I will admit Runner, that being a straight male, I do not make a practice of loitering around women's toilets looking to make a pick up. Is it for that reason you referred to a 35 year old gay man as a deviant or the fact that the man was gay?

Runner the deceased victim had a disability, Autism.

But your forgiven!

Firstly, runner, your hatred to palpable. Do what all those consumed by their hatred for others do, go off and make someone else’s life hell and leave this forum in peace.

Secondly, there is one thing that everyone has missed, not surprisingly, that is that the 35 year old was autistic. For those that do not know Autism is a neuro-sensory condition which causes among other things an inability to read and interoperate emotional signals correctly. This means that someone with autism can quite easily confuse the body language for 'I am here to be picked up' for 'Leave me alone'. It is like dyslexia, where a dyslexic cannot read letters on a page an autistic cannot read body language and act appropriately on it.

Another fact about autism is that many do not and cannot handle violent situations. Although those with autism can act violently towards others this is usually only in response to external stimulus, someone acting in a manner that makes the person with autism defensive.

To lay blame at the feet of an autistic person is only to show extreme ignorance for the condition. If you do not know about it then look it up on the net, there are plenty of resources available.

Finally, I unlike runner will not put my thoughts of the 18 year old on here. Let’s just say they are not complimentary.

And for anyone wondering, I know this about autism because I have lived my entire life with a form of autism myself called Asperger’s Syndrome, look it up too if you don’t know what it is. We can never allow ourselves to fall into the trap of judging people before we know ALL the facts.

runner wrote:

"david f blames religion and yet if more people were repulsed by such unnatural and unhealthy practices more boys would be saved the degradation of abuse."

Dear runner,

Any form of sex can transmit disease and be unhealthy. Homosexuality is not unnatural since it occurs in nature among other species. In other cultures such as that of ancient Greece it was an accepted practice. It is regarded as unnatural because many religions define as unnatural. If it were really unnatural it wouldn't happen.

Kipp

I have relatives with disabilities and have done voluntary work with disabled people. What is your point? The fact is that disability or no disability propositioning boys in toilets is disgusting.

Davidf denies all clear medical evidence of the enormously high disease rates among homosexuals. Stay in denial but it does not change facts. Speak to any honest doctor and ask his/her opinion.

Arthur N I in no way condone the apparent over reaction by the 18 year old. As I stated in my first post he should of fled (if possible) the scene.

I think that the most salient aspect of this case is not so much that the "homosexual advance defence" was deployed, but rather that it apparently succeeded with the jury. As Nina Funnell pointed out, the equivalent defence would not be available for a woman who is charged with murdering a man who made sexual advances to her. I guess it not only underlines the still extant homophobic undercurrent in our society, but also points to the pervasive remnant sexism in the way the law is applied.

As it happens, I spent my late teens in that part of Sydney in the early 1970s, and the toilet block in question was well known as a gay beat even then. Indeed, gangs of young thugs used to go there on "poofter-bashing" forays, although in my day knives were never used - just fists and boots. Reports of the incident that Funnell describes indicate that the young killer was in company, and associated with a street gang that frequented the vicinity.

I think that suggestions that this young thug was in fear for his life are somewhat exaggerated. What was more likely threatened was his heterosexuality. It'll be interesting to see what his sentence is.