Weekend of Violence

[hissingsid]

It was hardly an incident the wounded man was discharged from Nobles after having a plaster put on.

[gettafa]

1 hour ago, Non-Believer said:

I fully stand to be corrected here but as I recall (25 years ago, where did that go?), didn't it emerge that the individual eventually convicted had been despatched to the Island in the name of settling or "getting even" some outstanding gangland drugs debt or business?

And the unfortunate victim was said to be unconnected but happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

This was an example of what happens when a clearly violent person is let out of (a UK) prison early.

The Isle of Man is little different of course and there are numerous examples of prisoners being let out only to carry out violent crimes again (and even again).

[Non-Believer]

12 minutes ago, MrPB said:

I’d say thats pretty much what’s going on now with our latest outbursts of violence. Maybe the drug dealers also read all the published DfE statistics about how wealthy the IOM is and have now realized like everyone else who sets up here that it’s just an illusion and now they’re in debt recovery mode. 

Different I'd say. The EJ's murder was 25yrs ago. At that time the Island was riding high on the success of the finance sector. I don't doubt that there was a drugs scene but I think it would have been more of the wealthy recreational thing, the Island was a brighter, busier place in those days. 

Now there's a much worse drugs scene. Because it's of the misery and addiction variety extending much lower down the socio-economic chain. I know of some involved in it. Theft and burglary funding it. Prison sentences served and straight back into it.

What's being perceived as the increase in violence may be symptomatic of all that?

[P.K.]

2 hours ago, MrPB said:

Are you surprised? A heavy night out at H & B prices £120, a bit of coke to have the same experience £50. We are driving our own problem by putting a high price on legal and taxed fun in the IOM. It’s another stealth tax on the poor. That said at the lower end you’re right and there is a huge blind eye turned to the many dependent drug users who should have the opportunity to be properly supported rather than banged up and the cycle repeated. We don’t seem to like the cost of support for real (non government) people in the IOM. 

Taking hard drugs is down to H & B pricing?

Don't think so....

[dilligaf]

5 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

I fully stand to be corrected here but as I recall (25 years ago, where did that go?), didn't it emerge that the individual eventually convicted had been despatched to the Island in the name of settling or "getting even" some outstanding gangland drugs debt or business?

And the unfortunate victim was said to be unconnected but happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Correct with your first paragraph, but not sure about the second.

[dilligaf]

3 hours ago, MrPB said:

Are you surprised? A heavy night out at H & B prices £120, a bit of coke to have the same experience £50. We are driving our own problem by putting a high price on legal and taxed fun in the IOM. It’s another stealth tax on the poor. That said at the lower end you’re right and there is a huge blind eye turned to the many dependent drug users who should have the opportunity to be properly supported rather than banged up and the cycle repeated. We don’t seem to like the cost of support for real (non government) people in the IOM. 

Complete idiot.

[madmanx90]

10 hours ago, MrPB said:

Are you surprised? A heavy night out at H & B prices £120, a bit of coke to have the same experience £50. We are driving our own problem by putting a high price on legal and taxed fun in the IOM. It’s another stealth tax on the poor. That said at the lower end you’re right and there is a huge blind eye turned to the many dependent drug users who should have the opportunity to be properly supported rather than banged up and the cycle repeated. We don’t seem to like the cost of support for real (non government) people in the IOM. 

When was the last Time you purchased a bit of coke? Your talking £100 for 0.7 /0.8 of a gram now. It's no wonder people take the risk to bring it to the island. In Liverpool it cost less then half that............ Or so a friend tells me. 

[manxst]

13 hours ago, Lxxx said:

Haven't got a problem with it. The issue in Peel yesterday was teenagers, probably had a few to drink and thought, after watching the news across, that it was cool to carry a knife and look hard to his mates. He'll be regretting it this morning.

We're hardly talking about gangs roaming the streets with weapons terrorising the general public and needing armed patrols across the whole island. Isolated incidents always get blown up like this.

I’m not talking about armed police. I’m talking about ANY police. It doesn’t matter if the supposed incident is teenagers with a knife, a car crash, or a burglary- I’m asking are you happy with having officers dispatched from Douglas for every emergency call?

[Non-Believer]

9 hours ago, dilligaf said:

Correct with your first paragraph, but not sure about the second.

I know where you're coming from but it depends who you talk to. Some say he was an innocent bystander; some say he had involvement. We'll probably never know for sure.

[Lxxx]

2 hours ago, manxst said:

I’m not talking about armed police. I’m talking about ANY police. It doesn’t matter if the supposed incident is teenagers with a knife, a car crash, or a burglary- I’m asking are you happy with having officers dispatched from Douglas for every emergency call?

I thought it was only high priority armed backup that was coming from Douglas. Pretty sure I see the local plod in their cars and parked outside the station around Peel most evenings including weekends.

[manxst]

11 minutes ago, Lxxx said:

I thought it was only high priority armed backup that was coming from Douglas. Pretty sure I see the local plod in their cars and parked outside the station around Peel most evenings including weekends.

Yes. If you read my original comment correctly though, at some point in the near future, the grand plan apparently is for ALL responding officers to come from Douglas....

[Barrie Stevens]

19 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

Different I'd say. The EJ's murder was 25yrs ago. At that time the Island was riding high on the success of the finance sector. I don't doubt that there was a drugs scene but I think it would have been more of the wealthy recreational thing, the Island was a brighter, busier place in those days. 

Now there's a much worse drugs scene. Because it's of the misery and addiction variety extending much lower down the socio-economic chain. I know of some involved in it. Theft and burglary funding it. Prison sentences served and straight back into it.

What's being perceived as the increase in violence may be symptomatic of all that?

The drugs scene was very widespread back then and deals very much at street level.

One well known and much convicted John Miller was active in the trade. Indeed he had his property confiscated by law.

Between 1990-93 I worked in The Leisure and Funland amusement arcades in Strand/Castle Street Douglas. Opposite The Leisure was a fast food caff...The Police requested the arcade's CCTV be set up so as to cover the outside of the arcade and the caff opposite. Deals were available from persons sitting in the front window tables of the caff.

Deals were done by hand up and down the street. We saw it all of the time. Persons would approach each other outside The Leisure and touch hands but kept walking not stopping. Some people would briefly wait under the front awning of The Leisure and pass small packets..One day I had the job of hosing down the front of The Leisure including the signage and awning over the front. This visibly annoyed several persons who would use that area for deals. Water was everywhere and the smartly dressed dealers were angry. They were quite well dressed and shod as I recall. More like they worked in the Finance Sector.

Other punters would hang around inside the arcade until a messenger came in and told them a deal was ready outside.

In 1993 at night a 17 year old held us up in Funland using an air rifle which is b y law a firearm. He got nothing because I was so stunned I just called the police and a fire arms response came down....But two WPC arrived first! I said "Armed robbery"..Earlier something similar had happened at the Brown Bobby petrol station. Our fellow got four years and the first CID on the scene was a scruffy herbert in jeans, T-shirt etc who turned out to be from the Manchester Drug Squad and who identified our would be robber instantly. Seems the lad owed his dealer £600.

About 3 years ago I worked nights at the Villa Marina and drugs were hidden about the site in some of the soft furniture, armchairs, sofas etc. The police then had a nice little Spaniel doggy checking the place out sniffing at times.

I had to empty the big bins in the foyer and was given hide gloves and tongs due to needles being discarded around the area. Also at the Villa I was on watch when a drug fuelled nutter tried to jump off the roof. Another drugged nut punched his hand through the glass along the covered walk there. Another one took a flying kick at it. A young girl went on a bad trip in the bushes so I had to go out and find her and get an ambulance. All for £6.50 an hour.

Two or three years before that I was a cleaner in "Colours" club Douglas  and at times found the odd "E" which I gave to the manager although lesser staff offered to buy it. My assistant cleaner found £50 jammed behind a mirror.

One TT in the early 90s I found a spectacle case containing packets of powder the police told me was amphetamine. Also in the case was a long list of addresses, phone numbers dates and times. I had handed the lot in but shortly after that the local paper ran a news item about several places and persons being arrested and charged in a coordinated drugs bust.

John Miller asked me to visit him in prison once. It was about something I had written in the local paper about Human Rights. Well I went for the experience. The prison was I think not amused and asked me to volunteer to have my photo taken by a Polaroid camera. Is this usual procedure?

Shortly after that a scruffy note and £20 was shoved through my door with thanks from one of the Miller family. As someone said, ill gotten gains. You have profited from the illegal drugs trade!

I dunno! Things just happen to me!

 

 

 

 

 

[PmJ]

18 minutes ago, Barrie Stevens said:

The drugs scene was very widespread back then and deals very much at street level.

One well known and much convicted John Miller was active in the trade. Indeed he had his property confiscated by law.

Between 1990-93 I worked in The Leisure and Funland amusement arcades in Strand/Castle Street Douglas. Opposite The Leisure was a fast food caff...The Police requested the arcade's CCTV be set up so as to cover the outside of the arcade and the caff opposite. Deals were available from persons sitting in the front window tables of the caff.

Deals were done by hand up and down the street. We saw it all of the time. Persons would approach each other outside The Leisure and touch hands but kept walking not stopping. Some people would briefly wait under the front awning of The Leisure and pass small packets..One day I had the job of hosing down the front of The Leisure including the signage and awning over the front. This visibly annoyed several persons who would use that area for deals. Water was everywhere and the smartly dressed dealers were angry. They were quite well dressed and shod as I recall. More like they worked in the Finance Sector.

Other punters would hang around inside the arcade until a messenger came in and told them a deal was ready outside.

In 1993 at night a 17 year old held us up in Funland using an air rifle which is b y law a firearm. He got nothing because I was so stunned I just called the police and a fire arms response came down....But two WPC arrived first! I said "Armed robbery"..Earlier something similar had happened at the Brown Bobby petrol station. Our fellow got four years and the first CID on the scene was a scruffy herbert in jeans, T-shirt etc who turned out to be from the Manchester Drug Squad and who identified our would be robber instantly. Seems the lad owed his dealer £600.

About 3 years ago I worked nights at the Villa Marina and drugs were hidden about the site in some of the soft furniture, armchairs, sofas etc. The police then had a nice little Spaniel doggy checking the place out sniffing at times.

I had to empty the big bins in the foyer and was given hide gloves and tongs due to needles being discarded around the area. Also at the Villa I was on watch when a drug fuelled nutter tried to jump off the roof. Another drugged nut punched his hand through the glass along the covered walk there. Another one took a flying kick at it. A young girl went on a bad trip in the bushes so I had to go out and find her and get an ambulance. All for £6.50 an hour.

Two or three years before that I was a cleaner in "Colours" club Douglas  and at times found the odd "E" which I gave to the manager although lesser staff offered to buy it. My assistant cleaner found £50 jammed behind a mirror.

One TT in the early 90s I found a spectacle case containing packets of powder the police told me was amphetamine. Also in the case was a long list of addresses, phone numbers dates and times. I had handed the lot in but shortly after that the local paper ran a news item about several places and persons being arrested and charged in a coordinated drugs bust.

John Miller asked me to visit him in prison once. It was about something I had written in the local paper about Human Rights. Well I went for the experience. The prison was I think not amused and asked me to volunteer to have my photo taken by a Polaroid camera. Is this usual procedure?

Shortly after that a scruffy note and £20 was shoved through my door with thanks from one of the Miller family. As someone said, ill gotten gains. You have profited from the illegal drugs trade!

I dunno! Things just happen to me!

 

 

 

 

 

You think too highly of yourself.

 

ETA, This kept going through my head whilst reading your story

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=theme+tune+for+Jackanory&view=detail&mid=5E1F7F688364A932A85F5E1F7F688364A932A85F&FORM=VIRE

 

[Barrie Stevens]

2 minutes ago, PmJ said:

You think too highly of yourself.

What on £6.50 an hour doing jobs even the immigrants wouldn't do? No I am providing information and comment as one who was there. 

[LightBulb]

18 minutes ago, PmJ said:

You think too highly of yourself.

 

ETA, This kept going through my head whilst reading your story

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=theme+tune+for+Jackanory&view=detail&mid=5E1F7F688364A932A85F5E1F7F688364A932A85F&FORM=VIRE

 

Is that the same John miller, as in Salmon Poaching ?