Words fail me

Kieran_Burns

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... cycle.html

Police said that if Britain had a French-style “Good Samaritan” law, 22-year-old Adam Lowther would have been charged with failing to render assistance.

An inquest heard how Lowther was cycling along a towpath by the Leeds-Liverpool canal on July 30 last year when he saw 51-year-old Michael Houghton, lying face-down in shallow water.

Seeing the retired businessman’s mountain bike beside the water, he decided to swap it for his own, which he claimed had a puncture, Leeds Coroner’s Court heard.

Even though he could see Mr Houghton lying in the water, he hid his own bicycle in some bushes nearby, and rode Mr Houghton’s home.

He then searched on the internet to find out how much the £150 bicycle was worth but pawned it for just £20.

He later claimed he would have raised the alarm but the battery on his mobile phone was flat.

About 10 minutes after Lowther left the scene, James Atkinson, a cyclist, and William Bentall, a jogger, pulled Mr Houghton out of the water, raised the alarm and administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

He airlifted to hospital but died three days later.

The inquest heard that Mr Houghton, a father of three, had taken early retirement from his successful business and banking career two years earlier to care for his disabled wife.

He was on a regular cycle ride from his home in Horsforth, West Yorks, into Leeds, when he is thought to have come off his bicycle and fallen into the water.

The inquest heard the path had eroded near to where he was eventually found in water less than 3ft deep with boulders nearby.

Giving evidence at Mr Houghton’s inquest Lowther apologised to Mr Houghton’s family for a “stupid mistake” but claimed he was not a thief.

Lowther claimed that he did nothing to help because he assumed Mr Houghton was already dead.

He said: “I was shocked so I rode off.

“I had nothing to hide … all I did was take the bike."

He added: "I'm not a thief, I found a push bike, I didn't see the body in the water until I had got on the bike."

The court heard that Lowther was jailed four months for the theft in November but is already out of prison.

Detective Inspector Martin Hepworth told the court: “Had there been an offence for not being a Good Samaritan as there is in France, I would have charged him for that, but there is not."

The coroner, David Hinchliff, said Lowther could have alerted emergency services even after he had cycled away.

"The fact that he didn't shows what a thoroughly cowardly and despicable young man he is in contrast with the two that did," he said.

Recording an open verdict, he said it remained unclear exactly how Mr Houghton came to be in the water.

He said: "What leaves a nasty taste in everybody's mouth is an opportunistic thief came along, saw him in the water, believed he was dead, and choosing to do nothing, saw an opportunity to steal his cycle.”

clarkey cat

That is shocking.

And to look at the lad you'd have thought he was a good egg.

The Rookie

Words fail the mighty KB? Surely not!!!!!

I can't believe the thieving little bar steward still doesn't see what he did as theft, worst still I can't beleive anyone could just leave him laying there.......bring back the birch, although I would think he may need to get put into solitary while in jail for his own protection, even crims have some morals!

Simon

SimonAH

Some people just need scraping off society's shoes.

Kieran_Burns

There are depths of inhumanity that truly stagger me - and to have such callous disregard of an individuals life or plight, or even to care whether the person is alive or dead? That little scumbag is morally bankrupt.

I can't help but think that the publicity from this will make that individuals' life a complete misery and I hope somewhere in that fetid pit he lives within, that he understands why.

porlyworly

Physically disgusted reading that, should be thrown to the lions

lost_in_thought

Part of me kind of hopes he has a mental health issue.

SimonAH

lost_in_thought wrote:

Part of me kind of hopes he has a mental health issue.

Or shortly.acquires one as the result of a severe beating.

Applespider

:shock: Nope... does not compute.

How could anyone with any shred of humanity not at least make an attempt to check the guy or call for help? You don't even need humanity, I'm sure I've read of instances where other mammals (eg dolphins and elephants) try to revive a casualty.

It would have been bad enough to ride past and claim he'd seen nothing but to nick the guy's bike defies belief.

daviesee

Truly despicable.

I have a rough idea of how Mr. Houghton came off his bike and I think the police may have had the same suspicions but can't prove it :evil:

Jay dubbleU

Alas typical of some - always someone else to blame - hope the little shite dies in a cellar full of rats

Rigga

F**king total and utter gutter scum, hope he see's the error of his ways and chucks himself in front of a train.

veronese68

There are too many cretins like this that are unable to function in a civilised society. They should have the same done to them as they have done to others. This guy should be beaten to within an inch of his life and then left to lose that last inch as others steal his shoes without a care in the world.
I'm sorry but why should we bother trying to rehabilitate things like that. They are a waste of skin.

merkin

daviesee wrote:

Truly despicable.

I have a rough idea of how Mr. Houghton came off his bike and I think the police may have had the same suspicions but can't prove it :evil:

This :roll:

HebdenBiker

merkin wrote:

daviesee wrote:

Truly despicable.

I have a rough idea of how Mr. Houghton came off his bike and I think the police may have had the same suspicions but can't prove it :evil:

This :roll:

Yes - just thinking that.

flateric

Some people are little more than skid marks on the toilet bowls of society.