"On both occasions, she had been drinking!" Surprise, surprise!
If she were jailed for her opinions alone, it would be woefully ironic, as this is from the place where "Speaker's Corner" is a tourist stop!
http://www.speakerscorner.net/ (some funny and odd stuff at that link).
However, the truth is a bit different--her charges had to do more with bothering people, threatening them, creating a public disturbance:
Woodhouse, of Romford in Essex, admitted causing harassment alarm and distress to Mr Juttla earlier this month.
The fact that her rant was seen 'round the world didn't help her, certainly. That probably added a few weeks to her sentence, at a minimum.
You don't have to be the Sigmund Freud version of Bill Frist to see that this Woodhouse woman has psychiatric issues. The drinking is likely her way of self-medicating--either that, or she just cannot handle her booze at all (she had apparently been drinking unknown quantities of champagne at a retirement party). She's lashing out all around herself--if she were surrounded by attractive women, she'd probably be calling them all prostitutes and tramps. If she were surrounded by young men, she'd likely accuse them of being potential rapists. She's just NOT a happy camper!
I honestly DO think that those racist comments are her views, though (she's done this before, in 2008)--if I had to guess, I would say she's a shitty little hate-monger, with a racist bent, psychiatric issues AND a drinking prob. But I think a hefty fine, community service amongst the (fill in one of her favorite denigrating words) and a ban from the tube is enough (I'd say drinking, or not, she should be banned--let her hurl abuse at a cab driver and see how well that works for her--she'd be on her bike or shank's mare before too long).
Why should the citizens of the United Kingdom have to pay for her food, clothing and cot for twenty one weeks (although one report says the sentence will be halved)? If one has to confine her at all, do a home confinement.
Turns out, though--they WILL have to pay for her, as she's been fired from her job and is now on the dole. Life sucks for some people, and sometimes, they have a hand in their own misery:
In addition the court heard that Woodhouse had lost her job and was now claiming benefits.
Cites from:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2151576/Woman-jailed-21-weeks-racist-Tube-rant-seen-YouTube.html
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