Commentators have been unanimous in asking why police bothered to prosecute school bus driver Jim McCorkindale who touched a boy on the arm when he wouldn’t stop pulling a girl’s hair.
However, the ODT reports:
Police have defended their decision to charge Mr McCorkindale.
They say they made the decision based on the evidence available at the time, but it is understood evidence changed when the boy later altered his story and the case was thrown out.
Without knowing what the boy’s original story was it’s hard to know whether the original decision to proscucte was wise or not.
Even if it wasn’t wise, it’s had a very good outcome:
Dismissing the charge in the Gore District Court last week, Judge Kevin Phillips told the boy he should be ashamed of himself and had him escorted to the court cells as a warning.
The boy apologised for his actions, and the boy’s father also criticised his son for the situation facing Mr McCorkindale.
The case will have been stressful and expensive for Mr McCorkindale, but it’s done the rest of us a favour.
It’s set a sensible precedent that shows adults have the right to intervene with children who know their rights but not what’s wrong.
For other views on the case:
Kiwiblog says give that judge a promotion.
Macdcotor posts on consequences.
Whaleoil’s found an example of a decent judge.
Stephen Franks asks what happens inside the police when the boss is an idiot.
Homepaddock 
In my day you would have been put off the bus to walk home. I saw it a couple of times and had one very close cal myself about as far from home as I could have got.
No school bus for a week after either.
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