Sunday, March 04, 2007

Cunstables

Apologies to all those readers outside of NZ (and I know there are a few of you) as this post concerns some thoughts concerning a high profile rape case involving three NZ policeman. The media have been all over this like a rash, but I feel the national print media have failed in comparison to some of the on-line bloging concerning this issue. As usual Russell Brown gets it spot on and really sums up for me how sad the three 'Cunstables' were and continue to be.

However, it really struck a chord to find out what Mr Right Wing himself (Ian Wishart) had to say concerning this sorry episode. Having met Ian recently when I interviewed him for the film, I found him to be a very pleasant, well thought, and engaging individual. So it shouldn't have come as such a surprise to hear him lambast the legal system and refer to the coppers as "violent rapists". Yes, his column is well worth a read.

Here's the thing, back in the 80s it wasn't a crime to sport a huge slug of a moustache and engage in consensual group sex involving introduced apparatus. However, if the person(s) supposedly consenting to such activities were young females, pressured into the act through falling foul of the law then one has to ask themselves, how consensual was this. These sad men abused their power (and batons) to procure sex which quite obviously was being denied to them through other means. They had a right racket going and probably thought they were invincible! Based on two court hearings to date that would seem to be the case. Now, I'm also not opposed to having sex on the bonnet of a police-car (as long as the fuzz was holed up in a doughnut shop), but, I'm not a policeman and Mr Rickards was. I just hope he doesn't get his job back as I would hate to think we are putting our trust and money in the hands of wankers like that.

I was not able to secure a video clip of the Back of the Y masterpiece 'Cunstables' but I did come across an amusing flash animation that sums things up quite nicely (especially for fans of Viz). The 'Real' Cunstables, Enjoy.

3 comments:

Alastair Jamieson said...

Kia ora Mark,

I agree, this whole thing really stinks. Not often I agree with Auckland's mayor Dick Hubbard, but he too has got it right this time.

rocket ron said...

I always found the police an odd bunch of fuckers in nz.They just didnt seem too have the same presence as our old english bobbies. In saying that. If i was trying to maintain law and order amongst you savages in the third world. id probably abuse my position as well...

Mark Orton said...

Ahh Rocket Ron, you love it down here really! Though, I have to admit in my time working in a pub down the road from the Marylebone Cop Shop I used to serve a lot of beer to bobbies who were quite creepy and downright obnoxious.