thirdcrank wrote:Here's a bit more about the defence's closing speech eg
.......................After summing up, Judge Wendy Joseph told the Old Bailey jury: “It’s hard to think of a case that’s more likely to rouse your emotions. A young man who was 18 at the time. A woman in her 40s with her life ahead of her.
“Put to one side feelings of emotion, feelings of sympathy, feelings of revulsion, feelings of prejudice.”
http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/cr ... -1-5157690
Oh yes? - well, that's what she said, but I for one believe that it was an attempt to instruct the exact opposite and to foster feelings of prejudice and revulsion and possibly a bit of sexism in what she doesn't say. She'll also be a motorist. Judges have more power that they'll admit - to me this is dreadful. But that's just me - my opinion - I'm a long way away, wasn't there - just as the judge wasn't there on the street when it happened.
Personally I'm not happy about the rider having no front brake - for both legal and practical reasons - but I've had several occasions when pedestrians have stepped out within inches of me. Luckily I've not hit anyone (yet - and fingers crossed).