There have been a number of self-styled “experts” in the media claiming that distributing the video of Casey Heynes delivering a smackdown on Richard Gale encourages violence. I’ll tell you who’s encouraging violence: everyone who’s said in public that Casey’s suplex slam was unjustified. You’re telling bullies, “Go on, pick on the fat kids; they have no right to defend themselves. You’ll get your kicks, and the worst you’ll suffer is a few days’ detention.” I saw a child psychologist quoted as saying that counselling is the best solution. What good would counselling be to Casey with his front teeth knocked out? Casey did the right thing: he showed Richard that he won’t put up with being humiliated, and he showed considerable restraint. I mean he didn’t even respond to the first punch, and when he snapped it was just a suplex slam — imagine where Richard would have been if Casey had gone for a pile driver. Instead of a screwed up leg, he’d have a fractured skull or broken neck.
Oh, and I saw Mrs Gale on TV complaining about how Casey’s getting all the love, and no-one feels sorry for her boy. I’ll tell you why: because you brought him up to be a violent jerk. You should thank Casey for trying to knock some sense into your brat — it’s obviously more than you’ve ever done for him. Hopefully from this day forward he’ll be a changed person, but given his refusal to apologise, I don’t hold out much hope. His excuse that he’s been bullied too is no justification. If that’s the case, he of all people should have known better than to throw those fateful punches.