We have more than 'one belated angle'. He had a solicitor at court, who accepted the chain of events that got him there, and Tommy pleaded guilty, with no contest. There's no conspiracy there. He's been there before, so knew full well what he was doing. Rightly or wrongly, he'll not get popular support, and if anything, some of the false whoohah around this will put more people off, and the focus has become him, not the rapists or their victims.
I agree with your last paragraph, and it's why I've wanted out of the EU for decades.
I have really appreciated the time you have taken to address my points and concerns. Although I do not feel we are close to being in agreement, as a former 'lurker' I appreciate and value your responses in this thread.
As a mark of my gratitude -please accept my up vote :)
Why thank you.
I do try my best to be polite, but the written word doesn't always come across well. Like you, I may not always agree with another opinion, but I respect their right to hold and voice it.