Tappin’s ‘guilt’ shocks Kent Golf Union
27th October, 2012 by Jenny Yu
The chairman of the Kent Golf Union (KGU) has said that Christopher Tappin’s plea of guilty against a charge of selling weapons to Iran is ‘very surprising’.
American authorities accused Tappin, 65, in 2007, when he was president of the KGU, of trying to sell batteries for surface-to-air missiles, and he was arrested in the UK three years later. He protested his innocence and said he was the victim of an FBI sting, but earlier this year was extradited to the USA to face the charges.
He has stated that he will plead guilty after reaching a deal with prosecutors that could see him serving his sentence in the UK.
Simon Naylor, chairman of the KGU, said: “We’re all very surprised. Whenever we’ve spoken to him he always said he was innocent of all the charges and was preparing his case for the trial. He was adamant he was not guilty.”
Tappin’s extradition solicitor, Karen Todner, added: “I’m sure he’s doing what he can to come home as quickly as possible. The odds are so stacked against you if you want to plead not guilty and are then found guilty that 98 per cent of people take a pragmatic view that pleading guilty is the only way forward.”
I do not know whether Mr Tappin is guilty or not. My guess is that he is not – but I admit is is a guess.
The point I want to make is that when faced with 35 years if found guilty or a couple of years if you agree to plead guilty without going to court – then almost everyone will plead guilty. Even innocent people will plead guilty – especially when you take into account that American courts almost always deliver guilty verdicts.
The American “justice” system is no more than state blackmail of accused persons. Give us what we want – a guilty plea – or we will make you sorry. The whole rotten system is an affront to humanity.
We should have no extradition arrangements with America at all. You may as well extradite to North Korea as to America.