Boris Johnson aide jailed over child porn - Exclusive

[Mumrik]

I have the feeling I should post in here aswell.

I did not know EB, I just read his posts and thought he was kind of a judgemental jerk. I'm not sure if I could add hypocritical to that list because, like Kristine and Kean, I think he was kind of judging, denying and probably hating himself all that time. In retrospect, I'm glad he got banned shortly after I stopped lurking and really started to post before I had any chance at all to maybe warm up to him.

Of course, this doesn't make his crime any less of a crime and I feel truly sorry for those who trusted him and considered him a friend. I cannot possibly know how you must feel. If I found out something like this about a friend I wouldn't know how to act. But please, don't beat yourselves up over this. You couldn't have possibly known about ANY of this. You are not the ones to blame.

I truly hope that this doesn't hurt us as a community and doesn't drive us apart with distrust. Of course, you have to always be careful and cannot be careful enough on whom you meet and who to trust online but please consider this - great friendships and relationships have been formed here and because of this place aswell and I'd hate to see that destroyed with mistrust because of one individual. Just please, please be careful on whom you reveal what information to.

And while I know this has been said earlier, I feel it cannot be stressed enough - if someone acts weirdly towards you or makes you feel uncomfortable or if you feel the need to talk - please PM me or another staff member. We're here to help.

 

[InsaneMystic]

I truly hope that this doesn't hurt us as a community and doesn't drive us apart with distrust. Of course, you have to always be careful and cannot be careful enough on whom you meet and who to trust online but please consider this - great friendships and relationships have been formed here and because of this place aswell and I'd hate to see that destroyed with mistrust because of one individual. Just please, please be careful on whom you reveal what information to.

Couldn't agree more. "Trust no one over the internet" is not an option I want to consider, because, as many of you know, the internet is just about the only place for social contacts for me (dunno if there's many people who are as isolated IRL, but I doubt I'm the absolute only one).
Having had one black sheep (even though, granted, they don't come much blacker than this one turned out to be) among us shouldn't let us forget that, all in all, this is a great place to be, with an atmosphere of friendship the likes of which I have not found anywhere else on the net yet. Having general mistrust ruin that atmosphere would give EB a lasting power over us he definitely does not deserve.

As for EB himself - it's no secret I didn't like him too much (and apparently the feeling was mutual), but this news ruined the one thing I used to grudgingly respect him for. While I always thought he was a jerk, I held him to be bluntly honest, and that's a trait I just can't help but admire in people. Now it turns out "honesty" is just about the very last word to properly describe him. It's strange to say that, but this shocks me more than his crime itself. I'm usually wary of passing judgement on people, as I'm only too aware of the dark recesses within myself, so even towards horrid crimes like this I take a stance of "There, but for the grace of God, go I". I know however that my part in accepting this grace is being honest about who I am and what I do, and face whatever consequences arise from my actions - and that is the area in which I can't help but say that EB seems to have failed miserably.

My sympathy goes out to you all who considered EB a friend, and to those of you who are either still young teens or have kids of your own. I know your feeling of horror and disgust at all this will be far, far greater than my own.

However, what makes me proud to be a member of this board is how the staff handles this situation, being quick to offer support (including a place to vent, where necessary), and that this includes former members of the staff who were deeply missed over their absence and who chose to return, even if only temporarily, to handle the aftermath of this. This pulling together in time of crisis is what is great about BB, and I sincerely hope we won't let that get ruined by the actions of one very messed up person.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Good points IM. I actually meant to say in my post, yes, discuss your favorite tv shows with others here and on the net, debate, even talk about your day. By all means, make friends. But just be vigilant and smart about it. Don't be afraid to protect yourself because someone else might think you weird or be hurt. They'll get over it.

 

[Frketson]

Well after seeing a photo of the guy i can't say i'm that suprised......

EDIT:

I remember the story he posted ages ago about his flatmate abusing a kid and i honestly thought to myself it was a BS story and he was just either looking for attention/people to post oh your so brave etc. so it could boost his ego.

But yeah, its scary to think that someone here (in this place of tranquility) can do something like that.

 

[white avenger]

It's understandable that we all feel shocked, angry, even betrayed and sickened by all of this, and the first reaction is to vent those feelings here, but let's not lose sight of one very important thing. The man is sick. Arguably, he will be getting what he deserves, both in a prison sentence and by having his actions made public. Let's just hope that, in addition to getting what he deserves, he also gets the medical/psychological help that he needs.

 

[Lemon]

Sarah told me days ago about this and I wasn't even surprised. I never liked him, he was a complete jerk to me and I had done nothing to him. I knew he was a bad person... but this is just ridiculous. I'm disgusted. He's sick... and deserves more than 6 months in jail, that's for sure.

He's a monster. [The bad kind, y'know, the kind that doesn't involve Gaga. 😉 ]

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Great point, WA. You always know the right thing to say. 🙂

 

[charmingslayer]

Ugh this is just so disgusting! I always had a feeling he was weird though but nothing like this. I hope we can all get through this shock and I also wanna say it's nice to see Lyri and Kean again even though it's under these circumstances.

 

[ubi4soft]

I think I start posting on BB after the guy was banned so I didn't have the experience of talking to him. But this whole thing is a quick/slap in the face reminder of the beauty and the horror of internet. Not that this couldn't happen in real life like daily meeting in the park while walking your dog. I don't want to judge, we have justice for it, but I can't keep asking myself if this guy was genuinely interested in buffyverse or his main objective was to be in touch with younger people.

 

[DrusillaRox]

Ugh, god. I have pretty much the same sentiments as charmingslayer. But I have to add that I feel very upset that I saw this after I started posting here again. BB has been feeling foreign to me, but now it feels even more foreign. I was talking to charmingslayer via Twitter and for once I found myself unable to express how I felt. It was such a shock. I felt creeped out and cold. I talked to him when I was thirteen. I feel disgusted.

I never liked EB, but I just thought he was strange, and sort of a jerk. I never even considered. Ugh, I feel so...I mean, like I said to charmingslayer, there isn't a word for it.

 

[charmingslayer]

All I know is i'm glad that sick jerk never spoke to me and that he's never coming back here.

 

[Willow-Tree]

I think this will be my last note on the subject, since even thinking of it sickens me. While my BB-er friend was over my house tonight, I told her the disturbing news and she was shocked, especially since he had sent her messages on a few occasions. Plus, he was the first person I communicated with a few times on BB. Ugh.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that even though this is completely disgusting and uncalled for, I don't suggest fending off all people you meet online. I know that I've gotten to know a few people on here that, while I will never give out very personal details, I feel I can talk to like I talk to any of my real-life friends. It just completely sickens me that someone from such a tight-knit group of people on this board could be so... for lack of better words, a monster.

 

[Airam]

So, wow. I received this news a few days ago via email from Bunnies and when I clicked on that link my jaw just dropped. Total utter repulsion. I mean how anyone could possibly engage in this type of behavior is just something I cannot wrap my head around. And I know according to the articles he claims that he grew obsessed with the films as a means of understanding or coming to terms with his own abuse, but that almost makes it worse. If he in fact did suffer abuse as a child, how could he now get off on it? Its just effing sick. I've never been a subscriber to the abused becoming the abuser mentality. Seriously? There are other ways to deal.

When I first joined BB I really thought he was the ultimate douchebag just reading his posts. But to me personally, despite being such an ass to so many others, he was always super nice so we became friendly. I was also "friends" with him on facebook and we would chat occasionally, a fact that now completely creeps me out. And the part where this has been going on since June?! How does someone keep up a facade of that proportion for so long?! Lyri, reading your post my heart really goes out to you. This news got under my skin with being friendly with him for just about a year, I can't even imagine what this must be like for you, I'm sorry hun. And my heart also especially goes out to Kristine and the others that actually met him in person. It just goes to show that despite how well you think you know somebody you just can't ever really know everything about anyone.

I also have been absent from BB for a while, not from lack of missing it, just dealing with life stuff and just busy overall. But I wanted to make an effort to come back to show my support for anyone at all that might need it, I'm always willing to listen and help in anyway I can. One of the main aspects of BB that initially kept me glued in was the solidarity among members, its nice to see it coming back 🙂

 

[luckystar]

I felt sick to my stomach reading this I am not surprised at all, I never suspected something as sick as this but I picked up on his character straight away which is why I am surprised so many seemed to be taken in by him. I never spoke to him only ever read his posts so maybe the character he portrayed in the back is different than his online persona I dont know but anyways I am sorry for all the people who fell for his act hope you can all get past this and in future everyone be extra careful online. Plus with a 6 month sentence whats to stop the sicko coming back to look for more twisted things and kids to talk to, really he should be locked up for years!

 

[Kean]

I felt sick to my stomach reading this I am not surprised at all, I never suspected something as sick as this but I picked up on his character straight away which is why I am surprised so many seemed to be taken in by him. I never spoke to him only ever read his posts so maybe the character he portrayed in the back is different than his online persona I dont know but anyways I am sorry for all the people who fell for his act hope you can all get past this and in future everyone be extra careful online. Plus with a 6 month sentence whats to stop the sicko coming back to look for more twisted things and kids to talk to, really he should be locked up for years!

This is gona sound like an excuse but his persona on these boards and who he was away from them were very different. I think this how so many were fooled by him. I can only speak for myself but what I didn't realise was that this 'second' persona was a lie too.

 

[Nymphetamine]

That's sick and grose.

 

[Washburne]

Anyone that got friends with him shouldn't be embarressed at all. Even if we never connected it was always clear that when he wanted he could be nice and supporting (being an act or not) and anyone behaving like that would be liked. Simple as that. And no one is perfect and ignoring the bad sides of someone is easy when you see the other side as well.

Well after seeing a photo of the guy i can't say i'm that suprised......

Was told that by an online friend as well. And you're free to think that. But although it drifts from the discussion as such I just want to say that I'm not a fan of such comments. Don't mean at is an attack on you. Just saying how I see it. Sure you were right this time but will you be everytime you see someone you think looks like a creep? I've never had something like that coming my way but due to how I look/looked people have misjudged me completely and treated based on that and been verbally "attacked" and it hurts. You can pick all kind of signals from people and you might be right. But the look of someone don't make them something certain. But wouldn't it be nice if "He looks like a creep so he must be one but this other guy looks and acts nice so he can't do any harm." was the case?

 

[Revolver]

I must have missed upon initial reading that this happened back in June. Interesting because I seem to recall he disappeared for the boards for about a month around that time and when he popped up again, he made some comment like "I'm trying to seperate myself from this place." In reality, he was probably seperated from his computer!

Also, I don't know Boris Johnson but it's too bad his name is in the headline instead of the one who committed the crime.

 

[frankie]

I must have missed upon initial reading that this happened back in June. Interesting because I seem to recall he disappeared for the boards for about a month around that time and when he popped up again, he made some comment like "I'm trying to seperate myself from this place." In reality, he was probably seperated from his computer!

It was also around this time, he told a story about possibly moving away to America for " TV Work ".

 

[Angelic Slayer]

When I read about this my blood immediately ran cold; I almost didn't believe what I was reading. The last few years Al and I haven't been close by any means, but it was still a very scary revelation that I never would have seen coming.

When I first joined BB I was about 14/15 years old, and like many of you folks Al was one of my first friends here. We used to spend hours talking on BB and MSN and for a long time I considered him one of my closest friends (some of the older VH-ers I'm sure will remember him and I even planned on having a fake "bb wedding" once-- needless to say I'm more than a little repulsed by that now). Since then we'd had something of a falling out, and the last couple years I've scarcely spoken with him outside of BB. But even a few months ago during a quick facebook conversation, I had thought "Hmm, maybe I should reconnect with him". Now I just keep going over the time I knew him in my head, wondering what his real intentions may have been.

The internet is a great way to meet people and make new friends, but if nothing else this goes to show how careful you need to be when you're dealing with people you don't know. This doesn't mean you shouldn't make friends online, but do keep in mind that you never know who that person really is. And don't be afraid to take your time and get to know your online friends before you agree to meet them (or give out any personal information). If a person is really worth getting to know, they'll understand that you want to keep yourself safe.

It's been said many times before, but I can't agree enough that nobody should feel ashamed about not seeing this coming. He was the type of guy who could do a personality switch in the blink of an eye; and that friendly persona fooled a lot of us. If anyone needs to talk or vent about this please don't hesitate to talk to me or another staff member. We're here to support you guys, and don't want anyone to feel like they have to keep their feelings about this bottled up. We're here for each other.