Phil Judd, a founding member of New Zealand band Split Enz, has admitted stalking young girls in Australia. The Melbourne-based Sunday Herald Sun reported today that 56-year-old New Zealand-born Judd was convicted in Heidelberg Magistrates Court, north of Melbourne, earlier this year of stalking the two sisters since 2004.What the Herald-Sun really said:
A former rock star stalked three young girls over five years.Not that the number of girls is really the point, but how could the Herald turn three into two when cutting and pasting from a news feed? More seriously, why not make it clear that they were not just young girls but very young girls? Year 2 is a six-year-old, Year 6 is 11 or so.
Split Enz founding member Phil Judd, who lives in Eltham, has admitted stalking the children since 2004, when the youngest was in year 2 and the eldest in year 6.
Judd has had his problems – the first Split Enz album wasn’t called Mental Notes for nothing, it would seem – and has been admirably open about them, including being bi-polar. Good for him, and we are all fans of his music. But his response to all this is appalling:
I only had a crush on one of them – I’m just a silly old man. This has been blown way out of proportion. The only mistake I made was getting on to Facebook one night after a few too many drinks.Which is the same as saying, “The only mistake I made was getting caught.”
Eww. He's 56 so he's old enough to be their grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThe Herald Sun story says he posed as a 17-year-old on Facebook to make friends with the girls - that is deeply sinister.
Fair play to Phil - he did deck Tim Finn in 1977. He can't be all bad.
ReplyDeleteWell yes, Anonymous, but let's remember him this way, shall we? "Counting the Beat" is his finest moment, IMHO, and one of NZ pop music's as well:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdPKKJk_mLw
It worries me for the poor judgement shown by him. He crossed the sanity line I think. You can't rationalise it away. Not if he frightened the girl/s and parents.
ReplyDeleteIf a 56 yr old man had stalked his 12 year old daughter, he'd take that damn seriously. First, he should apologise with heart, not flippancy, and second, get help.
I had a sinking feeling in my stomach when I read this, especially since I was listening to "Counting The Beat" earlier and feeling bad his work is so underrated.
ReplyDeleteHis bipolar disorder probably has a huge effect on his impulsivity, but I'd guess this attraction to young girls has probably been there all along, even if he has never acted on it (or been caught) before now.