Sark Kennedy, 26, son of the famed violinist (pictured), today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. It is only weeks since he was released from a first jail term of 33 months.
Sark has been released on bail.
More here.
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That cocaine…. it’s nasty stuff. It can and has ruined lives.
Selling it is a morally bankrupt act.
Shame on you, Sark.
If you read the whole article, Greg, you will learn that Mr Kennedy Jr got drawn into dealing cocaine after incurring debts through his own addiction to the drug as a teenager. So a cry of “shame on you” fired in his direction is a somewhat unnuanced response from your side.
“….unnuanced response….” ????
John, let me tell you something: there are a hell lot of other ways, LEGAL ways, to pay off debts, however they may be incurred.
Bottom line: Sark Kennedy dealt cocaine, which is in no way a victimless crime. Cocaine is one of the most insidiously destructive of drugs.
A prime example of the damage cocaine can do: Sark Kennedy himself. He should be in jail, and if there’s any justice, that’s where he will go.
And I will repeat: shame on you, Sark.
Repeat that as many times as you wish, Greg! My point with nuance was that (if the article in the Daily Mail is correct of course, which we can’t be sure of), Sark Kennedy was drawn in to these problems in the first place by cocaine, which you and I agree is a horrible drug. We can therefore chalk up Sark Kennedy as one of its victims too (which if I read your response correctly, I think you might be saying too, I’m not sure). We have no idea what the background was to his initial involvement with the drug, but it is “insidiously destructive” as you say, and once you are in, it’s pretty hard to get out, from what I understand. You will note that I did not say that cocaine is fine, nor did I say that Sark Kennedy was not deserving of his sentence. I just think that knee jerk reactions (or in this case, double knee jerk reactions) are not particularly helpful when we are dealing with complicated or “nuanced” issues which we also don’t know the full background to. But you are of course completely entitled to your opinion.
“But you are of course completely entitled to your opinion.”
Gee, thanks….
Is it always (or ever) right to treat addicts as criminals and/or to regard imprisonment as the only way to deal with criminal behaviour? There’s plenty of evidence to suggest incarceration only makes things worse. There are a host of more appropriate options to choose, although the baying mobs always see retribution and punishment as far preferable to effectiveness and decency.
An “unnuanced response”? What utter nonsense! He was a cocaine dealer for goodness sake. How many lives did he help either to ruin or help down the slippery slope of drug dependency? Why he did it matters absolutely nothing. He deserves precisely the same punishment dished out to others who set out to get others hooked on drugs.
Norman, Why is this article headed ‘orchestras’ ?
Sloppy even by your standards.
I always feel it a little unfair when the famous parents of adult criminals are drawn into the news coverage.
On the other hand, in this case – just like that of David Gilmour’s son – a QC (presumably now a KC, although the Daily Mail referred to him as a QC) has been hired, even though the plea in both cases was “guilty”.
This smacks of plutocracy – an attempt to buy a more lenient sentence by employing a more imposing barrister.
The villain-in-the-street would have to make do with a lowly-paid and overworked wretch on derisory legal aid fees.
It didn’t work for Gilmour’s son and I hope it doesn’t work in this case.
@Paul Dawson
Lest we forget KCs/QCs are not always the best barristers. It is yet another manifestation of the designer society. Sometimes ‘Old Bailey hacks’ perform wonders.
In the Penge Bungalow Murders case, for instance.
After all this depressing talk, I think I’m going to need a glass of Chateau Thames Embankment.
… not Cutty Sark?
Sark might have a post-criminal career doing something with 20th Penitentiary Fox!!
I can’t believe that having a father like Nigel Kennedy could have provided anything short of an exemplary role model. Sark??!!!
Exactly how does this provide “swift and reliable inside information on classical music and related arts?”