Eric Locke guilty of murder

retro:electro

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/criminal-court/eric-locke-found-guilty-of-murdering-sonia-blount-in-tallaght-hotel-1.3091990%3Fmode%3Damp

This case made me feel sick with anger.
The poor woman and what she must have went through in that room. Disgusting beast. Very glad for her family that he was charged with murder and not manslaughter, that must be some justice for them at least.

kfallon

Good to see the obligatory Insanity/mental issues plea being given the 2 fingers!

Kristopherus

kfallon wrote: »

Good to see the obligatory Insanity/mental issues plea being given the 2 fingers!

Absolutely. That animal should rot in jail:mad:.

lilydonoghue

Don't insult the animals, they don't do that to each other

wakka12

That is very good to hear.

suicide_circus

Que a load of ladies writing him letters and starting relationships with him from behind bars

diomed

1 hour 33 minutes deliberation from the jury.
They probably waited an hour after they decided just to make it look like good.

ceadaoin.

suicide_circus wrote: »

Que a load of ladies writing him letters and starting relationships with him from behind bars

only on boards is the horrific stalking and murder of a woman used to get a dig in at women. That's really the first thing that comes to your mind after reading that article? Ffs

nullzero

ceadaoin. wrote: »

only on boards is the horrific stalking and murder of a woman used to get a dig in at women. That's really the first thing that comes to your mind after reading that article? Ffs

Well to be fair Graham Dwyer is something of a pen pal stud since he went to prison,some people (men and women) are just weird.

cantdecide

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter which is fine. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, her son has to grow up without a mother. I think this needs to be said too.

Parchment

cantdecide wrote: »

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, she has failed in her duty to her child. I think this needs to be said.

Jesus christ. How many people meet people from tinder etc ? Nobody should be killed. She didnt know this was going to happen, he deceived her.

retro:electro

cantdecide wrote: »

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter which is fine. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, her son has to grow up without a mother. I think this needs to be said too.

She made a foolish decision, that's for sure. But there's only one person responsible for her not being here anymore, and that's the disgusting evil bastard who took her life.

suicide_circus

ceadaoin. wrote: »

only on boards is the horrific stalking and murder of a woman used to get a dig in at women. That's really the first thing that comes to your mind after reading that article? Ffs

Calm down. Just pointing out a perverse tendency that appears to happen around men who have been previously violent towards women. Or is the only approved answer "rot in jail you bar steward!"

xzanti

cantdecide wrote: »

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter which is fine. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, her son has to grow up without a mother. I think this needs to be said too.

I don't.

cantdecide

Parchment wrote: »

Jesus christ. How many people meet people from tinder etc ? Nobody should be killed. She didnt know this was going to happen, he deceived her.

She failed to ensure her safety by meeting a complete stranger in a hotel. I have remained unmurdered thusfar and I don't have any children to consider.

xzanti

cantdecide wrote: »

She failed to ensure her safety by meeting a complete stranger in a hotel.

He probably would have got her in a dark alley if it wasn't in the hotel. He had her cards marked long before that night. If it wasn't the hotel room it would have been somewhere else.

None of it is her fault. She is the victim of a psycho.

keith_sixteen

Just curious, did she just meet a randomer in Facebook who turned out to be an ex?

Is meeting total strangers from the internet in a hotel room very common?

suicide_circus

keith_sixteen wrote: »

Just curious, did she just meet a randomer in Facebook who turned out to be an ex?

Is meeting total strangers from the internet in a hotel room very common?

Yep totally normal. Mundane even. Nothing to see here.

Icaras

cantdecide wrote: »

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter which is fine. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, her son has to grow up without a mother. I think this needs to be said too.

Complete stranger isnt necessarily correct, they had been communicating through facebook, its not uncommon for people to meet up after an internet relationship. 
It might could be seen as a bit of a "slutty" thing to plan the meetup but people (including me) do a lot worse. After the abuse she had been through meeting someone normal I can understand why she would be willing to take a risk. In this day and age of technology it would be very difficult to get away with a murder like this the way he done it.

wonderfullife

cantdecide wrote: »

My understanding of the story is this: she met a complete stranger in a hotel. I have assumed that this was meant to be a pre-arranged intimate encounter which is fine. If this was not the case then I will withdraw the statement.

It goes without saying Locke is a monster and life in prison is too good for him. However, if the circumstances were as as I understand them, by failing to ensure her own safety, her son has to grow up without a mother. I think this needs to be said too.

Yeah let's blame the victim. Silly girl.

Jesus Christ. New low set for After Hours and that takes some doing.

wonderfullife

cantdecide wrote: »

She failed to ensure her safety by meeting a complete stranger in a hotel. I have remained unmurdered thusfar and I don't have any children to consider.

You're honestly boasting that you've not been killed because of your diligence and risk-aversion in a thread about a woman being brutally murdered by a psycho?

A random person did not murder her. A deranged ex/fling pretending to be a random person did.

If you were in her shoes, you'd be dead today too. He'd have found a way - regardless of your flawless record in life of not being murdered yet.

Conor Bourke

keith_sixteen wrote: »

Just curious, did she just meet a randomer in Facebook who turned out to be an ex?

Is meeting total strangers from the internet in a hotel room very common?

From what coverage of the case I've seen, he went to great lengths to create a very convincing profile and they'd chatted for a while before agreeing to meet.

One of the psychiatrists who gave evidence in defence of Eric Locke made some speculative comments about Sonia Blount which I hope the judge discounted.

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/sister-of-murder-accused-said-she-was-always-worried-about-his-mental-health-35721217.html

That poor woman. Jesus.
Glad to hear the verdict


For shame @ victim blaming nonsense
Take a good long look at yourself

suicide_circus

These two points are simultaneously valid;

1. The fault here lies entirely with the murderer.

2. It is dangerous to meet strangers off the internet in hotel rooms.

Saying one does not make the other untrue.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

i did find it peculiar why she didn't meet in the hotel bar, grab a quick drink first before going to the room? for someone she met on the internet and never in real life before. this is NOT victim blaming, i just find it strange. obviously this guy is a complete nutter and a previous poster was right, he probably would have done it some other way anyway

C Montgomery Gurns II

nullzero wrote: »

Well to be fair Graham Dwyer is something of a pen pal stud since he went to prison,some people (men and women) are just weird.

The Russian loon who was in some sort of penpal relationship with him is very active commenting on FB Irish news articles, usually with a strongly anti government slant to it. How the hell is she even in the country? I'd find it highly unlikely that she is in employment given her mental state.

buzzwell

Parchment wrote: »

Jesus christ. How many people meet people from tinder etc ? Nobody should be killed. She didnt know this was going to happen, he deceived her.

Jesus Christ.

Bout time people did start to consider their own safety and responsibilities and how sensible or otherwise it is to meet someone they know nothing about in contained surroundings.

Forgot about what for, forget the circumstances, forget about this case.

Ladies don't hitchhike anymore. Why?
Happened after women in Leinster started going missing.

Do you think they should start hitchhiking again?

Yes or no?

wonderfullife

suicide_circus wrote: »

These two points are simultaneously valid;

1. The fault here lies entirely with the murderer.

2. It is dangerous to meet strangers off the internet in hotel rooms.

Saying one does not make the other untrue.

It's also simultaneously valid to say:

1. Cantdecide was victim blaming a murdered girl.

2. They need a long look in the mirror.

suicide_circus

wonderfullife wrote: »

It's also simultaneously valid to say:

1. You were victim blaming a murdered girl.

2. You need a long look in the mirror.

That would depend to whom that comment was directed.

wonderfullife

suicide_circus wrote: »

That would depend to whom that comment was directed.

Poster "cantdecide" but I see how that may have looked aimed at you with the actual quote marks, I can edit it hold on

Roger Hassenforder

wonderfullife wrote: »

It's also simultaneously valid to say:

1. You were victim blaming a murdered girl.

He didn't.
His sin was more venal- he had a dig at women being attracted to jailed nutjobs

eviltwin

Meeting someone for the first time in a hotel room isn't the wisest thing in the world to do but we all do stupid things. She paid for her mistake with her life. Stating how naive she was is pointless, she's dead. That POS would have got to her someway as has been said. Rest in peace Sonia, I hope her family can find peace now that scum is behind bars.

Todd Gack

Poor woman, I found it especially sad that Sonia Blount's friend asked if she was sure the guy she was meeting wasn't Eric Locke, she said it crossed her mind but she didn't think so.

suicide_circus

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

He didn't.
His sin was more venal- he had a dig at women being attracted to jailed nutjobs

I'm not sure you're using the word venal correctly there

Sad fact is that she probably would have been killed someplace else. He had made up his mind what was going to happen and if didn't happen in the hotel room, it would have happened somewhere else. He had everything prepared and had one thing on his mind.

Anyone blaming her needs to take a cold hard look at themselves.

She was the victim of a violent criminal. That's all.

What I can take from this thread is that if I make a poor decision but one that people make every day - meeting a stranger in a hotel room - that it's my fault if I'm murdered because the failure was mine in avoiding it.

The fact that it was her ex who was bloody determined to kill her and would probably have done it on the street if he had no other opportunity is immaterial. No, it's her fault for not staying safe.

Avoid being murdered people, or it's not the killers fault - it's yours.

Spanish Eyes

Sad thing is he can appeal and appeal from now on at taxpayer expense. Just like Joe O'Reilly has done and many other murderers too.

Tough case though.

The victim blaming is awful. But having said that, there are precautions one could take without interfering with your private life just the same. Oh god, am I victim blaming myself here. I hope not, it is just common sense IMO.

suicide_circus

Candie wrote: »

What I can take from this thread is that if I make a poor decision but one that people make every day - meeting a stranger in a hotel room - that it's my fault if I'm murdered because the failure was mine in avoiding it.

The fact that it was her ex who was bloody determined to kill her and would probably have done it on the street if he had no other opportunity is immaterial. No, it's her fault for not staying safe.

Avoid being murdered people, or it's not the killers fault - it's yours.

It was 100% Locke's doing.
But having read the details of the case perhaps some people will think twice before meeting a stranger in a hotel room. Pointing this out is no slight on the victims memory nor does it exhortate the perpetrator in any way.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Sad thing is he can appeal and appeal from now on at taxpayer expense. Just like Joe O'Reilly has done and many other murderers too.

Sad case.

There's nothing sad about the right to appeal, it would be an injustice for every single citizen if people were stopped from appealing their convictions. Many convictions have been overturned on appeal.

I'm not saying this would be one of them, but you can't refuse one and allow another based on your personal feelings, that's what the law is for.

Spanish Eyes

Candie wrote: »

There's nothing sad about the right to appeal, it would be an injustice for every single citizen if people were stopped from appealing their convictions. Many convictions have been overturned on appeal.

I'm not saying this would be one of them, but you can't refuse one and allow another based on your personal feelings, that's what the law is for.

Did I say I had a problem with it? The only issue I have is that the taxpayer has to pay for it, and free legal aid for recidivist offenders too. Just that.

suicide_circus

suicide_circus wrote: »

It was 100% Locke's doing.
But having read the details of the case perhaps some people will think twice before meeting a stranger in a hotel room. Pointing this out is no slight on the victims memory nor does it exhortate the perpetrator in any way.

Pointing it out to who? The girl is dead.

When you point the finger after the fact, it's victim blaming.

Advising people to stay safe is one thing as a general thing, but pointing out where you think a dead girl is at fault and shares blame for her own murder is another.

buzzwell

ceadaoin. wrote: »

only on boards is the horrific stalking and murder of a woman used to get a dig in at women. That's really the first thing that comes to your mind after reading that article? Ffs

A dig in at women (who fall in love with convicted murderers).

They're cool, yeah???

suicide_circus

Candie wrote: »

Pointing it out to who? The girl is dead.

When you point the finger after the fact, it's victim blaming.

Advising people to stay safe is one thing as a general thing, but pointing out where you think a dead girl is at fault and shares blame for her own murder is another.

I'm not pointing any fingers other than at the murderer. The case brings up obvious issues around personal safety. If pointing this out saves one life, I'm ok with it.

wonderfullife

suicide_circus wrote: »

It was 100% Locke's doing.
But having read the details of the case perhaps some people will think twice before meeting a stranger in a hotel room. Pointing this out is no slight on the victims memory nor does it exhortate the perpetrator in any way.

Just my 2 cents but if you're going to meet a stranger for sex (as millions of people do worldwide these days), a hotel room is probably the most prudent place to do it. It's standard for tons of people these days to yap away on tinder or pof or the like and meet for sex.

People have to check into a hotel room. Use a credit card and name. Interact with reception staff. There's usually witnesses and CCTV around.

In general, it's far safer than going direct to their house or inviting them to your house.

In the context of what she was doing (which I will not judge her for!), a hotel room was exercising the most prudence and caution.

Spanish Eyes

georgiecasey wrote: »

i did find it peculiar why she didn't meet in the hotel bar, grab a quick drink first before going to the room? for someone she met on the internet and never in real life before. this is NOT victim blaming, i just find it strange. obviously this guy is a complete nutter and a previous poster was right, he probably would have done it some other way anyway

I agree. If it was someone you had never met before in real life, surely you would check him/her out first. Or have a friend nearby who could help if it turned nasty, as it did. Just common sense precautions first time out anyway.

infogiver

suicide_circus wrote: »

These two points are simultaneously valid;

1. The fault here lies entirely with the murderer.

2. It is dangerous to meet strangers off the internet in hotel rooms.

Saying one does not make the other untrue.

This is very true.
Many times as a drunk young person I got into a car with a drunk man I didn't know who drove me somewhere and had sex with me.
It was reckless and dangerous and bad for my self esteem then and it is now.
I was lucky to survive really.

cantdecide

wonderfullife wrote: »

Yeah let's blame the victim. Silly girl.

Jesus Christ. New low set for After Hours and that takes some doing.

The victim is her son. For his whole life his mother's story is going to be a fable of dating in the internet age. She paid a terrible price for her very poor decisions. I'm as angry at her as I am for Locke.

foxtrot101

cantdecide wrote: »

The victim is her son. For his whole life his mother's story is going to be a fable of dating in the internet age. She paid a terrible price for her very poor decisions. I'm as angry at her as I am for Locke.

I don't get the sense of anger from you at all, just an incredible whiff of smugness.

greencap

I read about how he tried to use his medical history as an out.

He apparently had a periscope weiner, and got teased about it.
Pretty lame excuse really.

It like a normal weiner, except theres no japs eye, and a pinhole on the underside where the banjo string normally is.

I can understand how that would be difficult with all the money spent on new socks, but its a stretch to use it as an excuse.

wonderfullife

cantdecide wrote: »

The victim is her son. For his whole life his mother's story is going to be a fable of dating in the internet age. She paid a terrible price for her very poor decisions. I'm as angry at her as I am for Locke.

You've an equal amount of anger towards a psychopathic murderer and an innocent woman who died at his hands?

Honestly that's a fcuked up thing to say and I'm losing whatever faith I had left in humanity.

cantdecide

bluewolf wrote: »

That poor woman. Jesus.
Glad to hear the verdict


For shame @ victim blaming nonsense
Take a good long look at yourself

She isn't blameless in this case. That child is the only blameless victim of Locke and she put her personal wants ahead of her child. Your indignation is misdirected in this case. You should take a long look at yourself. Not all victims are automatically completely blameless unless you're living on another planet where this kind of thing isn't a possibility.

Mod: Banned.