicking a female officer and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, yet they couldn't pin this on him. That's a curious one.

 

Moreover, if he wasn't acting in a threatening and abusing manner when kicking out at the other officers, you have to wonder how much intent he had to genuinely cause harm.  Did he think he was defending himself?  I don't know, but it does introduce an interesting slant, no?

Eh let's get real here. I know we like the guy as a footballer, but come January he will have 2 convictions for assaulting police officers.

Speculating about the circumstances is pointless. If there was any doubt about his guilt his lawyer would have advised him to plead not guilty. Don't forget that the police office where the incident happened will have captured it all on CCTV.

I will no doubt still cheer the next time he scores a goal for us, but I think it's natural to think less of him.

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No one seems to have mentioned the fact that Kirk Broadfoot was convicted of an assault, which left his victim with a fractured jaw, at an amateur football game, in 2005. After sentencing Kirk was ordered to pay £750 compensation,was given 200 hours community service and 12 months probation.

I have no idea of the details of Gowser's police assault but the damage done is unlikely to be worse than that inflicted by Broadfoot.

Edited by smcc
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