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Am I wrong in feeling a little sorry for Adam Johnson?

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would you feel sorry for him if he wasn't famous and/or did that to one of your relatives?
tbh the football clubs have a responsibility to educate these overpaid oafs. if they did not have this soccer skill they would be emptying dustbins for £200 a week instead of £60000.
He knew her age so he should've backed off. And he cheated on his pregnant gf, it's hard to feel sorry for him tbh...
Reply 43
Original post by the bear
tbh the football clubs have a responsibility to educate these overpaid oafs. if they did not have this soccer skill they would be emptying dustbins for £200 a week instead of £60000.


I think it's in the interest of clubs and players to encourage self-belief, swagger and a bit of aggression (not relevant here, but in other cases), because these traits make you a better player on the pitch. I don't think they really care what happens off the pitch if that's the price they have to pay... Neither do the fans (usually; the current case appears to be an exception), so it's all good...
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Lord Samosa
He knew her age so he should've backed off. And he cheated on his pregnant gf, it's hard to feel sorry for him tbh...


on top of that she appears to of stuck with him,money really can buy loyalty.
Reply 45
Original post by chosenone93
on top of that she appears to of stuck with him,money really can buy loyalty.


In this case I think she may not stay in a relationship with him even if she wants to (and I agree she probably wants to - I don't understand these women). But if she is living with a registered sex offender, social services would get involved (with regards to her daughter) and I think that may frighten her out of a relationship. Plus, she'll still get a house / money / child support from him even if they don't continue the relationship, so on the face of it she hasn't got a lot to lose. (Except the attention of media and "friends", of course.)
Original post by llys
Psychology, brain development, observation. Do you not think you were more mature at 16 than at 15? Pretty much every teenager I have ever known was more mature at 16 than they were at 15...


And it's miniscule developments. Of course a 16 year old will be more mature than a 15 year old version of themselves, but the whole point is that the difference in maturity is not as much as you are trying to suggest.

If you are saying differences between a 12-15 year old or a 16 year old to an 17/18 year old then I would agree.

That's not to suggest what Adam Johnson did was nothing short of disgusting though, even if she was 16 he's 27 years old. Bit messed up that he probably would have done considerably less time(or not done any at all and kept his job) if he waited a year.
Reply 47
Original post by jam277
And it's miniscule developments. Of course a 16 year old will be more mature than a 15 year old version of themselves, but the whole point is that the difference in maturity is not as much as you are trying to suggest.


Well, I disagree. It's gradual, but over one year (or in this case, 10 months) the change is significant. Definitely not "miniscule".
Original post by llys
Well, I disagree. It's gradual, but over one year (or in this case, 10 months) the change is significant. Definitely not "miniscule".


I dunno if that's more to do with having more responsibility(being out of secondary school and in college) or whether it is to do with maturity changes.

I feel like roles and responsibility being given to people is what causes the change in 'maturity.' Maybe if you allow your 15 year old kid to do what they are allowed to do at 16, there probably wouldn't be a difference. I don't think I was any more mature at 16 than I was at 15.
You feel sorry for a douchebag that had sex with an underage girl, whist his girlfriend was pregnant with his baby? Yeah you're wrong.
Reply 50
Original post by jam277
I dunno if that's more to do with having more responsibility(being out of secondary school and in college) or whether it is to do with maturity changes.

I feel like roles and responsibility being given to people is what causes the change in 'maturity.' Maybe if you allow your 15 year old kid to do what they are allowed to do at 16, there probably wouldn't be a difference. I don't think I was any more mature at 16 than I was at 15.


Yeah, that could be. At least I think the bit in bold has a big effect too. After all, 16 is still the age when teenagers are encouraged to start thinking seriously about their future.
Reply 51
Original post by Kvothe the arcane
More like ephebophilia, no?



Can't really say what tanner stage she was in can we. But if she was just turned 15, I'd say hebephilia. Let's be honest though, it's probably not even a case of hedephilia/ ephebophilia, I highly doubt he holds a very strong preference for young teenagers.

Edit: Just seen pictures of the girl, she looks my age and I'm 22. Definitely not hedephilia. I'm sorry, but she knew what she was doing.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 52
Original post by llys
I agree there are degrees here, but this is reflected in the sentencing guidelines which give greater penalties to offences against people under 13. Where it is consensual and the age gap is less than 4 years it is unlikely there would even be a prosecution.

However, the talk of a 4-10 year sentence is overblown IMO. I mean a rapist gets 5 years. You can get away with manslaughter for around 7 years. Pretty sure teachers who have had sex with a pupil have gotten away with much less. Yet grooming, kissing (on one occasion) and fingering (on one occasion) will get him 4 years? That seems disproportional.


That's exactly how I feel, 4-10 years is overblown.The fact that he is such a high profile case though probably led to a harsher conviction than what would normally have been the case. That's my impression. He definitely won't complete the full sentence, when it's all forgotten about he'd probably be released early.
Reply 53
Original post by Nameless Ghoul
He did it with absolute knowledge of her age and the law. He is a sexual deviant and he needs to be punished.


Not necessarily a sexual deviant. Many sex offenders would not be considered sexually deviant, but they commit their acts for other reasons.
Original post by drowzee
You feel sorry for a douchebag that had sex with an underage girl, whist his girlfriend was pregnant with his baby? Yeah you're wrong.

They didn't have sex.


But he did cheat on his gf, yes. She has since broken up with him.
Reply 55
Original post by Twinpeaks
I'm sorry, but she knew what she was doing.


She was a football fan (season ticket holder) asking her idol for a signed football shirt. FFS. The sex talk was initiated by him and him alone. Probably she had a crush on him and that's why she went along with a kiss, but let's not pretend there was not a massive power imbalance here or that any of this was her idea.

Oh and the picture you saw was probably of his girlfriend (it was at some point circulated as that of his accuser). The victim has anonymity and all that.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by twinpeaks
i mean, if she was less than one year older this wouldn't even be a legal issue?
The difference between when the incident happened, and a few months down the line draws the difference between a child too young for sex, and a woman, who to have sex with would be completely legal?

I know there needs to be a legal definition, a line to draw. But it just makes me feel uncomfortable somehow.


i feel the same..........
Original post by 098udf89dsf
They didn't have sex.


But he did cheat on his gf, yes. She has since broken up with him.


why exactly do you feel "sorry" for a guy that is being prosecuted just like any normal person would?
Original post by chosenone93
why exactly do you feel "sorry" for a guy that is being prosecuted just like any normal person would?

where did i say i felt sorry for him?
Original post by 098udf89dsf
where did i say i felt sorry for him?


my bad thought you were the op

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