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news
Police tape (CC licensed by freefotouk on Flickr)Nine-year-old boy sustains neck injury after cycling into rope stretched across path
A nine-year-old boy has sustained a neck injury after cycling into a rope stretched across a path in woodlands in Kent, causing him to fall off his bike.
Kent Police, who are treating the case as one of attempted grievous bodily harm, are carrying out forensic tests on the rope as part of their investigation.
The incident happened at around 5.30pm on Saturday 19 June in woodlands near Wateringbury Road, East Malling, which is close to Maidstone.
Anyone who has information about the incident is asked to call police on 01622 604100 quoting reference 46/106535/21, or the charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Inspector Elizabeth Jones of Kent Police said: “This incident is being investigated as a case of attempted GBH as the child could have sustained far more serious injuries as a result of this callous act. Thankfully his injuries were not more severe.
“In addition to sending the rope for forensic testing PCSOs have been patrolling the area in an effort to deter further offences and also look out for similar hazards.
“It may be that this was a poorly thought-out prank that went wrong and it would be advisable that the person responsible comes forward to explain their actions.”
As we pointed out last month in a report on traps being laid for cyclists in a park in Glasgow, police often use the word “prank” to describe such incidents, even though they are clearly put there in an attempt to cause injury.
> Glasgow “pensioners” admit laying traps for cyclists in park
There is also an assumption at times – not referred to in this instance – that such traps are laid by youths, although when perpetrators have been caught, they often turn out to be far older.
Since the first national lockdown began in March last year, we have seen increasing numbers of reports of booby traps including barbed wire, tree branches and even planks of wood studded with nails being set on trails and paths popular with cyclists.
Last year, press watchdog the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) rejected complaints regarding a column in The Sunday Times by Rod Liddle in which he wrote that he found it “tempting” to “tie piano wire at neck height across the road” to target cyclists, with the regulator saying that the article did not infringe the Editors’ Code of Practice.
> Press watchdog rejects complaints over Rod Liddle “piano wire” column
The Sunday Times had earlier said in response to complaints from the charity Cycling UK, broadcaster Ned Boulting and barrister James M Turner QC, among others, that the column “was not meant to be taken seriously.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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42 comments
I'm not going to defend John, but I think there is a difference between a "joke" that does end up happening (e.g. Rod Liddle and this article) and a "joke" that's deliberately over-the-top and is unlikely to be copied (e.g John's comment).
But I do agree with you - people should not be killed due to their political beliefs as long as those beliefs don't include such things as mass-murder/genocide etc.
Unfortunately it has already happened.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/was-my-friend-murdered-for-being-a-t...
JHC - I hadn't heard of that. What is wrong with people?
I think people in general have a need to hate.
The 2 minute hate in 1984 is almost profound in that regard. The only difference is that people now go to their favourite websites or Twitter feeds for their daily dose.
Unfortunately that hate almost inevitably leads to violence.
A salient reminder that nutters can be found anywhere on the political spectrum.
Absolutely, and those are the people we should all bear in mind when making 'jokes'.
Especially those of us in positions of enhanced influence.
Reminds me of the situation for Jeff Bridges' character in 'The Fisher King'...
I wasn't aware of that film but (having quickly googled it) it also seems quite prescient.
OT, but how were you not aware of the Fisher King?
Christ that's awful.
I would imagine the Spectator will now fully censure all its columnists who spread hatred and incite violence towards cyclists.....
Edit: although on reading the article properly, it's not about the victim, or murder itself and only really mentions it in the first couple of paragraphs. It's actually a cynical piece exploiting the tragic violent death of his "friend" to shoehorn in a whine about how tories are the plucky oppressed underclass . Boo hoo
You could be forgiven for concluding that Mr Watts is a rather odious man of little integrity, and only a distant relationship with the truth as and when it suits, although this particular article may be out of character, I'm sure.
Out of interest, is this the same Spectator that spent the immediate period after the murder of Jo Cox downplaying that it was a political killing and begging everyone not to mention it in the Brexit coverage, over and over again in multiple articles? And have pointlessly continued regurgitating the same sentiments in the subsequent years in some genuinely nasty comment pieces with some really vile undertones? Against my better judgment, I clicked the link - although the full article seems to be behind a pay wall, in the part I could see, Andrew Watts has the genuine nerve to to write "Just imagine that someone had been killed by a right-winger."
Yep, that's the one
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