| Hateland -
Articles |
01/07/00 - Bomber gets six
life terms
Nick Hopkins
The Guardian
David Copeland hailed the nail-bombing campaign which
killed three people and injured 139 others as the start
of a race and homophobic war, and he declared he was a
righteous messenger from God.
But yesterday afternoon as he was led from the dock of
the Old Bailey to begin life sentences for murder, the
truth about this 24-year-old engineer became clear. The
jury decided he was bad, not mad.
They heard evidence that he was a lonely, sad individual,
who was worried his penis was too small, and that people
might think he was a homosexual. One psychiatrist who
examined him believes he is gay.
Copeland's obsessions manifested themselves in a personality
disorder. His anger was channelled into virulent rightwing
extremism and he finally vented his hatred on black,
Asian and gay communities in 13 days of carefully planned
mayhem in April last year.
Andrea Dykes, 27, who was four months pregnant, John
Light, 32, and Nik Moore, 31, were killed in the third
explosion in the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho in the heart
of London.
At 3.28pm yesterday the jury foreman announced that
Copeland, of Cove, Hants, was guilty of their murders.
Copeland, whose pleas of manslaughter on the grounds
of diminished responsibility were rejected, stared blankly
ahead as the judge, Michael Hyam, QC, sentenced him
to three life sentences for murder and three life sentences
for causing explosions in Soho, Brixton and Brick Lane,
in east London. He will start his sentence in Broadmoor.
"Anyone who has heard the facts of this case will
be appalled and horrified at the atrocity of your crimes,"
the judge told him.
"The evidence shows you were motivated by virulent
hatred and pitiless contempt for other people.
"You set out to kill maim and terrorise the community.
As a result of your wicked intentions you have left
three families bereaved. You alone are accountable for
ruining their lives. Nothing can excuse or justify the
evil you have done."
Later, those who survived the murderous campaign applauded
the verdicts, but warned that others shared Copeland's
bigoted views. Gary Reid, 44, who lost a leg in the
Soho blast, said Copeland's victims felt a "deep
sense of relief and gratitude."
"Justice has been done, both for the survivors,
the bereaved families and the thousands of their loved
ones who were also affected by these atrocities.
"The fear, loathing, hatred and ignorance culminating
in the bombings is a warning to society and the world
as a whole that racism, prejudice and homophobia - and
the fear of difference - is out there.
"We should all be aware of this and challenge
it at every opportunity. David Copeland has not achieved
his aims of fame and power. The verdict proves he is
a dangerous, pathetic nobody who is now where he belongs."
Nik Moore's brother, Martin, added: "This case
clearly illustrates the harm that may be done by the
failure to recognise, accept and nurture the sexuality
of our offspring. It can, at best, cause misery and
personality disorder, and at worst turn a child into
a murderer. We must learn from it."
Copeland's defence relied on the evidence of six psychiatrists,
who said he was suffering from a paranoid schizophrenic
illness at the time of the blasts last year, and had
acted like a robot who was incapable of taking full
responsibility for what he had done.
However, a prosecution expert, Dr Philip Joseph, said
Copeland "had overwhelming anxiety over his sexual
orientation and intense rage and hatred of others that
led to extreme views and a desire to destroy".
After treatment in Broadmoor high security hospital,
he had retained his white supremacist and Nazi beliefs
- a clear sign, the court heard, that he was not suffering
from a more serious mental illness.
Copeland told detectives that if he had not been caught,
he would have continued bombing minority communities
in London. Southall and Peckham were next on his mental
list.
Nigel Sweeney, QC, prosecuting, said Copeland had wanted
to cause "murder, mayhem, chaos and damage."
Scotland Yard said last night that Copeland had acted
alone and was not supported by any extreme rightwing
groups.
However, Copeland was briefly a member of the British
National Party, and had also been a member of the National
Socialist Movement, thought to be a political offshoot
of Combat 18.
Searchlight, the anti-fascist magazine, said the police
should have known about Copeland, and called for a crackdown
on the publication of inciteful and racist literature.
"There are many more potential Copelands in society,"
said co-editor Nick Lowles. |
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
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