Star Wars: Footballer Gavin Grant found guilty of homicide
Gavin Renaldo Grant is one name that has just recently defamed the image of athletes in the world. The former forward from Millwall and Bradford is currently encountering a life sentence after being convicted for a murder. It is said that the 26 year old player has committed the murder with the help of a gun and so far the prospects of him getting out of jail and this dilemma do not seem good.
The London born Grant has been found guilty of murdering Leon Labastide in January, 2004 which led to great unrest in the footballing community in England back then. Sources have revealed that the incident happened after his involvement was confirmed in a series of gun shootings that took place for vengeance around the council estate in the North-West of London. The shootings had the confounded Police patrolling more carefully for weeks in the area and many crack downs in the outskirts of district took place.
Grant was cleared of murder charges 3 years back which gave him the chance to turn a new leaf but his old acts continued. He started his career as a professional footballer in 2005 while playing for Gillingham and afterwards joined Millwall. Afterwards he spent some time with clubs out of leagues on loan. Finishing his time there he went on to Wycombe but after his departure with the Lions the player got his life and career all messed up.
Now, Grant who has been remanded while in detention is waiting for his final sentence at the Old Bailey. He has also spent the 2nd part of last season at Bradford and there it seems will be the end of his 11 match career.
The prosecutor, Stephen Batten has stated that there are many cases that could relate the player to crimes of drugs and shootings in the Stonebridge Park Estate. He has told that other people detained in the case had been accused of such crimes as well and there is a strong possibility that Grant could be one of the perpetrators.
Batten presented in the case, “One of those areas in London where there's more than the average number of shootings. There is no tradition at all of assisting the police”.
Batten also stated to the Jury, “Attitudes and standards are different. It is more the law of the jungle than the law of civilised England”.
He continued, “You will hear about and see people whose behaviour will probably disgust you and make you wonder if there is any hope for the human race”.
Earlier, in the August of 2007, Grant was freed of charges of murder. The murder happened to be of the 22 year old Jahmall Moore who died in 2005. The person was killed with an onslaught of 16 bullets and reports have confirmed that the act was committed by 3 gunmen.
Though he escaped that time, in the trials that occurred in December and in July he was found guilty. The court has concluded that the murder of Labastide led to the second killing and the unrest at the Park estate.
Celebrities are usually considered to have the kind of character that other people look up to and be inspired by them. More over fans look for guidance in them and think of them as their heroes. Similarly when a sportsman is brought as a headline in news, the celebrity topic automatically generates interest and viewers start the comparison of life with them; therefore the expectations from the athlete are raised.
In essence fans of different age, s*x and race look for more virtues in a sportsman than in any other celebrity in the walk of life and the reason for that is not just the factor of deliverance as they attempt to make true the dreams of their fans, but the fact that they prove as a compass for lives that is in search of aspiration. Not only that but they represent the important virtue of “sportsmanship” that other celebrities simply cannot represent in a day to day life basis.
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