Updates on Harry Cook

Anyone got any updates on the Harry Cook sentencing?

Bill

 

Found a post on another forum that claimed sentencing was adjourned because more charges are to be brought.

But that's unconfirmed.

 

Update

Apparently two more people have brought 8 charges (1 person was 8yrs old at the time of the offences).

With more to come of a more serious nature.

Bill

 

HARRY COOK COURT APPEARANCE FOR SENTENCE

Please note that it's a quote and not my words.

 

Harry Cook was my sensei for a few years from about 1984 - i was about 14

He was my first sensei & taught me the way of budo

For a few years i held the utmost respect for harry - he was an incredible teacher, worked you to your utmost - i learned to reach inside and find reserves of spirit i'd never found before - the club was positive, supportive, encouraging and very hard working - all values harry appeared to champion

central to what he taught was spirit, attitude, that fights are won mentally - it's all about the zanshin

i stayed over at his house before going on courses, travelled places with the guy & our club, and he was always, as far as i could see, an excellent example of a sensei and beyond that a budoka, it felt like a privilege to train with him and to develop the budo attitude

i lost respect for harry when it became apparent he was seeing one of his female students behind his wife's back - by that time i'd left the area to go to uni & no longer trained with harry

to hear that he has pleaded guilty to counts of abuse and that more possible victims are coming forward has shaken me some, to say the least


harry was key to bringing me home to values that are core to me now - he taught well but it seems like he didn't actually get the lesson himself

 

Its hard to have a hero that turns out to be a villain in disguise.
Thats one of the cruelest things a teacher can do to his student, portray a false image of themsevles that people look up to and trust. To be a good teacher, you first need to learn how to serve and respect, in other words you need to learn humility. A lesson he was probably eager to teach and to mimic but not actually learn himself. We can only hope that justice will come and that the court makes the right decision.

 

yes mate and i think it's fair to say, harry cook was one of my heros back then and for many years

i work in a protective capacity myself now - i'm a psychiatric nurse - i am the sheepdog who eats the wolf

how he abused his position of trust with his most vulnerable wards, all the while preaching budo - i have never met a bigger hypocrite

 

DOJO KUN

1. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto.
Work to perfect your character.

2. Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.
Have fidelity in seeking a true way.

3. Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.
Cultivate a spirit of endeavor and perseverance.

4. Reigi o omonjiru koto.
Always act with good manners.

5. Kekki no yu o imashimeru koto.
Refrain from violent and uncontrolled behaviour.


This is the dojo kun that we chanted at the start of class (taken from an article by the man himself) - doesn't look like he has managed to stick to any of his tenants

 

I think something to take from this Mobile Dogwash (good name!) is that the values exist beyond the man. Harry Cook didn't invent them or own them.
They are an abstract that only exist when you act on them.
Harry Cook didn't "give" you those values. He just happened to be part of the conduit by which you found them yourself.
Clearly in life you have done far more with them than Cook ever did and I think you should draw strength from that rather than feel down about recent events.

 

thanks yes - i know he was the conduit, not the originator - it's strange how a warped conduit can still transmit some truth eh

 

You know reading this reminded me that one of my teachers did exactly the same thing. At the time I was the dojo senior kyu grade and as such spent a great deal of time in the company of said teacher on courses, outside of the dojo etc.

I'm one of those presonalities where, when someone betrays my trust, they never ever regain it. I learned from another club member of the teacher's behaviour - some of the specific circumstances of which -meant he was telling his wife he was in my company when if fact, he was with the other woman.

When I confronted said teacher and stated I didn't want to be involved in his behaviour(s) that ended my dojo relationship with a person who, like you'd stated, espoused particular ideals whilst being a hypocrite. it's interesting to later learn, the same teacher had attempted to fake martial arts related certification and, has since been subject to two drink driver bans. Personally I don't see how such a person is in any position to offer moralistic or behavioural advice (often associated with martial studies).

You live and learn that you never really know anyone in life.

 

that's devastating to students....to find out their hero is really a villian.

My ex is like that though. Teaches karate now and emotionally and a little psysically abusive to me yet he is going to have women's self defense at his school and claims to teach perfection of charater. Go figure.

Its really devastating and its why i express my sympathy to his family and his students. You gave a perfect reason why this affects even those students he didnt abuse.

I'd give em all a hug if I could.

 

There is a bigger theme here however, I have been speaking to a number of senior instructors following on from this article and to be fair the most of us know Harry... the thing is that there are a lot of instructors who are on the international circuit who 'play away'.
I was involved in one mad affair between a weapons instructor and his student where I was getting calls from his wife! He even asked me to 'cover' and say there was a course going on in Dublin if anyone asked... the mind boggles.
He also then asked me to leave his club VIA TEXT message. Needless to say I was not impressed. It does seem to be one rule for one lot and another for the rest of us.

 

What H Cook did cant be called "playing away" Sandangirl.

 

This revelation must come as a shock to everyone in the martial art community.

I have trained in 2 schools where the instructors thought they was entitled to pester females that they took a fancy to. Either by trying to get a bit too physical during sparring or just generally getting a bit touchy, feely whilst helping these females on techniques. In both situations I lost respect and left.

This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable by anyone let alone professional and crb checked individuals who are in a position of trust.

Question is how do you guard against or prevent this kind of thing going on?

 

I don't know any real solution, but in my opinion it's partly to do with remembering that the same boundaries of decency apply in a martial arts class as any anywhere else. Yes, you might be in closer physical contact with other people than you would be in your day job, but if someone's clearly grabbing parts of you that aren't a submission hold then realise that they're up to no good and don't go back.

 

Or sock it to them if you get a chance. 'But sensei we were just sparring....'

One time my evil ex was standing right to the side of me while we were doing yoko geri kekomis....I was sooo tempted to land one right in the chest area