**** The official AND ONLY 'Albion players arrested' thread ****

[Springal]

I think the fact that he was in a leg cast and on crutches at the time may have something to do with it!

Why? There are so many possibilities of what could have happened, being on crutches doesn't mean a thing.

 

[Oscar]

The latest statement of the Club website exposes the real problem with rushing to publish the names of people arrested as part of an investigation but not charged immediately (or at all). I wonder if the Argus will now publish an apology to Tommy Elphick. He clearly was not involved in any incident but the article implies a guilt. It is a pity that we are not as quick to defend the innocent as we are to prejudge the "guilty". Clearly if there has been any wrongdoing it should be punished within the law but at this moment we are a long way from that point. Let's hope Tommy recovers from this quickly as is able to continue a promising professional career free from guilt by association.

And all the while the Argus sits on newstands with Tommy's name still emblazened across the front. And it will remain so all day.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

The Police gathered information for two months, arrested Elphick then all of a sudden clear him?

Is that the gist of it?

 

[kip]

I'm sure the the Argus will run an article saying he has been eliminated from the inquiry. They don't need to apologise IMHO. He was arrested, which is what they reported.

Breaking News at the Argus Brighton player Elphick ruled out of police inquiry From The Argus)

 

[gripper stebson]

Why? There are so many possibilities of what could have happened, being on crutches doesn't mean a thing.

There is a 'he hasn't got a leg to stand on' joke in there somewhere but I'll leave it!!!

 

[Springal]

The Police gathered information for two months, arrested Elphick then all of a sudden clear him?

Is that the gist of it?

2 months? Unfactual information isn't helping.

The incident was reported, at the time, in July. Those involved were identified Friday 13th Jan, arrested Thursday 19th Jan

 

[Lurker]

I'm not going to get into an argument, I'm not in the mood with all this going on. You referred to `these players` as a collective. They are not, they are individuals, which you later acknowledged. How you would `see` if they are able to cope: you'd talk to them and those closest to them and judge the state of mind of each of them. I'm sure some will cope better than others: whether any will be able to cope with the obvious pressures that a baying crowd would present is difficult to judge until, and if, it happens. But each will have an opinion on whether they believe they are up to it and they should be listened to.

The elimination of Tommy Elph leaves the oldest accused as barely 20 years old.
These aren't 5 men .... these are boys.
I wouldn't mind betting that the first thing they did when arrested was burst into tears ... and the second to ask for their mum.

And yet there are people who want Gus to shove some of these lads into the spotlight and play them in front of thousands of opposition supporters who would be hurling all sorts of dogs abuse at them .... just to see if they can cope with it?

Are people for real?

 

[Nathan]

Why arrest him in the first place? Why not ask him to help with inquires...

Must be a bit embarrassing for the police as well. It has taken them 6 months to find 6 football players from Brighton, and within 24 hours of being arrested (but not charged) one of them is released.

 

[countrygull]

Man eliminated from sexual assault enquiry
20 January 2012

A 24-year-old man from Brighton, arrested yesterday (Thursday, January 19) on suspicion of sexual assault, has been told that he has been eliminated from the enquiry.

A police spokesman said: "The gentlemen's co-operation and assistance since his arrest enabled us to quickly establish that he was not of interest to us in this enquiry and he has been advised that no further action will be taken against him."

http://www.sussex.police.uk/news-and-events/news/2012/01/20/man-eliminated-from-sexual-assault-enquiry/

This is a fascinating development, and it will be of great interest to any defence solicitors involved, who would instinctively question the quality of the police investigations when someone is eliminated from enquiries so soon after arrest. It's tempting to speculate much further but it would be inappropriate on a public message board. However it is extremely good news for Tommy and the Albion

 

[Oscar]

I'm not going to get into an argument, I'm not in the mood with all this going on. You referred to `these players` as a collective. They are not, they are individuals, which you later acknowledged. How you would `see` if they are able to cope: you'd talk to them and those closest to them and judge the state of mind of each of them. I'm sure some will cope better than others: whether any will be able to cope with the obvious pressures that a baying crowd would present is difficult to judge until, and if, it happens. But each will have an opinion on whether they believe they are up to it and they should be listened to.

I didn't mean for it tom come across as an argument. I don't dispute your rational should the club want these players to play. I just think they shouldn't be asked to even make that judgement.

Anyway, lets hope Tommy is just the first to be able to put all this behind them

 

[keaton]

I'm sure the the Argus will run an article saying he has been eliminated from the inquiry. They don't need to apologise IMHO. He was arrested, which is what they reported.

Indeed. A lot of people on this board seem to have a shocking lack of understanding how newspapers and the legal systems work

 

[symyjym]

Just because this story is personal to us it doesn't mean we should have special treatment from the media.

The BBC have reported the names and I am sure the club were well aware of the Argus front page in advance. It is probably a good thing to get it out the way asap with IMPACT and it throws out a message for future.

Good news about Tommy Elphick!

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

2 months? Unfactual information isn't helping.

The incident was reported, at the time, in July. Those involved were identified Friday 13th Jan, arrested Thursday 19th Jan

Someone else mentioned 2 months so I thought that was the time frame. If it's even further back then it beggars belief as to why in all that time Elphick couldn't have been cleared of responsiblity when obviously there can't have been anything much linking him to it given he was cleared so quickly.

Did they even need to arrest the guy?

 

[JBizzleBeard]

I wouldn't even wipe my arse with the Argus. If there is an apology to Tommy it will probably be stuck in a corner of a page somewhere easily missed. As if I didn't hate this crap rag enough already!!!!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Breaking News at the Argus Brighton player Elphick ruled out of police inquiry From The Argus)

Well, there you go.

 

[supaseagull]

wouldn't it be funny if there was video evidence proving the players innocence?

 

[Springal]

Someone else mentioned 2 months so I thought that was the time frame. If it's even further back then it beggars belief as to why in all that time Elphick couldn't have been cleared of responsiblity when obviously there can't have been anything much linking him to it given he was cleared so quickly.

Did they even need to arrest the guy?

Agreed, the timing of this is the only thing I do not really understand.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The Argus report is factually correct. Tommy Elphick was arrested. As I posted on another thread yesterday, people can be arrested for all sorts of reasons. Being arrested does not automatically imply that you are even under suspicion for committing a crime. You can be arrested "to help the police with their enquiries". And that sometimes means EXACTLY what it says.

Sometimes, there is an ADVANTAGE in being arrested. It means that you are entitled to the support of a solicitor, while the police interview you. This can be very helpful.

The problem is that the average reader of the Argus doesn't understand this. I suspect that the average journalist on the Argus doesn't understand it either. People assume that an arrest MUST mean that you are being accused of committing a crime. And then the speculation runs wild.

Even the "innocent until proved guilty" argument falls into this trap. As things stand, there is no verifiable assertion from anyone that Tommy Elphick has even been suspected of committing a crime. ALL that we know is that he was arrested, that he was co-operative, that he is no longer of interest in this enquiry, and no further action will be taken against him.

 

[Aseros]

Deleted

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Police officer: Did you do it Tommy?
Tommy: No.
Police officer: Ok you can go home now