Classy!

Indeedy.

I want you to know that I still feel guilty about flagging this up last week and the manner in which I did it.

Ah! I have nothing to add.

Ah well..
What I thought at the time (but couldn't say) was that the case seemed too flimsy for a conviction. The whole thing was grubby and sleazy though.

I'm a great believer in the rights of all involved
The accused should not be named in these circumstances - if innocent it leaves a ruined life of stigma

How very true! Before this he was regarded as a great man and now his life is in tatters.

I agree in principle, Renton. But in the case of  Jailbird Jack, I doubt that anything could tarnish his reputation further.

I can't stand the bloke, but reading about it I was like  It seemed very iffy to me, although we didn't hear everything the jury did.It seemed to me there was some gaping holes in the case

Oh my giddy aunt

What, what, what

He's a  twice convicted thug and a sleaze , sign of the times,alas .Less than 5% of rape cases lead to a conviction.We have the culture now of "Oh well she was asking for it" Shameful really.

I agree with all of the above katty, but to be honest following the case it did seem very hard  for me to comprehend in all honesty. It only took the jury 15 minutes to acquit them, I would have thought in such a serious crime they would have deliberated far longer than that.
I don't like him one bit and agree he's a slimball,  knowing his reputation I would have thought that would have gone against him for starters and I know you're not supposed to bring up previous charges, but most people sitting on a jury would be thinking that in their own mind.

He's also been up for a previous rape allegation...I know what I think.

In Scotland the rape conviction is less than 3% ,there are moves to help rape victims etc,but these stats won't encourage victims to come forward.

I know, and we'll never know and I agree it's difficult to prove these cases. I know from someone who is very close to me how difficult it is.

There was a case up here a few years ago when a 17 year old girl  was raped(allegedly) and the defense lawyer(for the accused) actually held up her panties she wore on the day she was raped and asked he if she thought they were provocative etc.The poor girl later on took her own life,,over the humilation of it all,she was a beautiful girl. I would source it but  I can't remember her name.Her mother continues the fight to help rape victims.

Terribly sad Katty, it'd very difficult to go to court let alone prove it.

I still think the Tweed case was too shaky to convict on.

But I remember watching a programme a few years ago about the poor conviction rate of rape trials in the UK. They spoke to three women, all of whom had been chatted up in pubs first by their attackers, who pounced on them on the way home.
In each case, their cases in court did not succeed because they'd had  a drink, weren't wearing floor-length shrouds, etc, and were portrayed as tarts by their rapists' defence barrister.
The three women didn't know each other and the cases happened over a period of a few years. But each time, it was the SAME MAN. He was eventually jailed at his fourth rape trial.

I too thought it was highly unlikely he would be found guilty.

It just staggers me that there seemed to be no shock on Tweedys part when he discovered his mate was watching him.  Most people on discovering an intimate moment was being viewed by someone else would have been "WTF" or "get out of here your dirty ....." or something along those lines.

I remember that case well Katty..it was heartbreaking.  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2184457.stm

The case against that seedy slimeball was very flimsy, so a conviction was very unlikely. Now we have his grinning face all over the papers....while he waits to *sell his story* to the highest tabloid bidder...enuff already

They could both have been guilty as sin but no jury would convict them. It was their word against hers and there were 2 of them. Do I think it was rape? Probably not. Do I think she got herself into a situation she didn't know how to get out of? Most likely. What kind of a man doesn't know his mate is in the room and then does nothing when he joins in?

Not proven 

That might have been the verdict if it happened in Scotland.

Another waste of Taxpayers money.