Pensioner sent to Armsley Prison for campaigning for justice

[Jayneflakes]

I have recently had this campaign brought to my attention and thought that it may be worth sharing on here, especially as many of you lovely people are local to this man and may have more information.

Norman Scarth was born in 1926. He proudly wears the medals he earned fighting against the threat of complete Tyranny. Now in his eighties, his latter years of his retirement have been hijacked by constant harassment and targeting from the authorities. This is the kind of tyranny he and so many others fought - and died fighting against. (And still exist in SO many countries across the world). He is now imprisoned for 6 months and we fear for his welfare (when detained previously he was roughly handled and injured). His ’CRIME’: AUDIO RECORDING IN COURT.

From what I can gather he is campaigning against corruption in Court and is trying to make it possible to bring justice to those who can hide from the law through corporate and legal loopholes. While undertaking this campaign he was reported by his support worker for having a recording device in court and was imprisoned for six months in Armsley Prison, where he is being kept in solitary Confinement and is being kept in poor conditions while being denied his medications.

This is the website (http://victims-unite.net/2011/07/27/wwii-veteran-jailed-for-audio-recording-in-court/) I was sent a link to and have read with growing concern what amounts to a lot of suffering for a political campaigner. Your views are appreciated.

[ravingdavis]

While I agree with what he is trying to do, rules are rules and he knowingly broke them.

You cannot use past heroics as an excuse for getting away with breaking the law.

[garynortheast]

Sometimes in a system that favours those who profit through corruption, it is necessary to break the rules. I recommend reading Henry Thoreaux' essay on civil disobedience.

[Ch00]

People moan at how "nice" prisons are, and now they are horrible places to be. Also your not allowed to record or take photos in court it states this outside every court I have ever been too.

[The Idle Biker]

Its complete and utter bollox. How can you lock an old bloke up for that?

[dizzyblonde]

Trust me, Armley jail is as grim as it gets, and is certainly no place to be putting some old bloke who turned his hearing aid up too much!

[tigersaw]

Hmm, not sure this guy is all together actually.
From his blog he believes that that "this is a ruthless, lawless, murderous & merciless Police State,just as bad as Hitler's Germany or Stalin's Russia, but less honest" - and the rest of it is just a libelous rant.

[fizzwheel]

Its complete and utter bollox. How can you lock an old bloke up for that?

Because he broke the law.

When I did my jury service a while ago, there were plenty of signs up about not taking mobile phones / recording devices into court. The court usher said to us that it was breaking the law to do so and if we were found with a phone even if it was switched off we would be for the high jump.

He explained this numerous times in words of one syllable to make sure we all understood. We were even reminded about it by the judge before the trial started.

I wander if theres more to this story that is being reported by the chaps website. I wander if its not the first time he has done something like this so they've chucked the book at him.

[The Idle Biker]

Because he broke the law.

When I did my jury service a while ago, there were plenty of signs up about not taking mobile phones / recording devices into court. The court usher said to us that it was breaking the law to do so and if we were found with a phone even if it was switched off we would be for the high jump.

He explained this numerous times in words of one syllable to make sure we all understood. We were even reminded about it by the judge before the trial started.

I wander if theres more to this story that is being reported by the chaps website. I wander if its not the first time he has done something like this so they've chucked the book at him.

It's still bollox.

[Bluefish]

Its complete and utter bollox. How can you lock an old bloke up for that?

so we have different rules for old people now? I'm sure they gave him every chance to stop befor it came to this.

[Biker Biggles]

Its complete and utter bollox. How can you lock an old bloke up for that?

The voice of reason once again:D

[Biker Biggles]

so we have different rules for old people now? I'm sure they gave him every chance to stop befor it came to this.

Yes.Too bl00dy right we do.No civilised society sends 86 year old war veterans to jail just because they have gone a bit loopy and upset the judiciary.
Have a bit of respect

[punyXpress]

'cos " the judiciary " have first dibs on loopiness?

[Jayneflakes]

I was hoping to find out the other side of the story. He claims that Amnesty and other Human Rights groups did not want to touch his story, which seems surprising. I am wondering about the legitimacy of his case and it does seem that after his last sentence he was then taken to a secure hospital.

Perhaps he is mentally ill and perhaps he is guilty of these crimes, but solitary confinement in a nasty prison seems harsh, unless he has a history of this stuff and they wanted to teach him a lesson. However, I do think that he has a point over some of the stuff he is campaigning against, although it is a little hard to work through it all and find the actual point he has.

I am still undecided, but am not convinced that hard time is appropriate for some one who needs a support worker.