‘Sob stories worse than the X Factor’
Viewers clearly had a lot to say about the “stupid” and “cocky” defendant at the centre of last night’s new Channel 5 crime documentary.
The Accused: An Inside Job followed the case of Łukasz, a (now former) personal banking advisor at Santander. Łukasz was accused of stealing £26,000 from an elderly client’s life savings. He protested his innocence throughout, claiming a conspiracy and arguing he’d be “an idiot” to allow all lines of inquiry to lead so seamlessly to him.
An old lady's life savings stolen. Innocent or guilty? Catch The Accused: An Inside Job? tonight at 9pm on @channel5_tv. #TheAccused pic.twitter.com/bKpNeNYyIv
— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) July 31, 2017
Legal Cheek reviewed the documentary before it aired last night, and we had a fair amount of sympathy for Łukasz and his plight. We said:
Whether you buy his defence or not, the devastating impact the charges had on Łukasz were plain to see. After internal banking investigators pointed the finger at Łukasz, the police froze his bank account, he lost his job and he lost his home. This had a huge emotional impact on the defendant, who revolted at the thought of his peers hearing about the case: ‘I don’t want people to think I’m the bad guy. I wouldn’t like them to see me that way.’
Last night, it became abundantly clear not everyone felt the same way. Viewers rushed to social media, using the hashtag #TheAccused, to make their feelings about the “greedy” defendant known:
He made a decision to throw his life away by being greedy #TheAccused
— Jay Aqua (@joseaqua90) July 31, 2017
#TheAccused you stole off an elderly lady of £26k #disgusting
— suzanne king (@sendtosuzyking) July 31, 2017
#TheAccused
Cocky bugger definitely thought was getting away with it else he'd have deleted his Twitter and LinkedIn accounts ?— Keith Sav?? (@Keith_Sav) July 31, 2017
#TheAccused for someone apparently so well educated, Lukasz came across as rather dim. Did the bank check his supposed refs and education?
— DazGH (@DarrenHen_) July 31, 2017
#theaccused
Sob stories worse than the #Xfactor or #BGT— J M S (@jmstocka) July 31, 2017
SPOILER ALERT: Łukasz was eventually found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison. He appeared devastated by the verdict, and even suggested he was going to commit suicide. Again, the sympathy was lacking:
#theaccused stealing from vulnerable elderly should be factored in the sentence & double it at least, he has 2 degrees but stupid & coward
— Seid Goro (@SeidGoro) July 31, 2017
#theAccused the man who got all the degrees under his belt is a shit thief and an even shitter liar ? off u go to prison young man ✊??
— rachel pritchard (@rbaby) July 31, 2017
In and among the obvious vitriol there was the occasional light-hearted comment. We particularly liked this one comparing defence lawyer Greg Stewart to the Supervet:
#theaccused can't believe the super Vet is defending Lucas
— Jon (@evenjonboy) July 31, 2017
And this comment on Łukasz’s train ride to Scotland to visit family:
To be fare he did use British Rail to travel to Scotland First Class,that would explain where his 30k vanished to. #TheAccused
— Lee (@LeeChronicle) July 31, 2017
Oh, and:
I have just been on Lukash facebook page,he looks a tad suspicious if you ask me. #TheAccused pic.twitter.com/0MNoz3bftX
— Lee (@LeeChronicle) July 31, 2017
Missed it? You can watch The Accused: An Inside Job using Channel 5’s catch up service.
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