Driven beyond endurance

JOSÉ ANTONIO ZAMORA, allegedly victim of a three year long cruel vendetta waged by a Spanish gypsy family in Almeria Province, grabbed his rifle, slaughtered three of his tormentors’ family, then calmly awaited the arrival of the Guardia Civil.

All he wanted was peace; he now has it; in the loneliness of a prison cell.

For three years he claims to have been subject to constant beatings; threats to his wife and children; the culprits, who were known to the police, had become a law unto themselves in what was bandit country.

The gang even slaughtered the family dog.

The worst culprit was the judicial system that had raped Zamora’s income and entitlement to peace, and then failed to protect him. The shamed never hang their heads in shame. 

• IN terms of image and tourism Spaniards pay a high price for their traditions.

Few come higher than the loss of an individual’s life. A 74-year old man died after being gored by a young bull that, during a fiesta, had gone on a bull run all of its own in the small village community of Lodosa, Navarra. During its headlong flight the animal burst into the victim’s home and carried out its attack. The bull was returned peacefully to its coral.

• THE Murcia town of Moratalia is broke.

The salaries of 120 employees have not been paid and the town is in the red to the tune of €28 million. Divide that by the community’s 8,500 population; two thirds are unlikely to be earning.

The mayor, Antonio Garcia, says; “it is awful”. I would say it was calamitous and another blow to the reputation of any who elect politicians to run their community’s finances in the fond belief that this breed of self-serving chancers are beyond running even a whelk stall.

Next time you vote, check out their business acumen credentials first.

• WHAT is in your boot, sir? Don’t say a foot or for that matter concede that there is an illegal immigrant in your car’s luggage hold.

Checking Spain-bound cars at Mellila’s ferry terminal an alert Civil Guard noticed movement in a sports bag in the car’s boot.

Assisted out and finally steady on his feet the failed illegal immigrant was turned away. Less risky than the route chosen by eight others caught trying to cross the straits in a child’s inflatable dinghy.