Aero Leather Clothing trial update

[I would go out tonight]

I had a pair of LVC 1955 501 that I bought from Aero. When they arrived, before I had tried them on, one of the rivets fell off. Amanda replaced them immediately. At the same time I had an eBay search set up for LVC. A few weeks later I spotted a pair of 501s with a rivet missing. I emailed Amanda to say 'Wow! coincidence' and she confirmed that it was Will's account. I half considered bidding but what would be the point in two pairs? I certainly did not realise the significance as there are plenty of firms run a factory shop on eBay.

Although I am not trying to support Will's cockamamie defence of 'they got a good jacket anyway' he is right they were good jackets. I had what I am convinced was a mislabelled LHB. I sold it as I found it impossible to wear. However, if you are into heavy leather and you know what you are buying, it was one of the best looking jackets I have ever seen.

 

[Sloan1874]

I don't really think that was the point being made...

 

[I would go out tonight]

I don't really think that was the point being made...

As you have the first hand experience I defer, of course.

I was trying not to publicly speculate about the depth of the problem. What appeared to me to be innocuous could well have been part of something more troubling.

With the comment about the jacket I was offering some support for Aero's forthcoming sale.

 

[Sloan1874]

I appreciate that, but it's not about the quality of the materials, it's the deception that Will committed on Aero and its customers. This will become clear when I publish more detailed bits of my notes. There are 40+ pages, so not all of them obviously, but it's worth getting some of them out there.

 

[I would go out tonight]

I agree entirely. When it started to emerge what had gone on, I felt like a bit of a clown. I can only imagine how Ken and family must have felt.

I don't know if you are familiar with the podcast Serial but, once the dust settles, something like that would be very interesting. Having said that, I should be less selfish if it prolongs Aero's pain any longer than necessary. Perhaps, one comprehensive report could cover it but I doubt it. I have a lot of questions I would love to ask you.

 

[Sloan1874]

Serial's a good description, I think the whole thing lends itself to that sort of treatment, as reducing it to a 500-600 word story loses much of its subtleties.

 

[Edward]

Murder carries a life sentence in the UK? No parole?

The official sentence is "life", though there will be a minimum period set that must be served before dligible for parole. Typically fourteen years, but it can be as high as thirty in especially serious cases. Whole life tariffs are very rare indeed, and have now been outlawed by the European Court of Human Rights, which has rulex that there must at some point be the chance of parole (though that gives no obligation to release anyone who is unrepentent and/or a danger to anyone else).

 

[Edward]

I'm assuming that custodial means the same or similar to U.S. probation.

Prison, basically. A first offence on relatively minor grounds can be dealt with in part by a 'suspended sentence': i.e. get in trouble agsin in the set suspension period, and you'll serve the set prison sentence. Very significant crimes even with a previously clean sheet can mean straight to prison. If a judge says all the options are on the table ahead of a sentencing, this means that a prison term to be served is a distinct possibility.

 

[Fanch]

Sloan, a sequence of reports seems like a good idea to me as one is able to absorb only so much information at any one time. I doubt your reports would create any additional angst for the Calder family as I imagine they all had a collective sigh of relief with the verdict. Since I was active on TFL in 2012 and saw first hand the acrimony present here, I will be most interested in seeing as much of this information as possible finally become public knowledge.

 

[navetsea]

when I hear word prison, I still think about a cage with concrete walls on three sides and steel bars on one side with padlock. Although I've watched modern prison on TV that looks more like a modern boarding school with amazing library, beautiful landscape and architecture, great gym, and sport fascilities. fully fitted out private room with a nice flat screen TV, and yummy meals, ... something that people from developing countries would be happy to pay monthly rent for.

 

[Sloan1874]

Scottish prisons really aren't like that.

 

[Monitor]

It may sound great, but prisons certainly aren't fun and games. For example, Breivik still hasn't been given that Playstation 4 he requested, even though he threatened to go on a hunger strike. Somebody should call somebody.

 

[navetsea]

no Grand Theft Auto V for prisoners :eeek:

 

[jlanderson]

Craig, thank you for all you've done to keep us informed. This journalist from across the pond greatly appreciates it.

 

[tropicalbob]

Thanks very much, Craig. So it seems that the case is what some of us originally thought it was -- a real violation of trust: not only of the customers, but of the man who gave Will his start. You have to wonder if it was about gambling, drugs, or whatever. I'd also be interested in hearing the thoughts of the people who left Aero with Will and how they felt when they heard about his sideline schemes.

 

[Worf]

^^^^^^ I fully understand the "he who is without sin...." point of view, however I watched people on here wait YEARS for jackets that never arrived eventually get defrauded out of ever single penny. I don't know how I'd feel if I were in their shoes.

Worf

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I still believe in eventual forgiveness. It could have been any one of us.

Er...no...not really. A decade of deliberate deception on many fronts is pretty serious business and begs for justice. Just ask those customers involved and the Calder family. In order for any forgiveness one needs to admit guilt, be remorseful and, at least, somewhat plead for sympathy from those who have been harmed.
Surely most of us would never become so involved in such on-going purposeful treachery.
HD

 

[nick123]

I'm talking about death bed forgiveness.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

If it wasn't for Aero's attempts at sincerely trying to rectify much of the harm caused..many more would be up Sh*t Creek without a paddle.

 

[handymike]

Ken and family did an amazing job of trying to make things right, and move the company forward.