The Telegraph reports an interesting case that came to court over a man who washed a kid's mouth out with soap (a rather popular Victorian punishment for "potty mouths"), and the mother's reaction not accepting that her son had done wrong.
Here is the article in full:
"A man washed a child's mouth out with soap after the youngster swore at him and tried to kick an old man's walking stick, a court heard.
Ryan Birtwell, 23, spotted the six-year-old's behaviour in a park near his home and confronted him.Birtwell had seen the boy kick an elderly man's cane and told him to stop - but the youth told him to "f*** off" and called him a "gay boy", a court heard.
Birtwell then walked into a nearby shop and bought a three pack of soap and pinned the boy down and stuck a bar in his mouth.
The boy told his family about the incident on April 11 in Washington, Sunderland, and they contacted police.
Birtwell pleaded guilty to assault at Sunderland Magistrates' Court and was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.It seems to me jamming a bar of soap into a kid's mouth is a lot less violent than the scenes we witness everyday on beaches, supermarkets etc; where parents scream foul abuse at their screaming kids, in the deluded expectation that this will somehow calm them down and restore discipline.
Jason Smith, mitigating, said: "Ryan is walking along the road minding his own business.
"He is a young man who is very affable. He sees the boy run across to an old gentleman with a stick and tries to kick the stick away.
"He remonstrates with him to which the boy - who the police, I have to say, accept that he is slightly out of control and perhaps not the best of young individuals - says to Ryan to f*** off.
"Ryan says to him to stop swearing and when he doesn't he says back 'stop swearing or I will wash your mouth with soap,' something that used to happen in the good old days.
"He fully accepts in hindsight that that was not the best way to react. All Ryan was trying to do was teach the little boy some manners. Unfortunately, manners are in short supply nowadays."
The court on Wednesday heard that a witness said Birtwell, of Washington, had been called a "gay boy" by the youth.
The witness heard Birtwell say he was going to buy some soap and "wash his mouth out with it".
Prosecutor Glenda Beck said: "The injured party was playing in the park which is close to his home address. The defendant approached him and there was an exchange of words.
"The defendant went to a shop and returned with a bar of soap. He pinned the injured party down to the floor and pushed the bar of soap into his mouth."
Speaking after the hearing the boy's mother said: "Things are not as bad as have been said.
"I admit that my son swore and he was wrong for that, but like I said to the police at the time, kids do that kind of thing.
"At the end of the day, he is a 23-year-old bloke who has assaulted a six-year-old. The sentence is a joke."
Peter Bradley, director of Kidscape, which tackles bullying and safeguarding issues in relation to children, said both Birtwell and the boy could learn a lesson.
He said: "I think the main message that people should take from this case is that adults are adults and they should act appropriately when dealing with children.
"If a child is acting in the wrong manner then it has to be dealt with in the appropriate ways.
"In this instance, without doubt Ryan was wrong, but hopefully some support has been put in place so that this boy can learn from his actions too."
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"I admit that my son swore and he was wrong for that, but like I said to the police at the time, kids do that kind of thing."
ReplyDeleteNot if they are taught the difference between right and wrong! If I'd done such a thing at that age I wouldn't have dared tell my mum and dad about the soap incident as, instead of reporting Mr Birtwell to the Old Bill, they'd have punished ME far more severely for my appalling behaviour! It must also be said that the authorities didn't waste time and money prosecuting people like Mr Birtwell in those days: they used that almost obsolete quality, common sense!
"At the end of the day, he is a 23-year-old bloke who has assaulted a six-year-old. The sentence is a joke."
Hardly assault, Mr Birtwell was trying to protect an elderly man. I agree the sentence was a joke! It should never have gone to court, and the magistrates should have thrown the case out! All the boy has learnt is that if he does something wrong he can get away with it, and anyone who tries to correct him will be punished! Meanwhile,for trying to protect an elderly man, Mr Birtwell is not only out of pocket, but (unjustly) now has a criminal record which may well be detrimental in respect of his future career. Ludicrous!