Feature

From the front line…

BY JACQUELINE CURZON

Wow, if that’s luxury, we can barely (50 for good behaviour) and the other - contemplate the conditions in the who committed the stabbing - was given It’s well known amongst my family average Russian apartment, or 100 years. A hundred years means that the and friends that I’m an absolute worse, imagine his accommodation murderer will only be released if he makes lover of border collies, having grown in prison. it to 120. However, the severity of such up with them from a very young Readers with a sensitive disposi- sentences undoubtedly act as a deterrent age. I remember the first dog we tion should skip the next paragraph for any other individuals who think taking had when I was around five, this as it relates to unspeakable violence. a life for a few hundred pounds or for their followed by a succession of other I was appalled to read this week quick fix, will create a buzzy moment. Let’s collies, but it was the second one about two teenage girls who have think not of the freedom they are losing [Scott] I recall best as a teenager been given lifelong anonymity, in this process, but of the life they stole and young adult. It was apparent despite their crime being one of without hesitation or regret. We are living from the day we adopted him at the most violent on record. The fact in a world where justice is often tokenism, the farm, how clever he was, and that they were aged only 13 and 14 or we look for provocation by the victim, one of his party tricks was where he when they tortured and murdered and a sentence may be chopped in half would be told to lie down, in typical Angela Wrightson (39), a highly because of overcrowding. So my views on stealth mode, whilst we would roll a vulnerable woman, then took selfies the murder of Ms Wrightson are fashioned favourite ball (or a tasty nibble), to Jacqueline Curzon whilst beating her to death, in no by compassion for the victim (as with PC a distant spot, or carefully execut- PHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY way diminishes their culpability and Andrew Harper), and not empathy for the ed to stop only a foot or less from the fact remains that they plainly perpetrators. Apologies if these views are at his nose. Most animals would be knew what they were doing. In odds with your own, but I feel that crime is unable to resist the impulse to grab it, but Scott would wait for as long From handbags, to fresh fact they revelled in antics which any person with half an ounce of often under-sentenced in the UK, making sentences a bit of a mockery. as you decided, before fetching and racing back for another round of fruit and curtains. decency would have shied away from. Identified only as F and D, I finish up with The Sound of Music. As a child watching this movie in the late 1960s, ‘patience.’ This waiting time could be anything from 30 seconds up to 5 Your castle of luxury these individuals were jailed for life in 2016 and because of their ages I remember being absolutely enchanted by the characters: Maria, who gave up a minutes, and I recall in admiration the occasions he resisted the urge for 15 minutes, when the human awaits, m’lady! were not publicly identified. That injunction was due to expire once they turned 18 and Mrs Justice Tipdream of religious service for an handsome, eligible widower with traditional values; the children {especially the cutesy had forgotten to call ‘fetch.’ Our ples has now added them to a list of Gretel} - who wouldn’t want an instant collie would bring you not just the ball you Firstly, let me clarify I’m absolutely not an child criminals who will be given lifelong family of compliant children, obliging asked for, but the specific colour where accessory aficionado, but the photo caught anonymity. She was satisfied that if they and with good manners, and accepting there were several to choose from. This my attention because the artisan handbags were named there was a real and immedi- of hand-me-downs made from curtains? was an animal you could depend upon to were created from decommissioned fire ate risk of them harming themselves. Ms a glamorous, elegant life with society wait with you at the kerb, to sit unleashed hoses. Check out the website of Elvis & Wrightson - the victim - suffered a sus- dinners and balls, and the maternal, by the door of the shops, or to happily Kresse; founded by Kresse Wesling MBE tained attack with more than 100 separate eternal wisdom of the Mother Superior at run cross-country with you in a planned in 2005, and based in Kent; they rescue injuries as she was hit with a shovel, a TV, moments of crisis. Most especially it had outing. Collies are not only intelligent, materials which would otherwise end in a coffee table and a stick studded with cheery, florid music, of which Climb Every loyal and obedient but incredibly savvy, landfill: fire-hoses, parachute silk, card- screws. During this heinous attack the pair Mountain and Lonely Goatherd [well, instinctively aware of dangerous sur- board boxes, leather cuttings from Burber- laughed and posed for selfies, which they the whole score, actually] have never left roundings, with acute hearing, incredibly ry. Even more impressive, they donate 50% uploaded to social media. Well, I’m sorry, my musical mind. Quite simply, it was a responsive to commands and even your of their profits to The Firefighters Charity. in any civilised society such behaviour is magical film which had it all. I never could tone of voice. Essentially, all the qualities Their products are not only ‘on trend’ and abhorrent. It wasn’t like Angela’s death was have imagined one day I would have seven you would want in a marriage! It came as fashionable, but you are literally saving the the result of a driving accident, where one children of my own, although mine are far no surprise to me this week to read about a planet as well. could argue that they had been ‘under the less mannered and pathologically resistant female border collie called Kim, who at 12 We say ‘an Englishman's home is his influence’ and therefore unable to appre- to any clothing suggestions. Ah, to sleep, months old has now become the world's castle.’ Conjuring up visions of palatial ciate the severity or significance of their perchance to dream… For Christopher most expensive sheep dog, after selling splendour or at least of being able to swing actions. It makes me wish that we had an Plummer, the Canadian actor who died for a whopping £27,000. Dewi Jenkins, the a dish towel, it is literally wherever your American-style justice here - putting firmly last week aged 91, his movie wedding Welsh farmer who trains Kim, said she was heart is. No matter your vision of paradise, aside the fact that some states still can to Julie Andrews (now 85), was a movie ‘extremely intelligent’ and a fast learner. He spare a thought for those considering a order up a death penalty - but at least for ‘marriage’ made in hell. Aside from the wasn’t surprised by this figure, which had home on sale in Shepherds Bush, where the most heinous of crimes, a life sentence fact he was not the first choice for Capbeaten the previous record by more than your total castle will be just 5 foot 6 wide. over there is expected to mean life, and tain Georg Von Trapp - other contenders £7,000, as he said everything he trained Wedged between a hair salon and a doctor's usually is for the taking of one. I think of included Bing Crosby and Rex Harrison her to do she knew by the second time - surgery, the five-floor property boasts 2 a particular case which I read recently of - Plummer’s casting propelled him to working cattle and sheep, she was ready beds, a study, roof terrace and landscaped Edward Lowry who was walking home late stardom, and gained him an Oscar. He was for any trials or farm work for anybody. He garden, and is the perfect des-res for those one night, minding his own business, and often quoted as saying he couldn’t abide had put together a half hour video showing wanting to downsize. Not suitable for those was set upon by three 19-year-old youths Andrews’ ‘incessant cheerfulness,’ and Kim’s abilities, which included corralling of claustrophobic disposition. Yours, for a who attacked him, robbed him, stamped hated the stiffness of the plot. Although he stubborn cattle. To top it all the collie had neat £950,000. Slim applicants only. on him and then one of them stabbed was thoroughly grounded in Shakespeare, an interesting red tinge to its fur which Readers will recall I mentioned Putin's him four times, causing exsanguination often performing at the Old Vic, he showed apparently is in vogue. Given a working Palace a few weeks back. Alexei Nav- in a matter of seconds. They then ran off his diversity in later films including The dog could generally be purchased for alny had uploaded a video, which was jiving, smiling and hi-fiving each other Return of the Pink Panther (1975), Star an average of £2,000, I believe that Kim’s viewed millions of times, to the chagrin before running to the nearest shop for Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), price was reached more by its ability and of Vladimir Putin. Russian State TV has sweets and cigarettes. Were it not for a long A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Knives Out less by any capacity to be an Instagram tried to get its revenge by doing the same and complicated investigation of CCTV (2018). Captain, we regretfully bid you Auf hit, although she definitely qualifies as a to him, where Sunday news show {Vesty footage, where their predatory behaviour Wiedersehen. Adieu. good-looker. Nedeli} have exposed Navalny's rented flat was captured, none of them would have

An interesting photo of handbags ap- in Freiburg, replete with coffee machine, been brought to justice. When they were peared in The Telegraph on 7th February. IKEA furniture, 2 sofas and fresh fruit. sentenced, aged 20, one was given 60 years Love

Jacqueline x