Off Topic Are you having a giraffe?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-33378386

Tough **** I say!! 109mph in 50mph area!! Chuck the ****ing book at the daft ****.

 

He's from Essex....say no more!

 

Ridiculous.

 

Everyone that has ever been to court for D&D has some sob story (I speak from experience, sadly), why has this guy been singled out for leniency?

 

Big Tory party donor. And mason.

 

Footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips avoids prison for driving offence claiming he didn't know he was banned... because he doesn’t open his own POST

• The QPR winger received a ban for doing nearly 80mph in a 50mph zone
• He continued to drive his luxury Bentley unaware of the court order
• Met Police caught up with the former England star at QPR's training ground
• He was charged with driving while banned and appeared in court yesterday

please log in to view this image

Banned: Wright-Phillips claims he did not know about the driving ban as he doesn't open his post - his agent does
Millionaire footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips avoided jail yesterday for driving while banned because he was 'blissfully unaware' his licence had been revoked.
The former England star told Uxbridge Magistrates' Court he was unaware he should not have been on the road, and claimed he had not seen the legal papers banning him from driving because they had been sent to his agent's address.
The winger, who plays for QPR, had missed a string of court summons after his £200,000 Bentley was clocked doing 79mph on a 50mph stretch at Esher in Surrey, on March 28 last year.
The 31-year-old's luxury car was registered at his agent's address in Luton, Bedfordshire, which is where the important document informing him about his disqualification, was sent.
Several reminders were issued, including one to the former Manchester City and Chelsea star's home in Surrey, but Wright-Phillips claimed in court yesterday he had not seen any of them.
He was finally banned from driving in his absence in December.
Then, on January 21 this year, Met Police officers arrested Wright-Phillips at QPR's training ground in Harlington, West London, after spotting his insurance had been invalidated during a routine check.

He was charged with driving while banned and driving without insurance. At his trial yesterday, he admitted to both offences.

please log in to view this image

Previous conviction: Wright-Phillips, pictured here driving a Bentley in 2009, was also banned from driving in 2004 after being caught speeding
Defending Wright-Phillips, his lawyer Gwyn Lewis argued he should escape a further ban or jail as he was 'blissfully unaware' of the papers.
Mr Lewis, dubbed Merlin the Magician for his ability to make 'many worrying cases disappear', said: 'We will be making a special reasons argument that the
defendant shouldn’t be endorsed with points, a ban or jail, which would normally be the case.'

please log in to view this image

Speedster: Wright-Phillips has played for West London QPR since 2011 following his move from Manchester City
Magistrates accepted his case and fined the player £800 and ordered him to pay £85 costs with an £80 surcharge for the first charge of driving while banned.
The bench accepted he 'would not have expected to receive the mail'.
Wright-Phillips, who was banned for speeding in 2004 by Crewe magistrates, told the court: 'From now on I will definitely open the mail even if it is junk.'
He left court without commenting.

please log in to view this image

Football star: The winger has a previous conviction for speeding dating back to 2004. He is pictured here in action last season against Aston Villa

please log in to view this image

Heyday: Shaun Wright-Phillips used to be a regular in the England squad, pictured here shortly before the 2010 World Cup

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ing-didnt-know-banned--doesn-t-open-POST.html

 

It was reported that the reason for speeding was that Shaun had left a major Conservative dinner late and was rushing to re-new his masonic lodge membership before the ´buffalo-heads´ banished him.

 

This really takes the p1ss! So if I register my car at my company address then ignore all post relevant to it I don't have to tax or insure it and can speed to my hearts content!
Wonder how that would go down in court for a normal person!
Surprised they didn't just go with argument 'my agent put it on kitchen worktop and I couldn't reach it as I'm vertically challenged hence my name Short Wright-Phillips'
It's also not like he hasn't had much time on his hands - been sitting around doing nothing for last 3yrs!

 

I wonder how much they pay they guy that wipes his (short) arse?...

 

He can't see out of his windscreen so can't see any signs

 

4 years actually - somehow he secured a one year contract extension.

QPR manager Neil Warnock told the club website: "I'm just really excited that we've been able to attract a player like Shaun to the club.
"Right from day one, him and Joey Barton were at the top of our list and we've managed to get both of them, so I couldn't be more pleased.
"He's got a great attitude, a great character and he just wants to improve and impress as a footballer.
"Shaun's so positive and that's what we're looking for from all players that join QPR."

31 August 2011
QPR sign Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City

please log in to view this image

Shaun Wright-Phillips has completed his move from Manchester City to QPR.

The 29-year-old winger has joined the Loftus Road club in a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
He made 93 appearances for City after rejoining from Chelsea in 2008 following three years in the capital.
"After speaking to the manager Neil Warnock and seeing the direction he thinks the club is going, I wanted to help make it happen," said the England international.
"Neil Warnock just told me to be energetic and create goals. I'm very excited to be here. It's a big club. I just want to get back playing football."

Wright-Phillips will now link up with his former City team-mate Joey Barton as he returns to his native city.
He continued: "There was a bit of toing and froing and making sure the deal was done the way both parties wanted. But I spent most of the day sat down chilling with my dad, my uncle and friends.
"I want to thank the Eastlands fans for their support and there will always be a blue spot in my heart - they have supported me for ten years of my life."

Shaun Wright-Phillips facts

• Born: 25/10/81 in Greenwich
• Signed for Chelsea from Manchester City in 2005 for £21m
• Made 274 appearances in two spells with Manchester City

"I'd also like to thank the managers of Bolton, Wigan and Stoke for showing an interest in me but in the end it was an easy decision to make. I'm looking to seeing my old mate Joey, it should be a good laugh."
QPR manager Neil Warnock told the club website: "I'm just really excited that we've been able to attract a player like Shaun to the club.
"Right from day one, him and Joey Barton were at the top of our list and we've managed to get both of them, so I couldn't be more pleased.
"He's got a great attitude, a great character and he just wants to improve and impress as a footballer.
"Shaun's so positive and that's what we're looking for from all players that join QPR."

 

Oh bugger!

I was expecting this thread to be a compassionate debate about adopting ill treated giraffes from the giraffe rescue center..

If it was I was going to post good on you! I could not personally help having nowhere to put the bloody thing...

please log in to view this image

 

So...............if you're wealthy, like SWP ignorance of the law really IS an excuse!!.

 

New York Red Bulls

In June 2015, Wright-Phillips would attend the wedding ceremony of his brother Bradley in New York City. Soon after it was reported that he had begun training alongside his brother for MLS side New York Red Bulls in what was described officially as a way for him to regain fitness after so long out of the first time picture at QPR. [23] On 23rd June, Red Bulls head-coach Jesse Marsch told U.S. Soccer news website, Big Apple Soccer that he was suitably impressed with what he had seen from Wright-Phillips leading to speculation that the move may become a more permanent fixture once Wright-Phillips QPR contract officially ended on the 30th June. [24]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Wright-Phillips

New York Red Bulls fans want Shaun Wright-Phillips on a non-DP salary
By Lester Townsend on Jul 1, 2015

please log in to view this image

http://www.onceametro.com/2015/7/1/...want-shaun-wright-phillips-on-a-non-dp-salary

 

Meaning what, exactly?

 

Freemason. Masons have a reputation for doing each other 'favours', and the police and judiciary are well known for having 'lodges'.

It was a joke, admittedly a poor one, Sheff.

 

Having been a Freemason for over 15 years, I can tell you categorically, that Masons do not do 'favours' for each other. Additionally, I do not know one judge or policeman that is a mason, and believe me, I've visited 100's of lodges in my time. I accept your apology, but just thought I'd put the record straight.

www.ugle.org.uk

 

The Masons certainly have a terrible PR profile. As an organisation (?, club? sect?) mistrusted by Catholics, Methodists, Muslims, Nazis, Communists as well as some politicians, it must be doing something right. Sadly, my knowledge comes mainly through the exposure of the P2 (Propaganda Due) Lodge in Italy in the 1980s. For police and the masons see the Manor of St James (Lodge 9179) and Operation Tiberius.

Every gathering has a few bad apples. Or in QPR terms, bad eggs. I'm not sure whether I'm meant to view the Masons as a kind of Rotary Club or Round Table for men who like ritual, or something more weighty. I'm not a conspiracy theorist and Masonry seems very loosely organised, I'm sure it does good stuff but your personal experience may not represent the entirety of the activity of Masons.

 

As you rightly say, every gathering has a few bad apples (Bosingwa). My personal experience can, in no way represent the entire world of Freemasonry and neither should the activities of a handful of corrupt individuals involved in the cases you quote.

The US are currently investigating widespread corruption inside FIFA, does that make everyone involved in the game corrupt as well?

 

Probably........to be fair Sheff, I don't think about stuff like this too often, I'm not a joiner by nature, and the Masons wouldn't have me anyway because I'm an atheist.