Adam Johnson

[Reg Smeeton]

He's not exactly your Jimmy Savile grade nonce.

Just to be pedantic, I don't think you can be a nonce until you're banged up for a sex crime. As far as a I know Savile was never convicted of anything and even less done time for such.

Ergo, Johnson who presumably will get a custodial sentence is more of a nonce than Savile?

[Ells]

Just to be pedantic, I don't think you can be a nonce until you're banged up for a sex crime. As far as a I know Savile was never convicted of anything and even less done time for such.

Ergo, Johnson who presumably will get a custodial sentence is more of a nonce than Savile?

"nonce" is not the De Rigueur term in the prison I work at, but I can assure you that the term/it's analogous epithets are applied (by inmates, at least) regardless of conviction or legal status.

[DMR]

At the risk of copping more abuse, I can't be the only one who thinks 5-10yrs for fingering a (willing) 15yo is a bit harsh. Can I?

Yes he's obviously a complete fucktard, and he's got to do some time, but that's a seriously long stint.

*reaches for tin hat*

[Talk Talk]

At the risk of copping more abuse, I can't be the only one who thinks 5-10yrs for fingering a (willing) 15yo is a bit harsh. Can I?

Yes he's obviously a complete fucktard, and he's got to do some time, but that's a seriously long stint.

*reaches for tin hat*

No, I agree with you Dave.

You do seriously need a tin hat.

For what it is worth and being who I am (!) it is harsh as fifteen is very close to sixteen. If two fifteen year olds have sex then it is not illegal as they are both under the age of consent (I believe). From the other direction, he is what, 28? That is just stupid. If he wanted a young bit of stuff there must be plenty of eighteen year olds who would part their thighs at the drop of a name for him. Not a problem at all. Well, unless you are Nile.

A year in clink would be my sentence

[Reg Smeeton]

At the risk of copping more abuse, I can't be the only one who thinks 5-10yrs for fingering a (willing) 15yo is a bit harsh. Can I?

Yes he's obviously a complete fucktard, and he's got to do some time, but that's a seriously long stint.

*reaches for tin hat*

If you can't do the time don't do the crime...I know a kiddy who was 19, did it with a 15 year old, got 2 years. A Town fan, not the brightest, his excuse, probably quite rightly, didn't realise there was an age of consent.

Johnson, was 27 or so, knew what he was doing, took a chance on jailbait, and lost. Time to face the consequences.

[Mrs Brown]

Let's face it, Adam Johnson is not exactly intelligent or educated, is he? 
1. He had to google the age of consent in his own country.
2. He then chose to ignore it.
Deserves everything he's got coming to him, in my opinion.

[Don Rogers Sock]

At the risk of copping more abuse, I can't be the only one who thinks 5-10yrs for fingering a (willing) 15yo is a bit harsh. Can I?

Yes he's obviously a complete fucktard, and he's got to do some time, but that's a seriously long stint.

*reaches for tin hat*

Usually I kind of see what you are saying but looking at the messages etc she wasn't like that at all.He clearly groomed her

[RedRag]

If you can't do the time don't do the crime...I know a kiddy who was 19, did it with a 15 year old, got 2 years. A Town fan, not the brightest, his excuse, probably quite rightly, didn't realise there was an age of consent.

Johnson, was 27 or so, knew what he was doing, took a chance on jailbait, and lost. Time to face the consequences.

Johnson was more than a chancer - he was additionally in a position of trust vis a vis the young fan, not exactly akin to a doctor: patient relationship but with some additional responsibility given an additional vulnerability of the 15 year old fan.  

For me, it's about age difference when it comes to "children" and also at that sort of age, how equal or not is the relationship.

In terms of the illegality, young women mature at different ages. For the law to specify an age is really random and Ibrahimovic could legally lay all the 15 year old Parisiennes he liked as that is the age of consent there.  Can't imagine that's what one would want for one's own daughter if one paid for a mascot experience at PSG?

2 years for your 19 year old sounds very harsh indeed to me but even then the circumstances must be relevant.  The precious child doesn't overnight on her 16th birthday leave childhood to become adult.  I believe Canadian law reflects some of these nuances.

[Tails]

They have "Romeo and Juliet" laws in the states too. Not sure of the exact ins and outs, but I think if two underage kids are in a relationship and one becomes legal, they would be protected by the law. I'm pretty sure nothing like this exists in the UK, but I'd like to think common sense would prevail in most cases.

[Chubbs]

As wrong as AJ is, the 15 year old is hardly an innocent party in all this.

[horlock07]

They have "Romeo and Juliet" laws in the states too. Not sure of the exact ins and outs, but I think if two underage kids are in a relationship and one becomes legal, they would be protected by the law. I'm pretty sure nothing like this exists in the UK, but I'd like to think common sense would prevail in most cases.

Probably not the best turn of phrase in this situation!

[horlock07]

As wrong as AJ is, the 15 year old is hardly an innocent party in all this.

It's incredibly difficult to comment if one hasn't sat through the trial, the exchanges of texts seem to suggest that the lass had an idea of what was going one, yet (understandably) the prosecution and subsequent statements seem to have suggested she was a naive and innocent convent girl? Equally the jury didn't believe certain parts of her story anyway, hence the non-guilty finding to the second charge.

Ultimately I get the impression that Johnson is extremely immature and too much too young and all that! In no way does it constitute any excuse, but the fact that he even had to look up the age of consent thing suggests at best incredibly naive and most likely incredibly stupid.

[Ells]

As wrong as AJ is, the 15 year old is hardly an innocent party in all this.

Um, yes she is.
Fuck me, people making excuses for a man who was nearly 30 grooming and taking advantage of a child. I should be surprised but I'm not unfortunately.

[herthab]

As wrong as AJ is, the 15 year old is hardly an innocent party in all this.

If she's not innocent, what's she guilty of? Even if she gave him the come on, stripped naked in front of him and made all the running (Which she didn't) she was 15. He knew she was 15 and therefore out of bounds.

[Ells]

Sport on herthab.

There will always be an argument that the age of consent is arbitrary: it has to be, really, otherwise it'd have to be abolished all together. The disturbing part of his conduct transcends that arbitrary line.

He manipulated someone much younger than him. Whether consciously or not, he had a power over her and he used it in order to gain sexual gratification. That is fundamentally WRONG. Imagine if it was your daughter, for god's sake.

Also, a lot of people who have relationships with underage people are very immature. But being thick and naive is never used as an excuse for any other crime, is it? "Oh you robbed a bank, but because you're a fucking idiot we should give you a lesser sentence." It's a ridiculous argument. Particularly when, as mentioned, he googled the bloody age of consent, so he can hardly claim ignorance of the fact!