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Trial by TV (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Trial by TV
10:11pm Monday 22nd June 2009
By He's Not Grumpy »
Watching the news over the last week or so I’m more and more disgusted at the reporting by our local ITV station of the case of John Hogan, the man while on holiday a year or so back, jumped off a balcony with his children, killing one.
It has to be said that the tragic event would stir the feelings of any parent, but as the more balanced reports of the time informed us, he was deeply disturbed when he committed the act.
So, he’s kept in a Cretan secure mental hospital until he’s seen to be fit to be returned to be cared for/detained in the UK. His divorced/remarried soon after wife attempted and failed to have him convicted here in the UK after the courts in Crete acquitted him of criminal charges due to his mental state.
Now, every snippet related to this sad individual is being reported, the latest at the time of writing this, “a Crete mental doctor says John Hogan may eventually be released as he poses no threat to society”. I think it is not news worthy to report every event in this man’s life, but neither is it meant to be reported as such.
What ‘The West Country Tonight’ is doing is what was done in the 17th century and before, they are metaphorically shouting “burn him, burn him” and it’s not what I’m not paying my licence fee for.
I am not and would not condone this man’s actions, it is abhorrent to anyone, but if people do things while affected by mental illness, the press and anyone else should leave them alone.
Will the media please stop what they are doing and start doing what they should be doing?
Another example…. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/30/balcony-leap-killer-john-hogan-wants-his-daughter-back-115875-21401836/
Your Say YourSwindon
Mum's The Word, Walcot, Swindon says...
10:23am Mon 29 Jun 09
I went on to forgive my ex partner who had nearly cost me my life. He received a great deal of help and support after the attack and had a lot of counselling. I had nothing,just the horrific memories and flashbacks of what had happened. I had my children to care for, I couldn't afford to crack up and had to move on and deal with it, mostly alone.
The worst thing about all this is that my ex partner went on to attack another girlfriend, five years later.
I'm not sure how I feel about the John Hogan's case being flashed all over the news. In some ways I think it is a good thing. Mental health and the problems it can cause needs to be in the limelight, so that we are all aware of it. That way research is funded to help sufferers and victims?
Your sayYour Swindon
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Ye olde way. Not so subtle nowadays.
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john c, swindon says...
8:34pm Tue 23 Jun 09
Mental illness is just that an illness and people affected by it should be treated not vilified.
After all we do not condemn people for having cancer.