I'm alright Jack

You have quite probably seen and heard rather a lot of Mr John Cooper QC, currently touring the TV news channels ad nauseum, bleating on about how, in his esteemed opinion, Magistrates have been hysterically influenced by public opinion as they slavishly hand down outrageously disproportionate sentences to the rioters and looters purely on the basis of “it’s what angry Britain wants.”

When someone like Cooper has a lot to say for himself, particularly when it’s self serving bollocks – it’s always worth taking the time to find out a little more about the person. It invariably answers a lot of questions. I had never heard of Cooper before this week but now I understand what makes him tick. For example . . . .  

John Cooper QC is a 'leading' criminal law and human rights barrister. The clue is in the last three words.

John Cooper QC is a former Parliamentary Candidate for the Labour Party having contested North West Surrey in 1987 and Amber Valley in the East Midlands in 1992. He lost each time.

John Cooper QC is Chairman of the League Against Cruel Sports. Before you ask - you're right - he was an influential architect of the ban on fox hunting.

I could go on but I think you have enough information. If you really want to know more visit his website and you will discover that there really is no end to this mans talents interests and opinions. A proper all round smart arse. Anyway back to the rioters and looters.

Despite the distrust of Cooper QC, our courts do have independence and they are quite capable of reaching their own decisions, which mercifully they have been, based upon the facts, which include aggravating factors such as the inescapable truth that all the offences currently being tried were committed, quite deliberately, during a full scale riot the like of which this country has not witnessed before. That is what is being quite rightly and justifiably reflected in the severity of the sentences. To seriously suggest that courts are presiding over cases with an eye on The Sun and ear on the gossip in the local Wetherspoons is as ridiculous as it is preposterous. 

Clearly it is an unpalatable concept for Cooper - public opinion having some kind of influence on the judiciary, but it’s fine for him and his ilk to constantly try and exert their 'professional' influence as members of numerous legal panels, bodies and committees, attempting to further their own narrow and personal agendas. 

With the current and widely applauded rate of custodial referrals, the legal wind is clearly not blowing in their preferred direction and consequently their collective influence amounts to jack. So it’s time to come over all self righteous, affronted and indignant – time to force their preferred flavour of justice all over the BBC, SKY News the Guardian or anywhere else prepared to accommodate their philosophy - you're all wrong and we're right. 

And another thing I discovered . . . . . . . . .

John Cooper QC lives in a Regency Farm-house in Hertfordshire built in 1821. He spends what spare time he has (can’t be that much) renovating and furnishing the old house, which stands on the site of a Tudor Mansion.

Now, had the anarchy spread to Hertfordshire two weeks ago (as a resident of the county I am immensely grateful it did not) it’s highly likely that said Regency farmhouse and its occupants would have been an obvious target for the criminal scumbags seizing the moment, just like they did to some of the properties in affluent inner London. So imagine as the Cooper's Regency Farm-House front door was kicked off it’s hinges before the place was emptied of it’s valuables and then torched for good measure - Cooper QC cowering under his bed – fretting about the poor people’s rights rather than their responsibilities and what dreadful consequences await them at the hands of our feeble impressionable judiciary.

Thankfully for Cooper QC and the whole left wing human rights elite, shit just never visits their  doorstep like it does these days with such regularity and devastating consequences for so many other 'ordinary' folk. And until the day it does, presumably he will carry on just being smug John Cooper QC.