Local News

Who gives a crap?

Arthur Batchelor's Exeter mum last night said she was "disgusted" with her son for making a joke out of his experiences, but lets face it, who can blame him?

The Bean faced 20 year-old sailor was held captive for two weeks, blindfolded and threatened at gunpoint and he got out alive. Who wouldn't be celebrating given the same situation.

Admittedly, recreating it on a Plymouth dance floor is probably not the best image to be showing the world, but a) he's 20, b) he's drunk (who hasn't done something stupid when drunk?), c) he hasn't hurt anyone, and d) he's freaking 20! Big deal.

If the guy wants to risk his life serving his country (although as far as we can see all they did was go paddling in foreign waters) and risk being shot dead in the head, he is well within his rights to come home and have a few drinks to celebrate.

David Godfrey, of Cullompton, whose 21-year-old grandson, Rifleman Daniel Coffey, was shot in Basra, said: "I think that this is an absolute travesty because it is disrespectful to all those young men and women who have given their lives serving their country in Iraq.

"I think he should have the strength to apologise for putting himself in that situation."

When it comes down to it, Batchelor's only real problem is being caught on camera looking like a twat, especially after the big furore about him selling his story to the papers. Oh, and also for using a 'hip-hop' skin on his bebo page.

More information