It was a good day, as days have become when I am home and not engaged in a work project over a period of time. There was one regret that I did not make time to read from the books by the President Elect and Robert Preston on who owns Britain; a second was eating sweets, with a third inadequate exercise. But it was a good day because I made peace with time. I felt on top of my myself and Christmas Time. Being on top of myself, in charge, in control, yet flexible and adaptable has been and remains a lifelong daily struggle. Christmas Time is a state of mixed emotions between the spiritual and the secular, the seasonal and my everyday.
The external event of the day was the apology by the Metropolitan Police, yet again this week, for their failure to arrest the right man for the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common some sixteen years ago, and which let him to committing further murder, including that of a child and to rape. From the information provided on a TV programme on BBC1 last night I would not say they were negligent in this instance because of the particular circumstances. However it would take an independent inquiry to try and establish what happened and why.
In 1992 a young man, Colin Stagg, was accused of the murder of the young mother whose horrifying murder was made worse as her two year son was found clinging to her body pleading with her to wake up. That image has haunted a generation and it is understandable that the police were determined to find the killer. Mr Stagg was identified by witnesses and being on the common and his behaviour both then and during interview convinced everyone that he was responsible. He was convicted of exposing himself subsequently and fined £200 and there followed a vicious media campaign against him which was subsequently reported to have been created by off the record comments by members of the police enquiry team.
However the case then achieved even greater notoriety when at the subsequent trial after being remanded in custody for 13 months it was revealed that the case rested on the evidence of an undercover police woman who contacted Mr Stagg .through a “lonely hearts” service where previously Mr Stagg had written a robust letter to someone else. They did not meet until after several months of contact. The meeting was at the cafe by the Serpentine in Hyde Park, where everyone in the place from cashier to other customers were under cover police and where other police were hiding behind trees. The policewoman disclosed that she had participated in a satanic sex orgy in which she has also assisted in the killing of a young woman as the basis for getting Mr Stagg to talk about the murder of Rachel. Mr Stagg although in his late twenties was a virgin subsequently admitted that he had become obsessed with having sex and was saying anything because he was hopefully that the meeting would lead to success. Although the intention of the sting was for Mr Stagg to either incriminate himself or be eliminated once and for all, and although he denied being involved in the killing, he was arrested, charged and eventually brought to trial. Following his acquittal he was paid a sum of over £700000 and the police woman who suffered distress with her career coming to an end received £125000 in an out of court settlement. The psychological profiler who had assisted the police was also the subject of enquiries by his professional body but the charges were dismissed.
Robert Clive Napper was born in 1966 and was a child victim, the witness of violence between his father and mother resulting in divorce when he was ten, to being placed in foster care and undergoing psychiatric treatment for six years. He was the subject of a sexual assault at the age of 12 years by a family friend on a camping trip. The offender was jailed. He is known to have bullied his two brothers and sister and to have spied on his sister. He is reported by his mother top have become introverted, reclusive and obsessively tidy.
He has been diagnosed as having Asperger‘s syndrome which is usually detected during childhood although it is not recorded is this was so. (More on Asperger and Autism another day) He had also been diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic. One report states this diagnosis only took place in 1995 which begs the question regarding his psychiatric treatment as a child and adolescent.
In 1986 Mr Napper, then aged 20 years. was given a conditional discharge for carrying a loaded airgun. There is evidence that as early as 1989 he became engaged in horrifying sexual attacks on women and girls of all ages in the area of his home, Plumstead and nearby. These attacks went on for a period of six years at a rate over one attack a month.
In 1989 he confessed to his mother that he had raped a woman on Plumstead Common and she reported the matter to the police who investigated but could not identify a victim. In fact the attack took place on a woman in front of her children in a house adjacent to the common.
In 1992 he was convicted of a second firearm offence and went to prison for 2 months, It is now known that he then attacked a young woman, placing a noose around her neck and sexually assaulting her in front of her two year old. She pleaded and escaped with her life.
He then the attacked and killed Rachel in front of her son for which Mr Stagg became the main suspect,
A year later in November 1993 he sexually assaulted, killed and mutilated a young mother in her home and then killed her four year old daughter. Such was the horror that one officer who witnessed the scene could not work for two years afterwards. Mr Stagg was in prison on remand at the time with the police convinced he had killed Rachel, and therefore they made no connection with this second killing despite its similarities.
It was not until 1995 that he was convicted of this murder and other sexual offences and committed to Broadmoor. He was questioned about the earlier murder at that time but denying involvement and with no evidence the matter was pursued until 2001 when following the development of DNA testing a search for DNA on the clothing of Rachel failed. Two years later a further search using the latest techniques did revealed a sample sufficient o be gin the process of a further investigation with improved techniques did find DNA stuffiest to begin the process of ruling out the original suspects. It was not until 2006 that Mr Napper was interviewed and following a matching of DNA was charged and not until yesterday that the sentence for the plea of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility agreed. The police had no choice but to then make the public apology to Mr Stagg.
In complete contrast to this news I watched a delightful film called Nim’s Island starring Jodie Foster as the agoraphobic writer of political incorrect adventures for children in the genre of Indiana Jones. She enters into e mail conversation with the author of an article about a volcanic island, the subject of her current work and receives a reply from his daughter to say he will contact on return.
The daughter is not only is a fan of the books but spends her day dreaming about being involved in similar adventures, so when her father fails to return she appeals to her hero for help. The agoraphobic hero on discovering that the daughter is only 11 years and is alone on the island overcomes her illness and travels by standard airline, local plane, boat and helicopter as close to the island as possible, eventually getting there shortly before the return of Nim’s father and they all live happy ever after.
Meanwhile Nim, fends of holiday makers from a visiting cruise ship which reminded me of what happened in Northern Spain one year. I had taken a boat trip to an isolated and almost deserted beach for the day when suddenly a large party of 18 to 30 revellers appeared on the cliff top having arrived by special coaches. They, complete a large a barrel of wine commenced to get drunk, play various beach and water games, driving away everyone, including me. At least there was nothing for them to wreck as witnessed when they demolished toilets at one night cub experience a couple of years later. The adult visitors from the cruise ship in the film were harmless by comparison and a better parallel as one reviewer suggested is Home Alone on holiday!
These days most films for children are scary and sad. This is neither and I enjoyed it immensely although I guess the intended for girls aged 7 to 12 years.
Late last night ordered 10 cartridges for the Epsom regretting that I was unable to locate the code for 2.1 or 50% reduction but the price of £2.99 is favourable although on reflection the local shop offer of all six for £8 for six is better value so I will shift to that in future.
I was too tired to set up the Brother to use with desk top last night but did so this afternoon before going out. I found a short printer USB cable which means that the printer has to be on the desk in front of the other rather than on the side trolley.
This evening I tried the USB card reader with the new laptop and this confirmed that with over heading the device has ceased to function and I will need another I will make enquiries at the local computer shop and Curry’s in town tomorrow or in the afternoon after lunch. I also want to check out Wii consoles and Fit at the Bolden Azda There is a comedy film at Bolden over Christmas week, A Bunch of Amateurs which was the Royal Command Performance film this year and which stars Burt Reynolds and Sir Derek Jacobi. I will go on Tuesday next week having arranged for the annual service of the boiler and cooker on Monday afternoon.
The Durham 2009 fixtures were announced today so after checking the dates of existing engagements at the end of March and in May I will be able to plan trips over the year. health willing.
Then in contrast to the film of the day, I was riveted by the last episode of Apparitions in which the devil attempts to kill the latest Pope using the same bullet which nearly killed Pope John Paul II in 1981. The Pope said afterwards that he drew strength and faith from the fact that the attack took place on the same hour of the same day of the sixtieth anniversary when an apparition of Mary had appeared to the peasant children at Fatima. In 1981 the near assassination attempt was thought to have been a Russian inspired plot in retaliation of the support of the church for the Solidarity movement. Pope John Paul then survived a second attempt on his life from a Spanish priest opposed to the changes being made following the second Vatican Council.
Three women were at the heart of the brilliant episode last night which merited the advance warning that some would find the subject disturbing. The nun, placed to watch and report on his behaviour by the Cardinal, sceptical and worried by the priest’s constant involvement with spirit devils, risks her life to save his soul, and Come Dancing celebrity actress Cherie Lunghi played a femme fatal offering the priest a night of relentless pleasure and then as Mary diverts attention while the assassin prepares to shoot the Pope. She is incinerated. The most significant of the three women is an atheist psychiatrist-psychologist who is given the task by the Cardinal of showing the priest that he is a sick disturbed man. When the priest saves her from the skin separating devil in which his arm is slashed and requires several stitches she accuses him of self injury in advance of their meeting and when he shows the completely healed arm without evidence of a scar she accuses him of faking the original injury. She also claims the levitation of the failed assassin was also a trick. Nothing will persuade of the existence of the supernatural and nothing will persuade of the existence of any form of God or supernatural being. Earlier she tells the priest that he is in desperate of talking things over with someone. In the most beautiful moment of the series the programme concluded with the priest telling the faithless young woman that she desperately needed to talk to someone.
I had an excellent pre Christmas shop at Morrison’s after filling my car of petrol at 87 pence a litres some 25 p down on the highest three months or so back. Among the highlights I bought three bottles of Beaujolais and three large sea bream which were then cleaned fro me, not make that mistake twice, and enjoyed one freezing the other two. The main purpose was thinly sliced Italian Salami, a month‘s supply, in theory, at 25% less than the pre-packaged price. I also needed some non biological tabs for the washing machine. I already had sod a good supply of main meals in the freezer which included two medium size chickens, a pork joint and three two meal joints of lamb, turkey and chicken. There were two meals of southern friend chicken drum sticks to which I have added two meals of southern friend chicken breasts pieces. In addition to the bream I bought four packs of two salmon fishcakes at £1 each and have three pieces of battered fish already. I added three meals of two rounds of beef and two meats of two lamb chops, the most expensive of meats these days, to the three pork chops with the fourth for Saturday as I am having a roast meal out at lunchtime. I have over three weeks of main meals in store which will see me into the New Year, I bought fruit and salad and puff pastry mince pies. In addition to salmon, prawns and salami for the salads I could not resist some Yorkshire ham. I avoiding bread and pasta and potatoes because of their fattening, but a little cheese for Christmas. The spread is cholesterol lowering.
The external event of the day was the apology by the Metropolitan Police, yet again this week, for their failure to arrest the right man for the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common some sixteen years ago, and which let him to committing further murder, including that of a child and to rape. From the information provided on a TV programme on BBC1 last night I would not say they were negligent in this instance because of the particular circumstances. However it would take an independent inquiry to try and establish what happened and why.
In 1992 a young man, Colin Stagg, was accused of the murder of the young mother whose horrifying murder was made worse as her two year son was found clinging to her body pleading with her to wake up. That image has haunted a generation and it is understandable that the police were determined to find the killer. Mr Stagg was identified by witnesses and being on the common and his behaviour both then and during interview convinced everyone that he was responsible. He was convicted of exposing himself subsequently and fined £200 and there followed a vicious media campaign against him which was subsequently reported to have been created by off the record comments by members of the police enquiry team.
However the case then achieved even greater notoriety when at the subsequent trial after being remanded in custody for 13 months it was revealed that the case rested on the evidence of an undercover police woman who contacted Mr Stagg .through a “lonely hearts” service where previously Mr Stagg had written a robust letter to someone else. They did not meet until after several months of contact. The meeting was at the cafe by the Serpentine in Hyde Park, where everyone in the place from cashier to other customers were under cover police and where other police were hiding behind trees. The policewoman disclosed that she had participated in a satanic sex orgy in which she has also assisted in the killing of a young woman as the basis for getting Mr Stagg to talk about the murder of Rachel. Mr Stagg although in his late twenties was a virgin subsequently admitted that he had become obsessed with having sex and was saying anything because he was hopefully that the meeting would lead to success. Although the intention of the sting was for Mr Stagg to either incriminate himself or be eliminated once and for all, and although he denied being involved in the killing, he was arrested, charged and eventually brought to trial. Following his acquittal he was paid a sum of over £700000 and the police woman who suffered distress with her career coming to an end received £125000 in an out of court settlement. The psychological profiler who had assisted the police was also the subject of enquiries by his professional body but the charges were dismissed.
Robert Clive Napper was born in 1966 and was a child victim, the witness of violence between his father and mother resulting in divorce when he was ten, to being placed in foster care and undergoing psychiatric treatment for six years. He was the subject of a sexual assault at the age of 12 years by a family friend on a camping trip. The offender was jailed. He is known to have bullied his two brothers and sister and to have spied on his sister. He is reported by his mother top have become introverted, reclusive and obsessively tidy.
He has been diagnosed as having Asperger‘s syndrome which is usually detected during childhood although it is not recorded is this was so. (More on Asperger and Autism another day) He had also been diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic. One report states this diagnosis only took place in 1995 which begs the question regarding his psychiatric treatment as a child and adolescent.
In 1986 Mr Napper, then aged 20 years. was given a conditional discharge for carrying a loaded airgun. There is evidence that as early as 1989 he became engaged in horrifying sexual attacks on women and girls of all ages in the area of his home, Plumstead and nearby. These attacks went on for a period of six years at a rate over one attack a month.
In 1989 he confessed to his mother that he had raped a woman on Plumstead Common and she reported the matter to the police who investigated but could not identify a victim. In fact the attack took place on a woman in front of her children in a house adjacent to the common.
In 1992 he was convicted of a second firearm offence and went to prison for 2 months, It is now known that he then attacked a young woman, placing a noose around her neck and sexually assaulting her in front of her two year old. She pleaded and escaped with her life.
He then the attacked and killed Rachel in front of her son for which Mr Stagg became the main suspect,
A year later in November 1993 he sexually assaulted, killed and mutilated a young mother in her home and then killed her four year old daughter. Such was the horror that one officer who witnessed the scene could not work for two years afterwards. Mr Stagg was in prison on remand at the time with the police convinced he had killed Rachel, and therefore they made no connection with this second killing despite its similarities.
It was not until 1995 that he was convicted of this murder and other sexual offences and committed to Broadmoor. He was questioned about the earlier murder at that time but denying involvement and with no evidence the matter was pursued until 2001 when following the development of DNA testing a search for DNA on the clothing of Rachel failed. Two years later a further search using the latest techniques did revealed a sample sufficient o be gin the process of a further investigation with improved techniques did find DNA stuffiest to begin the process of ruling out the original suspects. It was not until 2006 that Mr Napper was interviewed and following a matching of DNA was charged and not until yesterday that the sentence for the plea of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility agreed. The police had no choice but to then make the public apology to Mr Stagg.
In complete contrast to this news I watched a delightful film called Nim’s Island starring Jodie Foster as the agoraphobic writer of political incorrect adventures for children in the genre of Indiana Jones. She enters into e mail conversation with the author of an article about a volcanic island, the subject of her current work and receives a reply from his daughter to say he will contact on return.
The daughter is not only is a fan of the books but spends her day dreaming about being involved in similar adventures, so when her father fails to return she appeals to her hero for help. The agoraphobic hero on discovering that the daughter is only 11 years and is alone on the island overcomes her illness and travels by standard airline, local plane, boat and helicopter as close to the island as possible, eventually getting there shortly before the return of Nim’s father and they all live happy ever after.
Meanwhile Nim, fends of holiday makers from a visiting cruise ship which reminded me of what happened in Northern Spain one year. I had taken a boat trip to an isolated and almost deserted beach for the day when suddenly a large party of 18 to 30 revellers appeared on the cliff top having arrived by special coaches. They, complete a large a barrel of wine commenced to get drunk, play various beach and water games, driving away everyone, including me. At least there was nothing for them to wreck as witnessed when they demolished toilets at one night cub experience a couple of years later. The adult visitors from the cruise ship in the film were harmless by comparison and a better parallel as one reviewer suggested is Home Alone on holiday!
These days most films for children are scary and sad. This is neither and I enjoyed it immensely although I guess the intended for girls aged 7 to 12 years.
Late last night ordered 10 cartridges for the Epsom regretting that I was unable to locate the code for 2.1 or 50% reduction but the price of £2.99 is favourable although on reflection the local shop offer of all six for £8 for six is better value so I will shift to that in future.
I was too tired to set up the Brother to use with desk top last night but did so this afternoon before going out. I found a short printer USB cable which means that the printer has to be on the desk in front of the other rather than on the side trolley.
This evening I tried the USB card reader with the new laptop and this confirmed that with over heading the device has ceased to function and I will need another I will make enquiries at the local computer shop and Curry’s in town tomorrow or in the afternoon after lunch. I also want to check out Wii consoles and Fit at the Bolden Azda There is a comedy film at Bolden over Christmas week, A Bunch of Amateurs which was the Royal Command Performance film this year and which stars Burt Reynolds and Sir Derek Jacobi. I will go on Tuesday next week having arranged for the annual service of the boiler and cooker on Monday afternoon.
The Durham 2009 fixtures were announced today so after checking the dates of existing engagements at the end of March and in May I will be able to plan trips over the year. health willing.
Then in contrast to the film of the day, I was riveted by the last episode of Apparitions in which the devil attempts to kill the latest Pope using the same bullet which nearly killed Pope John Paul II in 1981. The Pope said afterwards that he drew strength and faith from the fact that the attack took place on the same hour of the same day of the sixtieth anniversary when an apparition of Mary had appeared to the peasant children at Fatima. In 1981 the near assassination attempt was thought to have been a Russian inspired plot in retaliation of the support of the church for the Solidarity movement. Pope John Paul then survived a second attempt on his life from a Spanish priest opposed to the changes being made following the second Vatican Council.
Three women were at the heart of the brilliant episode last night which merited the advance warning that some would find the subject disturbing. The nun, placed to watch and report on his behaviour by the Cardinal, sceptical and worried by the priest’s constant involvement with spirit devils, risks her life to save his soul, and Come Dancing celebrity actress Cherie Lunghi played a femme fatal offering the priest a night of relentless pleasure and then as Mary diverts attention while the assassin prepares to shoot the Pope. She is incinerated. The most significant of the three women is an atheist psychiatrist-psychologist who is given the task by the Cardinal of showing the priest that he is a sick disturbed man. When the priest saves her from the skin separating devil in which his arm is slashed and requires several stitches she accuses him of self injury in advance of their meeting and when he shows the completely healed arm without evidence of a scar she accuses him of faking the original injury. She also claims the levitation of the failed assassin was also a trick. Nothing will persuade of the existence of the supernatural and nothing will persuade of the existence of any form of God or supernatural being. Earlier she tells the priest that he is in desperate of talking things over with someone. In the most beautiful moment of the series the programme concluded with the priest telling the faithless young woman that she desperately needed to talk to someone.
I had an excellent pre Christmas shop at Morrison’s after filling my car of petrol at 87 pence a litres some 25 p down on the highest three months or so back. Among the highlights I bought three bottles of Beaujolais and three large sea bream which were then cleaned fro me, not make that mistake twice, and enjoyed one freezing the other two. The main purpose was thinly sliced Italian Salami, a month‘s supply, in theory, at 25% less than the pre-packaged price. I also needed some non biological tabs for the washing machine. I already had sod a good supply of main meals in the freezer which included two medium size chickens, a pork joint and three two meal joints of lamb, turkey and chicken. There were two meals of southern friend chicken drum sticks to which I have added two meals of southern friend chicken breasts pieces. In addition to the bream I bought four packs of two salmon fishcakes at £1 each and have three pieces of battered fish already. I added three meals of two rounds of beef and two meats of two lamb chops, the most expensive of meats these days, to the three pork chops with the fourth for Saturday as I am having a roast meal out at lunchtime. I have over three weeks of main meals in store which will see me into the New Year, I bought fruit and salad and puff pastry mince pies. In addition to salmon, prawns and salami for the salads I could not resist some Yorkshire ham. I avoiding bread and pasta and potatoes because of their fattening, but a little cheese for Christmas. The spread is cholesterol lowering.
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