Martial Arts Champion Jailed

[Melanie]

Kick-boxing champion Ian McSween, who taught Prime Minister Tony Blair's three children martial arts, has been sentenced to seven years in jail for manslaughter.

Black belt McSween, 30, stabbed and killed Franklin Byam, 32, in July 2001 after he found the playgroup leader with his girlfriend.

"The fact is you lost your temper and self control. As a result Mr Byam lost his life by bleeding to death," Judge Brian Barker QC told him on Thursday.

McSween taught the prime minister's children Euan, 18, Nicky, 16, and Kathy, 13, in 1996 at the Albany Fitness Club in Kentish Town, North London, the court heard.

Kick-boxing instructor Keith Wilson, who hired McSween as his assistant at the Albany Fitness Club, told the court he had no qualms about putting Blair's three children in McSween's charge at that time.

McSween, who won his British champion title in 1998 in the continuous novice category, was convicted in 1997 for biting a policeman.

It just goes to show you that something is always there that MAY tip you over the edge. What a tragic waste of life and a tragic waste of skill.

[Andy Murray]

Melanie, you just hit my rant button again.

The guy stabbed someone, not 'kickboxed' him to death

Why oh why is it that the MA gets dragged through the mud like this.

Someone murders or rapes someone, the press get wind of the fact that the guy did a Karate class once, invent some story, and the public has a laugh about MA.

KARATE KILLER ATE MY DOG!

'Neighbours were horrified today to discover that John Barnes (83)
had eaten his neighbours Dog Trixie. Apparently John, who has been practicing Kung Fu for two weeks, stunned Trixie with a Karate Chop before gnawing the helpless pooch to death.'

Other pet hate is these video snip shows. Some spotty adolescent (you know who you are) is practicing with Nunchakus in his bedroom, whacks himself somewhere painful, and sells the video to the show.

No wonder the public is confused!

Exhales and takes a deep breath!

OK I'm calm now:D

Andy

[waya]

If you carry a knife you take the risk of cutting yourself in more ways than with just the blade. It's too tempting if you already have issues with anger management. On the other side, did they check to make sure he didn't get crossed with a Chihauha? Those little things LOVE to bite lol :-)

Rob

[Melanie]

Very good points Waya.

Andy,

What I meant by my remark...

"It just goes to show you that something is always there that MAY tip you over the edge. What a tragic waste of life and a tragic waste of skill."

Was that he was only human! Although we are taught that as you develope your martial arts you are supposed to develope better control, he lost his and hurt someone.

Mind you with provocation like that I don't blame him...

Besides, there is other people to consider...why an earth was the man playing around with a martial artists girlfriend in the first place?

[waya]

The guy wasn't real bright true, but still things shouldn't have gone that way.
I am probably one of the most tempermental people I know and the guy would have gotten a 10 second head start before I went for him, although I would have left my blade behind.

Rob

[Saz]

I can't understand how he got off with just manslaughter and not murder! Manslaughter is accidental killing caused by severe wounds, such as kicking someone in the ribs, and they died from a punctured lung etc. This guy was carrying a knife. You only carry knives around with you for one reason. And stabbing someone is hardly something you would do if you don't expect to kill them

[Thomas Vince]

You know guys i have seen many street altercations in my younger days, people hit with baseball bats, stabbed, shot at and most of these people were trained in the streets, they were not trained in a formal studio, by competent instructors. The controlling of the temper is a neccessary skill for success in MA's and it it is up to the instructor to instill these values into the student. The philosophy of the MA;s is there an available for us to follow. Unfortunately when men have greed, forms of physical lust, and a quest for sense pleasures they cannot and will not ever be under control. It's a shame to because it usually destroys a good person.

[Krysdaggr]

TO me this is an example of the difference between a karate practioner, or technicaton, or in this case kickboxing techniction and a true martial artist. In my one small opnion I think you can be a great techniciation with being no where close to a martial artist. A martial artist also has descipline, strong morals, sense of values as well as self control over both their mental , physical, and spiritual selfs. No they are not Gods who do nothing wrong but like someone said they take that 10 second break to think it out.

[waya]

I will admit, I do generally carry a blade of some type. Not only for defense purposes but mostly for utilitarian reasons. But I would never draw it in an altercation unless I was left without choice, and when I did I would know the consequences and that I intended to use it. I think this is another case of someone that failed to take the consequences of their actions into account before deciding that they should carry some type of weapon.

Rob