I DO not know Iain McLaggan, although I have spoken to him on the phone on business a few times, but I must protest at the way he is being railroaded by our pathetic excuse of a legal system ("Support for jailed McLaggan", October 5). I have followed the case closely, and at worst he is guilty of bad judgment and the greenness of youth.
I suspect that harshness of sentence that is being exacted on him is on account of his colour and social standing! I think of the numerous heinous cases of rapes of infants and grandmothers by delinquents who are, moreover, out on bail for similar crimes – and here we have a first-time offender – based on a he said/she said, and they throw the book at him.
I say that something stinks to high heaven!
Furthermore it irks me the way the media try to dramatise the whole thing by perpetually referring to him as a singer. Singing is just one thing that he does, sometimes – but it sounds romantic!
They could just as well refer to him as an estate agent, musician or game ranger.
I have had a brain tumour so I know what it's like. Maybe this girl did have a bad time like she said, and the aftermath can leave you foggy – as it is when you are drunk, sometimes you make decisions that you later regret. Maybe she regretted surrendering her virginity and had to "please explain" to overprotective parents – but that doesn't constitute rape.
Whatever, I am just certain that the punishment being asked for far outweighs any crime that might have been committed here.
M Phillips, Port Elizabeth
Letters
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