'I was only obeying instructions'
I listened to the statement made by the father of Millie Dowler yesterday - after the evil scumbag who murdered his daughter - Levi Bellfield - was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail.
Bob Dowler - and his wife Sallly - felt that they and their daughter had been treated unfairly by the court process - and said so plainly.
Because the court allowed Levi Bellfield - through his lawyer - to subject Millie's parents to intrusive, irrelevant and unecessary questioning - about their private lives.
Now the justice system is clearly run by intelligent, thoughtful people - but they seem to me to lack a degree of common sense.
Presumably the court allowed such questioning - in order to be seen to give the accused a fair trial - and for justice to be seen to be done.
And presumably Bellfield's lawyer pursued this intrusive, ridiculous line of questioning - on the instructions of his client - who turned out to be a murdering, merciless sociopath.
But I don't buy this business of lawyers having to do their client's bidding - at all times - regardless of the circumstances.
To my mind the defence lawyer and the court had a wider duty - to consider the relevance and reasonableness of what was going on - and to intervene if necessary.
As things turned out Levi Bellfield refused to return to court to hear his sentence - and face his accusers.
So much for justice being seen to be done.
I can't imagine this being allowed in other countries - in America, for example - where I'm sure Levi Bellfield would have been brought into court - whether he liked it or not.
Gagged and shackled - if necessary.
That's my idea of justice in action.
Bob Dowler - and his wife Sallly - felt that they and their daughter had been treated unfairly by the court process - and said so plainly.
Because the court allowed Levi Bellfield - through his lawyer - to subject Millie's parents to intrusive, irrelevant and unecessary questioning - about their private lives.
Now the justice system is clearly run by intelligent, thoughtful people - but they seem to me to lack a degree of common sense.
Presumably the court allowed such questioning - in order to be seen to give the accused a fair trial - and for justice to be seen to be done.
And presumably Bellfield's lawyer pursued this intrusive, ridiculous line of questioning - on the instructions of his client - who turned out to be a murdering, merciless sociopath.
But I don't buy this business of lawyers having to do their client's bidding - at all times - regardless of the circumstances.
To my mind the defence lawyer and the court had a wider duty - to consider the relevance and reasonableness of what was going on - and to intervene if necessary.
As things turned out Levi Bellfield refused to return to court to hear his sentence - and face his accusers.
So much for justice being seen to be done.
I can't imagine this being allowed in other countries - in America, for example - where I'm sure Levi Bellfield would have been brought into court - whether he liked it or not.
Gagged and shackled - if necessary.
That's my idea of justice in action.
