STAMFORD, England — Four 16-year-old boys have admitted in court they were drinking alcohol and playing soccer in a school gymnasium full of model train exhibits when they began trashing models, flipping tables, and causing more than $35,000 in damage in May.
The BBC reports that three of the boys received 12-month-sentences to a youth intervention program with a fourth to be sentenced in September.
The three boys’ parents were fined about $600 for each youth.
The response to the destruction was immediate with model railroaders from around the world donating in excess of $100,000 to repair the models and layouts damaged. Singer Rod Stewart, a famed model railroader, personally donated about $12,000.
So certain folks are suggesting here that what is technically child abuse not only be re-legalized in the western world where it has already been banned but actually required for even the slightest offenses. Fine, but I hope everyone knows that child abuse victims often end up distrusting adults and those in authority because of the adults’ misuse of said authority to begin with. All it ultimately does is it forces these kids to turn to crime due to this lack of positive influences in their life. Furthermore, the issue of how to discipline children for misbehavior has no relevance to this discussion, but I will say that if the abuse ends up being government-sanctioned it only makes children distrust adults even more. And why is this story, which relates to model railroading and not real railroading, at the Trains Magazine website when it ought to be at Model Railroader? Just wondering…
Wayne Antoniazzi -No, flogging has been gone for many decades in the UK; in Singapore, however, they still have the dreaded “Singapore Cane”, a 4-foot flexible rod. There, juvenile crime is very low, and model railroad exhibits, or real railways, as well as other things are in not much danger from vandalism.
bravo Mr. Stewart! Alcohol and teenaged brains are a toxic mix. I hope the parents are up to the task before them.
Vandalism is a crime of just plain needless destruction. Penalties need to be much more severe.
Surely we feel there should be more, but these are kids and are generally judged as kids. This is not trivial for a teenager.
Do they still allow flogging over in Britain?
$1,800 right now (Possibly $2,400 come September) for $35,000 in damage? That sure makes a lot of sense. Typical slap on the wrist and I doubt any of that minor amount reaches the parties that suffered here.
What about restitution? They caused the damage, they should pay for the damage they caused. It’s nice that people contributed, but I think those boys and their parents got off the hook.
Lucky them ! Would not be so lucky I was the JUDGE.
GOOD! hope they pay for the damage Kathy Millet and the stars of Great Model Railway Challenge only to have them wrecked by these vandals. They spoil the hobby for all of us I hope community service teaches them not to trash someones layout.
Perhaps the “artists” who like to exhibit their skills on railroad cars should be flogged? Of course, that would be unusual punishment in our country.
Thanks Ron! Gee, I wonder why juvenile crime is very low in Singapore? Hmmmmm….
I’m not saying it should be tried here in the US, but sometimes I wonder. Maybe we should ask some folks who’ve been victims of vandalism what THEY think?