UK and Europe · Public discussion

NI killer jailed

Just Zis Guy · 2003-02-14T17:32:25+00:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2761943.stm (I'd format it better, but being at work and using MS Outhouse, festering heap of [censored] that it is, every time I try it Dr Watsons). A County Antrim mother of six has been sentenced to two years in prison for the manslaughter of a teenage boy. Alison McKeown, 33, admitted killing 16-year-old Thomas McDonald by dangerous driving at the Whitewell Road in September 2001, but denied murdering him. The Protestant youth was knocked from his bike by the Catholic woman's car when she chased him along a footpath after he had thrown a brick at her windscreen. Sectarian tensions were high at the time during the loyalist protest outside the Holy Cross Girls' primary school in another part of north Belfast. Circus The incident followed rioting between rival loyalist and nationalist crowds at the Whitewell interface. McKeown's defence counsel had argued that although it had been a rash and dangerous act, it had been carried out in the heat of the moment. "To me that's a circus in there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice there" - Thomas McDonald Snr "It was just a few moments of loss of self control for which she and her family have already paid a huge price," said defence counsel Jim Gallagher. He said Mckeown "recognised the tragedy of the loss of this young man's life and what it represents to his family". There was anger in court when the sentence was imposed on Friday. Friends and relatives of the teenager shouted abuse at Mrs McKeown, describing what had happened in court as "a joke and a circus". The boy's stepfather, Thomas McDonald Snr, said: "To me that's a circus in there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice there." McKeown will also serve three years probation. Lord Justice McCollum said he had taken into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to commit any other offences in the future. He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman and her response had not been premeditated. -- Guy === I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully. http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104

Started by Just Zis Guy · 14 February 2003 · Last activity 17 February 2003 · 30 posts · 1,671 views

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Original section: UK and Europe
Published: 14 February 2003
Last activity: 17 February 2003
Original author: Just Zis Guy
Posts: 30
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 1,671
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Original post
Just Zis Guy
Archived post

14 February 2003, 17:32 UTC #1

news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
(I'd format it better, but being at work and using MS Outhouse, festering heap of [censored] that it is,
every time I try it Dr Watsons).
A County Antrim mother of six has been sentenced to two years in prison for the manslaughter of a
teenage boy.
Alison McKeown, 33, admitted killing 16-year-old Thomas McDonald by dangerous driving at the
Whitewell Road in September 2001, but denied murdering him. The Protestant youth was knocked from
his bike by the Catholic woman's car when she chased him along a footpath after he had thrown a
brick at her windscreen. Sectarian tensions were high at the time during the loyalist protest
outside the Holy Cross Girls' primary school in another part of north Belfast.
Circus The incident followed rioting between rival loyalist and nationalist crowds at the Whitewell
interface. McKeown's defence counsel had argued that although it had been a rash and dangerous act,
it had been carried out in the heat of the moment. "To me that's a circus in there... you murder
someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice there" - Thomas McDonald Snr
"It was just a few moments of loss of self control for which she and her family have already paid a
huge price," said defence counsel Jim Gallagher. He said Mckeown "recognised the tragedy of the loss
of this young man's life and what it represents to his family". There was anger in court when the
sentence was imposed on Friday. Friends and relatives of the teenager shouted abuse at Mrs McKeown,
describing what had happened in court as "a joke and a circus". The boy's stepfather, Thomas
McDonald Snr, said: "To me that's a circus in there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail
and you're out - there's no justice there." McKeown will also serve three years probation. Lord
Justice McCollum said he had taken into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to commit any
other offences in the future. He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman
and her response had not been premeditated.
--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml

Report
Albert-Fish
Archived post

14 February 2003, 19:02 UTC #2

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
Quoted message said:
The Protestant youth was knocked from his bike by the Catholic woman's car
if it had been the other way round it wouldn't have made the papers...
Albert
Tiocfaidh Ar La

Report
James Hodson
Archived post

14 February 2003, 19:02 UTC #3

you know? said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
[SNIPPED having read the article]
Guy
I do sometimes wonder whether or not the sentence passed is based on the crime actually commited or
on the possibility of that same person misbehaving in the future.
James
--
A credit limit is NOT a target.

Report
Colin Blackburn
Archived post

14 February 2003, 19:02 UTC #4

Albert-Fish said:
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
Quoted message said:
The Protestant youth was knocked from his bike by the Catholic woman's car
if it had been the other way round it wouldn't have made the papers...
I imagine it would have made a different set of papers.
Colin

Report
Graham
Archived post

14 February 2003, 21:02 UTC #5

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
(I'd format it better, but being at work and using MS Outhouse, festering heap of [censored] that it is,
every time I try it Dr Watsons).
A County Antrim mother of six has been sentenced to two years in prison

for
Quoted message said:
the manslaughter of a teenage boy.
Alison McKeown, 33, admitted killing 16-year-old Thomas McDonald by dangerous driving at the
Whitewell Road in September 2001, but denied murdering him. The Protestant youth was knocked from
his bike by the Catholic woman's car when she chased him along a footpath after he had thrown a
brick at her windscreen. Sectarian tensions were high at the time during the loyalist protest

outside
Quoted message said:
the Holy Cross Girls' primary school in another part of north Belfast.
Circus The incident followed rioting between rival loyalist and nationalist

crowds
Quoted message said:
at the Whitewell interface. McKeown's defence counsel had argued that although it had been a rash
and dangerous act, it had been carried out in the heat of the moment. "To me that's a circus in
there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice there" -
Thomas McDonald Snr "It was just a few moments of loss of self control for which she and her
family have already paid a huge price," said defence counsel Jim

Gallagher.
Quoted message said:
He said Mckeown "recognised the tragedy of the loss of this young man's

life
Quoted message said:
and what it represents to his family". There was anger in court when the sentence was imposed on
Friday. Friends and relatives of the teenager shouted abuse at Mrs McKeown, describing what had
happened in court as "a joke and a circus". The boy's stepfather, Thomas McDonald Snr, said: "To
me that's a circus in there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out -
there's no justice there." McKeown will also serve three years probation. Lord Justice McCollum
said he had taken into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to commit any other offences
in the future. He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman and

her
Quoted message said:
response had not been premeditated.
--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk

of
Quoted message said:
bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml

What has this got to do with cycling ? The thug would have been run down by the other thug
whether they were on a bike or not.
Graham

Report
Just Zis Guy
Archived post

14 February 2003, 22:31 UTC #6

James Hodson said:
I do sometimes wonder whether or not the sentence passed is based on the crime actually commited or
on the possibility of that same person misbehaving in the future.
I am occasionally given to wonder whether the sentence is in fact related to an entirely different
and less serious offence :-/
Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

Report
Just Zis Guy
Archived post

14 February 2003, 22:31 UTC #7

Graham said:
What has this got to do with cycling ?
The dead person was riding a bike, and the original report of the offence was discussed hereabouts.
Please uninstall the plug-in which forces you to read posts you don't want to read.
Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

Report
Graham
Archived post

14 February 2003, 22:31 UTC #8

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Graham said:
What has this got to do with cycling ?
The dead person was riding a bike, and the original report of the offence was discussed
hereabouts. Please uninstall the plug-in which forces you to read posts you don't want to read.
Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.
Therefore any story involving riding a bike, be the rider of the bike a criminal or other thug,
has to be discussed on this newsgroup ?
Graham

Report
Dave
Archived post

15 February 2003, 00:02 UTC #9

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
(I'd format it better, but being at work and using MS Outhouse, festering heap of [censored] that it is,
every time I try it Dr Watsons).
A County Antrim mother of six has been sentenced to two years in prison

for
Quoted message said:
the manslaughter of a teenage boy.
Alison McKeown, 33, admitted killing 16-year-old Thomas McDonald by dangerous driving at the
Whitewell Road in September 2001, but denied murdering him. The Protestant youth was knocked from
his bike by the Catholic woman's car when she chased him along a footpath after he had thrown a
brick at her windscreen. Sectarian tensions were high at the time during the loyalist protest

outside
Quoted message said:
the Holy Cross Girls' primary school in another part of north Belfast.
Circus The incident followed rioting between rival loyalist and nationalist

crowds
Quoted message said:
at the Whitewell interface. McKeown's defence counsel had argued that although it had been a rash
and dangerous act, it had been carried out in the heat of the moment. "To me that's a circus in
there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice there" -
Thomas McDonald Snr "It was just a few moments of loss of self control for which she and her
family have already paid a huge price," said defence counsel Jim

Gallagher.
Quoted message said:
He said Mckeown "recognised the tragedy of the loss of this young man's

life
Quoted message said:
and what it represents to his family". There was anger in court when the sentence was imposed on
Friday. Friends and relatives of the teenager shouted abuse at Mrs McKeown, describing what had
happened in court as "a joke and a circus". The boy's stepfather, Thomas McDonald Snr, said: "To
me that's a circus in there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out -
there's no justice there." McKeown will also serve three years probation. Lord Justice McCollum
said he had taken into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to commit any other offences
in the future. He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman and

her
Quoted message said:
response had not been premeditated.
--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk

of
Quoted message said:
bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml

This is 'merely' secretarian violence and should be treated with the contempt it so richly deserves.
The car / cycle were purely coincidental. My opinion only and not a criticism of its inclusion on
this ng. cheers, Dave.

Report
James Annan
Archived post

15 February 2003, 00:02 UTC #10

Graham said:

Therefore any story involving riding a bike, be the rider of the bike a criminal or other thug,
has to be discussed on this newsgroup ?
Yes, that's the rules, if you don't like them, [censored].
James
PS I rode my bike yesterday.

Report
Just Zis Guy
Archived post

15 February 2003, 00:02 UTC #11

Graham said:
Quoted message said:
The dead person was riding a bike, and the original report of the offence was discussed
hereabouts. Please uninstall the plug-in which forces you to read posts you don't want to read.
Quoted message said:
Therefore any story involving riding a bike, be the rider of the bike a criminal or other thug, has
to be discussed on this newsgroup ?
The original report of the offence was discussed hereabouts. Please uninstall the plug-in which
forces you to read posts you don't want to read.
Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

Report
Graham
Archived post

15 February 2003, 01:32 UTC #12

"Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
news.bbc.co.uk2761943.stm
(I'd format it better, but being at work and using MS Outhouse,

festering
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
heap of [censored] that it is, every time I try it Dr Watsons).
A County Antrim mother of six has been sentenced to two years in prison

for
Quoted message said:
the manslaughter of a teenage boy.
Alison McKeown, 33, admitted killing 16-year-old Thomas McDonald by dangerous driving at the
Whitewell Road in September 2001, but denied murdering him. The Protestant youth was knocked
from his bike by the Catholic woman's

car
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
when she chased him along a footpath after he had thrown a brick at her windscreen. Sectarian
tensions were high at the time during the loyalist protest

outside
Quoted message said:
the Holy Cross Girls' primary school in another part of north Belfast.
Circus The incident followed rioting between rival loyalist and nationalist

crowds
Quoted message said:
at the Whitewell interface. McKeown's defence counsel had argued that although it had been
a rash

and
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
dangerous act, it had been carried out in the heat of the moment. "To me that's a circus in
there... you murder someone and you do a year

in
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
jail and you're out - there's no justice there" - Thomas McDonald Snr "It was just a few moments
of loss of self control for which she and her family have already paid a huge price," said
defence counsel Jim

Gallagher.
Quoted message said:
He said Mckeown "recognised the tragedy of the loss of this young man's

life
Quoted message said:
and what it represents to his family". There was anger in court when the sentence was imposed on
Friday. Friends and relatives of the teenager shouted abuse at Mrs McKeown, describing what had
happened in court as "a joke and a circus". The boy's stepfather, Thomas McDonald Snr, said: "To
me that's a circus

in
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
there... you murder someone and you do a year in jail and you're out - there's no justice
there." McKeown will also serve three years probation. Lord Justice McCollum said he had taken
into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to commit any other offences in the future.
He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman and

her
Quoted message said:
response had not been premeditated.
--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk

of
Quoted message said:
bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml highwaycode.gov.uk09.shtml

This is 'merely' secretarian violence and should be treated with the contempt it so richly
deserves. The car / cycle were purely coincidental. My opinion only and not a criticism of its
inclusion on this ng. cheers, Dave.

Well said Dave, as for James it's all very well telling people to [censored] on a newsgroup,
especially when they are only expressing an opinion. But would you say it to them in person ?
Disagree by all means but keep a civil tongue in your head, or you might find it getting ripped
out and fed back to you !
Graham

Report
James Annan
Archived post

15 February 2003, 01:32 UTC #13

Graham said:
as for James it's all very well telling people to [censored] on a newsgroup, especially when
they are only expressing an opinion. But would you say it to them in person ?
When they say something as mind-numbingly stupid as you did, what sort of response would you expect?
Quoted message said:
Disagree by all means but keep a civil tongue in your head, or you might find it getting ripped
out and fed back to you !
Ah, that's a 'civil' threat of violence is it?
James

Report
James Annan
Archived post

15 February 2003, 02:02 UTC #14

James Annan said:
Graham said:
as for James it's all very well telling people to [censored] on a newsgroup, especially when
they are only expressing an opinion. But would you say it to them in person ?
When they say something as mind-numbingly stupid as you did, what sort of response would
you expect?
OTOH I had just been reading uk.tosspot, maybe my judgement was a little impaired!
Sorry,
James

Report
David Hansen
Archived post

15 February 2003, 09:01 UTC #15

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003 16:42:51 -0000 someone who may be "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-
Quoted message said:
Lord Justice McCollum said he had taken into account the fact that Mrs McKeown was unlikely to
commit any other offences in the future.
On the contrary, it sounds quite likely that she will do it again in similar circumstances.
Quoted message said:
He accepted what she had done was the reaction of an impulsive woman
Precisely.
Quoted message said:
and her response had not been premeditated.
Armed robbers could say the same thing. I didn't intend to kill anyone, they shouldn't have annoyed
me. I doubt if the courts would accept such a line.
--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

Report
Ian Smith
Archived post

15 February 2003, 10:31 UTC #16

Graham said:

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

The dead person was riding a bike, and the original report of the offence was discussed
hereabouts. Please uninstall the plug-in which forces you to read posts you don't want to read.
Therefore any story involving riding a bike, be the rider of the bike a criminal or other
thug, has to be discussed on this newsgroup ?
I scrounged a redundant filing-cabinet from work during the week, and then brought it home
yesterday. It was a bit of a strugglke getting it in the car, and I wasn't sure where to put it when
I got home (the study is due for a reorganisation, which will accomodate it in due course). Anyway,
it was fine in teh end, because when I got home I found I could fit it in teh garagge, if I moved
one of the BIKEs.
regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

Report
Graham
Archived post

15 February 2003, 10:31 UTC #17

"James Annan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
James Annan said:
Graham said:
as for James it's all very well telling people to [censored] on a newsgroup, especially when
they are only expressing an opinion. But would you say it to them in person ?
When they say something as mind-numbingly stupid as you did, what sort of response would you
expect?
OTOH I had just been reading uk.tosspot, maybe my judgement was a little impaired!
Sorry,
James
Apology accepted, and it wasn't a civil threat of violence, it was a promise !
Graham

Report
Just Zis Guy
Archived post

15 February 2003, 16:03 UTC #18

Ian Smith said:
I scrounged a redundant filing-cabinet from work during the week, and then brought it home
yesterday. It was a bit of a strugglke getting it in the car, and I wasn't sure where to put it
when I got home (the study is due for a reorganisation, which will accomodate it in due course).
Anyway, it was fine in teh end, because when I got home I found I could fit it in teh garagge, if I
moved one of the BIKEs.
Oh come on, Ian, you know that's only on topic if you're going to keep your spare tubes on top of
the thing ;-)
Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

Report
Frank
Archived post

15 February 2003, 16:03 UTC #19

"James Annan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

Yes, that's the rules, if you don't like them, [censored].

Superbly put.

Report
Graham
Archived post

15 February 2003, 16:03 UTC #20

"Frank" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

"James Annan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

Yes, that's the rules, if you don't like them, [censored].

Superbly put.
But later retracted ! With a grovelling apology :-)
Graham

Report

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