Assault on Celebration

[Mervyn and Trish]

In the news today, "an elderly couple were attacked and seriously injured while on a Canary Islands cruise onboard a Thomson Cruises ship. The pair were travelling on Thomson Celebration at the end of January when the unprovoked assault happened, leaving the woman with serious spinal injuries and her husband with serious facial injuries."

Well that sounds a lot more serious than the usual fisticuffs in the laundry. Hope they are recovering.

According to Thomson the person who assaulted the couple "was disembarked from the ship following the incident, and did not complete the cruise."

Actually I think they should have been locked up until they could be handed directly to the police.

[barney]

That's outrageous Merv

Bang 'em up!

[Meg 50]

According to Thomson the person who assaulted the couple "was disembarked from the ship following the incident, and did not complete the cruise."

Actually I think they should have been locked up until they could be handed directly to the police.

hopefully, they were

[Dark Knight]

did you forget to mention the fight on Brittania on purpose or is it just your rose tinted cheerleading again?

[Meg 50]

just found it in the paper - the police were involved:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ruise.html

[Mervyn and Trish]

did you forget to mention the fight on Brittania on purpose or is it just your rose tinted cheerleading again?

I did mention that one in my balanced review of the excellent addition to the splendid P&O fleet. That was, however, a bit of drunken fisticuffs in the pub.

This appears from reports to be an attack, allegedly unprovoked, on a 69/70 year old couple. Different kettle of fish I'd suggest?

I'm cautious to add more as it is, at present, subject to an ongoing court case. However, that is the allegation.

So it was referred to the police. My query was why not immediately, rather than simply putting the alleged offender ashore.

[Onelife]

Unprovoked attack?

Not that I'm condoning such actions but unprovoked?......naah, there's more to this than that which has been reported......l'll bet a box of keefy chocolates on it.

[barney]

Well, after reading the various versions of events, I still cannot see any justification for a fit 53 year old attacking a frail 70 year old.

Even worse, pushing the old dear over.

Of course there's always the chance that the old boy puched himself in the head and then set about his missus. (err , not)

There cannot be any justification for that. He is clearly a violent man.

I did however like the bit when the victim said, " I''ve never hit anyone in my life, not even my wife"

[Manoverboard]

Let that be a lesson to us all then ...

Ignore the aged troll at your table in the MDR and expect to get beaten up at bedtime .

Moral of the story is to take a beer bottle, rather than a cup of hot chocolate, back to the cabin with you ... if you cruise with Thomsons of course.

[oldbluefox]

It probably made it worse cos the old chap he hit was the Captain and his First Mate!!! It never mentioned that in the report!!

[Mervyn and Trish]

One has to be sympathetic to the self defence argument though. Two elderly people armed with cocoa can be very threatening when cornered.

[Mervyn and Trish]

So in the papers today, the jury have found the accused not guilty, accepting his plea of self defence when faced with a 70-year-old armed with cocoa and a crutch. Clearly we accept the decision of the court, as is right and proper, they having heard the evidence in full.

Which raises another couple of questions. Will Thomson now compensate the accused for the loss of his cruise, having apparently chucked an innocent man off part way through his holiday, and repay all his costs for getting home? And since he was acting in self defence, will the 70-year-old now be prosecuted for assault and battery, armed as he apparently was with cocoa and a crutch, and attacking an innocent man?