My email sent to Echo reporter.

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Philip Jones of the Echo has blamed Southend fans for the disgraceful attack on Simon Dobbin. So I sent him this email to philip.jones@nqe.com, as it's reporting like this that has tarnished the name of Southend fans, without us actually being found guilty yet.

Hi Philip.
Me and other Southend fans are very annoyed by being found guilty of this horrendous assault, without a trial or real evidence. You keep saying that Simon Dobbin was attacked by Southend fans. In today's echo you say ' Simon Dobbin, 41, Mildenhall, Suffolk, was caught up in a brawl between rival Cambridge United fans and Southend fans more than two hours after the game at Roots Hall on Saturday, March 21.'
As it stands at the moment it could well be Southend fans, or it could be the West Ham locals who were watching the 5.30 pm kick-off of their game at The Railway, as some have suggested, or it could be the Railway Regulars as some have suggested. Hopefully, the police with the help of CCTV and witnesses, will be able to clear this up. If it is Southend fans then we will be shocked and ashamed. But until you actually know it was, can you stop saying he was attacked by Southend fans, as there are three possible groups of attackers.
Regards
Ronnie

 

[Rob1920]

Entirely reasonable I'd say. To much journalism-by-assumption goes on in local press where the threat of legal comebacks are smaller.

Would be interesting to hear more about the two blokes who got arrested for it, although I assume we won't know who they are until it goes to court? Not an expert on these things obviously..

 

[shrimperjon]

Interesting that there has been plenty of eye witness accounts by Southend fans of what went on in The Spread before the game yet none it appears from The Railway. Leads me to think that it is unlikely that it was Southend fans involved. I could be wrong but i am not aware of anyone that has come on here that witnessed this awful event, yet many have done so re The Spread events including twitter etc. I hope it comes out eventually that it had nothing to do with us, otherwise Cambridge next season is going to be lively.

 

[Jai]

Probably more to do with the time of day. Plus it happened outside Prittlewell station, not inside the Railway. Plus it is a very serious police matter, statements were taken and any witnesses I suspect have been advised not to go gossiping on the internet about this.

 

[Cockle43]

The lack of comment in the public domain from witnesses to the events and even more so on here is probably due to the fact that those involved will have been reminded of the sub judice rules which will be in place.

Even more to be borne in mind is that comment on a website forum or in social media is deemed to be publication.

The penalties for breaking the sub judice rules are potentially very severe and I'm sure those involved would have been warned about the consequences.

From www.out-law.com :-

This guide is based on UK law and was written in January 2009.
The sub judice rule regulates the publication of matters which are under consideration by the court. Matters are considered to be sub judice (Latin for 'under judgment') once legal proceedings become active.
Criminal proceedings are deemed active once a person is arrested, a warrant for arrest has been issued, a summons has been issued or a person has been charged and remain active until conviction. Civil proceedings become active, in England, when the hearing date for the trial is arranged and, in Scotland, when the parties' pleadings have been finalised and the record is closed.

Publication of material which is sub judice comprises contempt of court, a crime which is punishable by a fine of unlimited amount and/or imprisonment for up to two years.

Something of which McNasty and Cricko are, no doubt, fully aware.....

 

[leroyjean]

I assume we won't know who they are until it goes to court? Not an expert on these things obviously..

Arrest and charge are different matters. It will only go to court if there are charges.

 

[Blues 'n twos]

Philip Jones of the Echo has blamed Southend fans for the disgraceful attack on Simon Dobbin. So I sent him this email to philip.jones@nqe.com, as it's reporting like this that has tarnished the name of Southend fans, without us actually being found guilty yet.

Hi Philip.
Me and other Southend fans are very annoyed by being found guilty of this horrendous assault, without a trial or real evidence. You keep saying that Simon Dobbin was attacked by Southend fans. In today's echo you say ' Simon Dobbin, 41, Mildenhall, Suffolk, was caught up in a brawl between rival Cambridge United fans and Southend fans more than two hours after the game at Roots Hall on Saturday, March 21.'
As it stands at the moment it could well be Southend fans, or it could be the West Ham locals who were watching the 5.30 pm kick-off of their game at The Railway, as some have suggested, or it could be the Railway Regulars as some have suggested. Hopefully, the police with the help of CCTV and witnesses, will be able to clear this up. If it is Southend fans then we will be shocked and ashamed. But until you actually know it was, can you stop saying he was attacked by Southend fans, as there are three possible groups of attackers.
Regards
Ronnie

First rule of journalism... Never let the truth stop you publishing a good story, and the Echo are masters of that.........allegedly.

Be interested to hear his response.

 

[onceknownasrab]

The arrests appear to be a man from Southend and another from Westcliff. Regardless of whether they were Southend fans it is a shameful and cowardly incident. If Phil Jones has no direct evidence that Southend supporters were involved then he should shut up. Even if the perpetrators were Southend fans there is no guarantee it was football related.
If however it is proven that the idiots were Southend fans and football was the 'reason' for the attack, then I and all supporters of this club will happily wish them dealt with by the full force of the judicial system.
Lets hope the poor chap makes a full recovery.

 

[Cockle43]

The arrests appear to be a man from Southend and another from Westcliff. Regardless of whether they were Southend fans it is a shameful and cowardly incident. If Phil Jones has no direct evidence that Southend supporters were involved then he should shut up. Even if the perpetrators were Southend fans there is no guarantee it was football related.
If however it is proven that the idiots were Southend fans and football was the 'reason' for the attack, then I and all supporters of this club will happily wish them dealt with by the full force of the judicial system.
Lets hope the poor chap makes a full recovery.

Can't disagree with a word of that.:thumbsup:

I think you speak for the vast majority of Southend fans.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

The arrests appear to be a man from Southend and another from Westcliff. Regardless of whether they were Southend fans it is a shameful and cowardly incident. If Phil Jones has no direct evidence that Southend supporters were involved then he should shut up. Even if the perpetrators were Southend fans there is no guarantee it was football related.
If however it is proven that the idiots were Southend fans and football was the 'reason' for the attack, then I and all supporters of this club will happily wish them dealt with by the full force of the judicial system.
Lets hope the poor chap makes a full recovery.

Quite right.....the point that is spectacularly missed by every piece of lazy journalism I've seen on this is that it was an attack on Mr Dobbin by a group of criminals....what football team they do, or do not follow is completely irrelevant.

If it turns out they supported Manchester City, does it then become an attack by "Man City fans"....if all the attackers liked pepperami will it be a "pepperami based assault".

A man has been disgracefully beaten and left to die by a number of people.....that is it...it has sod all to do with football.

 

[Pak Power]

Interesting that there has been plenty of eye witness accounts by Southend fans of what went on in The Spread before the game yet none it appears from The Railway. Leads me to think that it is unlikely that it was Southend fans involved. I could be wrong but i am not aware of anyone that has come on here that witnessed this awful event, yet many have done so re The Spread events including twitter etc. I hope it comes out eventually that it had nothing to do with us, otherwise Cambridge next season is going to be lively.

better make sure we go up then, postpone the meeting for a season or two:winking:

 

[rlb999]

Are Chelsea fans racist?

 

[Cockle43]

Well, it seems SNB's e-mail may have had some effect :thumbsup:; the articles on the Echo website now read as Simon Dobbin being a Cambridge supporter being attacked after the game in Southend by a group of men.

Doesn't, of course, change the terrible outcome or the seriousness of the situation but does put a little more balance into the reporting, pending firm details.

The latest article also contains a police appeal for more witnesses and also reveals that FOUR have now been arrested and bailed, three men aged 19, 22 and 33 from Southend and a 23 year old from Westcliff; all have been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and bailed until 27th May, pending further enquiries.

 

[RHB]

Are Chelsea fans racist?

The Chelsea fans caught on film abusing people on the Metro in France and the Underground in this country could reasonably be accused of being racist. Chelsea fans generally can't be accused of being racist just because they support Chelsea.

 

[rlb999]

You're quite right, but my point is that these days ALL football fans are guilty by association when something bad happens in the vicinity of a match. People call for journalists to keep 'an open mind', but if it had been a Southend fan injured I'm sure we'd all be certain that it was Cambridge fans wot done it, rather than urging people to describe the guilty parties 'a group of men who may or may not have been Cambridge fans'.

 

[AndyT]

Surely journalists are the very people who should dispel that myth and seek the truth, rather than working with stereotyped generalisations.

 

[David Icke]

Good email and well put. Can't argue with that.

There's an appeal on the Echo site now from the top cop investigating.

Interesting to note that the West Ham winner would have been scored only 12 seconds before 7.15pm - based on an exact 15 minutes for half time. - Just offering a fact. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[buffalowolf]

I really dont care what team they support, they are thugs and god willing justice will prevail ,also i wish Simon Dobbin a full recovery. Im sure SUFC or whatever club these thugs say they follow ,would never want them to step foot in their ground again

 

[billy best was god]

Why are we and the media assuming the Cambridge supporter is the innocent party in this just because of his injuries, the reporting is all one way it could easily be that he and his mates attacked the pub and its customers and a customer hit out in self defence. Just because he is a family man in his forties does not mean a thing. I was in the Spread Eagle and saw many “Loving family Cambridge men” attacking our supporters

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Why are we and the media assuming the Cambridge supporter is the innocent party in this just because of his injuries, the reporting is all one way it could easily be that he and his mates attacked the pub and its customers and a customer hit out in self defence. Just because he is a family man in his forties does not mean a thing. I was in the Spread Eagle and saw many “Loving family Cambridge men” attacking our supporters

Common decency to work on the assumption the guy lying half dead in a hospital is the victim of a horrible crime.

When the full story is revealed then we will have the full story.