Gloucestershire judge slams Facebook for causing 'hassle'
A DISTRICT judge criticised Facebook after a jealous lover posed as a secret admirer on the social networking website to catch his partner out.
After 43-year-old Andrew Daniels posted a fake message on Facebook, he confronted Amanda Cullen and punched her in the face in a drunken rage, a court heard.
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Facebook
The terrified victim told police later that if a good Samaritan had not come to the rescue, she did not know what the defendant would have done.
It prompted the judge sitting on the case to reflect that the website was causing a huge amount of "hassle" in society.
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Daniels, of Chaucer Close, Gloucester, pleaded guilty to assault on August 3, when he appeared before District Judge Joti Bopa-Rai at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
Rage
Prosecuting lawyer Derek Ryder said: "Amanda Cullen received a phone call from the defendant to say he wanted to see her.
"He was slurring his speech and was clearly drunk.
"He told her that he had been pretending to be someone else on Facebook and had caught her out.
"He then punched her in the face three times and she ran out into the street. He followed her, ripped her top off and pushed her in the back.
"At that point a member of the public came to her assistance.
"In a statement to the police, the victim said that the defendant was in a drunken rage and she really did not know what would have happened if the good Samaritan had not come to the rescue.
"She also said that she did not ever want to see the defendant again."
District Judge Bopa-Rai said: "Facebook is causing more hassle than anything else these days."
Probation officer Hilary Cowmeadow said: "They were in a good relationship for some 18 years but he became suspicious and posed as a fake admirer on Facebook to see if she was tempted.
"He has been unemployed for some time and has mental health issues."
Daniels was given an 18-month community order, ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim and prosecution costs of £85.
Comments
by Takeaway22
Friday, August 31 2012, 5:32PM
“eyeopener - Politeness and courtesy is paramount.”
by eyeopener
Friday, August 31 2012, 5:23PM
“Takeaway22 I agree that verbal conversations are richer and even better face to face because you not only get the intonation of the voice but the unspoken communication from facial expressions and body language etc.
That said Facebook offers enriched communication as well with the display of photographs, url's (web addresses) and links to YouTube etc.
As you seem to have found bonzaharris1's career less than riveting I will spare you any details of my present and past. That said you did seem to respond comment by comment but that may simply have been politeness and courtesy on your part. :-)”
by photogirl
Friday, August 31 2012, 5:19PM
“facebook is only a tool - it's what you make of it. If you give out personal information that you wouldn't give to anyone but your close friends, then you take a risk. But people don't just use it to get information, they use it to give out information too....”
by bonzaharris1
Friday, August 31 2012, 5:18PM
“Takeaway, that wasn't my career, but If you want sit comfortably and pour wine I can go through that if you like .... only joking !!”
by Takeaway22
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:54PM
“bonzaharris1 - Correct. Your first answer was sufficient. Didn't really need all the rest of your career. Thanks anyway.”
by Bonkim2003
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:45PM
“photogirl - people use what is there and the concept of facebook is to gather info on as many as they can to enrich themselves - in some way you are inviting trouble by going on such social media.”
by bonzaharris1
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:35PM
“Takeaway, you mentioned it, thats registering an interest on the subject. I am glad we havn't fallen out.”
by Takeaway22
Friday, August 31 2012, 1:34PM
“You thought I was that interested? OK. Who was falling out?”
by bonzaharris1
Friday, August 31 2012, 11:54AM
“Not the impression I got Takeaway, but no matter, nothing worth falling out over !!”
by Takeaway22
Friday, August 31 2012, 11:49AM
“Thanks bonzaharris1. Wasn't really that interested, but thanks anyway.”