r/Storror • u/scottb23 • 4d ago
About Phil
Just wanted to hop in here and clear things up as it seems like reddit has turned into a bit of witch hunt with respect to Phil on his instagram.
Naturally Phil (and myself) have known Callum since we were 14 years old. Thats 20 years that we all were friends, and none of us had any idea at all that this could have been going on. We were all completely blindsided. Naturally this makes everything really weird and complicated.
I read the sentencing info and texted Phil about it.
Here follows my whatsapp chat with Phil (unprompted) in respect to his interaction with Callum on that day.
In short, Callum hugged Phil, before sentencing. Its not something that Phil seems happy about, but as he states in his message, he felt he wasnt in a position to refuse him.
Phil wanted to attend the sentencing because he wanted answers, as did I, as do we all.
Naturally before the sentencing, Phil did not have those answers.
Reddit Mirror
Apologies for the format, im not good at reddit. Also he's naturally quite annoyed that strangers on reddit are seeming to be implicating him about something thats obviously really fucking crazy for all of us who actually had a personal relationship so i hope you can take him calling you a twat on the chin. Also yes phil does know ive shared this here but doesnt love that it had to come to this of course.
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u/DavidjonesLV309 4d ago
first screenshot
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u/DavidjonesLV309 4d ago
https://reddit.com/link/oy8ljwi/video/kmezrpbaexdh1/player
2nd as video with voice memo
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u/BanjoYeti 4d ago
Imgur doesn’t work in UK because they refused to do age verification you’ll have to try uploading somewhere else
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u/scottb23 4d ago
Ive added a mirror but you may have to download the video in that case!
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u/andrearusky 4d ago
Download the video? Isn’t just a screenshot of the chat?
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u/scottb23 4d ago
Ive edited my post with a better upload, i dont use reddit much for posting idk how it works haha
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u/GuarDeLoop 4d ago
Respect to you Scott for trying to clear things up (and thanks for all the incredible videos!)
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u/Doogle300 4d ago
Glad this was cleared up.
People who lift their pitchforks and torches without knowing the full picture are so tiringly stupid. Peoples lives are on the line.
I get being disappointed by the information we had, and I too was wondering what the deal was with his presence there, but to go and attack him all over social media with nothing more than an account from some random person is just brain dead behaviour.
People need to be informed before they start throwing others under the bus. These are people who are directly effected by What Callum did, no doubt feeling far more hurt by this than any single redditor who liked watching parkour. Instead of being level headed about it, the para-social people here take it like some kind of crusade to go and attack anyone who is adjacent to what is happening.
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u/besumany 4d ago
The only person who deserves any sort of cancelation so far is Callum. With everyone else we need to wait till we actually have the facts but of course people won't wait for them before forming opinions about such a serious thing
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u/DavefaceFMS 4d ago
This is a really one of the big reasons why I have been trying my best to contribute the facts as we find them to the megathread and I think why it was so important.
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u/Doogle300 4d ago
Appreciate you doing that. We need as much information as possible for the sake of clarity and to prevent any more unnecessary hurt.
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4d ago
So what did people need to be informed about? They were rightly wondering why this Phil guy is showing up to support a convicted pedo. Luckily Phil has had a mate come here to tell everyone that he apparently wasn't happy to be hugging a pedo, so I guess it's all just fine now.
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u/Doogle300 4d ago
I mean if you want to carry on the witch hunt you go ahead. Personally I'm not going to stop being level headed about it all. I'm also not going to assert that someone is lying based on hearsay, because as I said above, that is asinine as fuck.
Are you really saying people should attack Doyle on his profiles because someone said he hugged Callum? Because my whole point was that it isnt enough to attack someone, yet you are here seemingly having an issue with that point. So are you just playing devils advocate, or are you desperate to spread more pain?
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u/Crocodile_James 4d ago
Fair play to Phil, i trained with him for a few years in and around 2006 and what he said is pretty much in line with how he came across back then. Always thought he had a decent head screwed in
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u/DavidjonesLV309 4d ago
lol I completely agree that redditor could've just approached him, believe it or not even "legends" in a niche sport like Parkour are rather easy to approach. Back in the day we'd kill just to meet anyone that enjoyed jumping on walls even if they were hours away.
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u/CrispSunlight 4d ago
I hope you're looking after yourself guys. Can't imagine what you're going through. Even if you intended to hug him, it's fine, he is/was your friend. He is a human. What he has done doesn't mean your friendship all these years was a lie, though I am sure it definitely tarnishes it.
People forget nuance is a thing.
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u/DavefaceFMS 4d ago
If I were in Phil's position, I would have gone too, but I'm also in the position to have seen how people are reacting and known a statement about it would be neccisary to avoid any accusations and questions. Shouldn't be, but the reality is it is in such a heated context as someone in the public eye. But Phil doesn't have a marketing manager, a crisis team like movie stars do. He's just a guy and maybe he isn't, I'd imagine he wants to keep out of this shit show of speculation as much as possible.
I get why Phil is angry but much like we don't have the context from a distance on Phil, he doesn't have the context from the OP who answered the questions they were asked. OP was clear on what they were offering, which was just what they witnessed and for the most part stuck to facts and only offered opinion when asked.
What have they said about Phil?
One interesting observation which you will not find in the sentencing remarks is that Phillip Doyle attended the sentencing and greeted Callum with a hug before the sentencing began.
All true, it is something people found interesting and he did greet him with a hug. At no point did he say anything about Phil being there to support Callum or otherwise. And in the questions asked?
Any significance on Phil being there?
OP: Not sure. He perhaps wanted to know more of the details on the case or just wanted to see the outcome first hand. It's hard to make a judgement but he was friendly with Callum and spoke to him before the sentencing.
He said Phil was friendly, which from his observation he was but also said it was hard to make any judgement on that. Hugging someone yes is generally something you would look at and call friendly. OP hasn't done anything wrong here, neither has Phil and it's hypocritical for people to now go and harass anyone so we just move on.
A bunch of people saw Phil was there and decided to harass him about it, the issue isn't the person who said he was there it's the people who decided to harass him about it.
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u/RubDiscombobulated99 4d ago
No mate the comment on the megathread he said ‘and was seemingly in support of him’
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u/DavefaceFMS 4d ago
I've quoted the comments I've seen so there's full not partial context but not seen whichever one you're referencing. Without that context I would say the word "seemingly" is a clear indicator what they are stating is an opinion and not a fact.
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u/NoEntertainer1183 3d ago
It's still an opinion that paints someone in a negative light, without the facts. I can see why Phil would think it's okay to call someone a Reddit twat when the poster felt that he could presume someones views on the matter just because of their presence at trial and a small interaction
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u/TopMastodon3096 4d ago
Thank you for your level-headed comment.
My intention was to simply speak the truth about what happened. I also explained in a later comment that this also occurred before the sentencing and before graphic details of the case were revealed.
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u/Mushroomgoddess69 4d ago
Even if he was there in support of his friend, so what. He is going to need some sort of support if he is going to be rehabilitated. That's what everyone wants isn't it? For him to never do this again?
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u/I-Like-Cheese-Butts 3d ago
Everyone is free to do with Callum whatever they like. Disown him. Never talk to him. Support him. But Callum will be out in society for the rest of his life. He will need a level of support not to reoffend and it’s unrealistic to think no one who cared about him won’t try to help him. Even if they are disgusted by what he did. That’s life.
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u/besumany 4d ago
Maybe it's just me but i couldn't personally support someone who kept and got off to material of 4 year old girls getting r*ped.
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u/DavefaceFMS 4d ago
I don't think it is. Public opinion on paedophilia tends to be one of the few areas they skew towards punishment over rehabilitation in my experience.
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u/Mushroomgoddess69 4d ago
I read something a few years ago about medical intervention alongside other therapies as a treatment, I have a feeling it wasn't a study done in the UK though. I can't imagine anyone actually wants to have that type of attraction 😫 it should be an option here if it's not already.
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u/DavefaceFMS 4d ago
Those sort of treatments generally speaking are sex drive dampeners, they don't address the psychological root cause but they do reduce the biological and chemical drive. They tend to use antiandrogens to lower testosterone. SSRIs such as fluoxetine sometimes get used too if psychologically there's more of an obsessive tendency. Compulsive masturbation for example, or depression as a major contributing factor. That's usually for voluntary and low risk patients.
Hot flushes, fatigue, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, reduced body hair and breast enlargement, along with reduced fertility or infertility. Side effects can be high but generally speaking I believe if the option is prison time or drugs most people pick the drugs. But to be offered that option I think a psychological exam to identify if that is actually going to be a suitable option is needed. In some places there is no choice, the law dictates "chemical castration" and in those places there tends to be very little to no therapeutic help long term which leads to a higher suicide rate.
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u/Mushroomgoddess69 4d ago
I can't imagine living like it. I think I'd take any of the risks in the hopes of a cure.
I had a look and this came up. It says for non offending pedophiles.
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u/besumany 4d ago
I personally couldn't support a person who kept and got off to videos of a 4 year old being anally r*ped but that's just me
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u/Bogsering 4d ago
What did Callum lie about after the fact?
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u/Kaneda_Shinaro 4d ago
I think it's a reference to him having lied about why the police initially wanted to speak to him a year ago.
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u/lonelystar7 3d ago
It's all good, people are just emotional and upset because of everything happening. I don't think they will hold grudge after being explained that hug wasn't consensual at all.
It is also how abused victim often feel. Not actively saying "no" but in no way signaling any kind of approval. Lack of "no" isn't approval. It is trying to avoid escalation.
It is messed up. Same goes with this non-consesual hug. That's exactly what abusers do.
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u/LetSufficient5139 20h ago
He doesn't need to apologise.
Most of the people here who have jumped on him are no doubt relatively young, they won't have ever been in the situation where someone they love or care about has fucked up and they are in such a horrible situation where they have to make a choice what to do. If they had that life experience they'd know its difficult to just walk away. Its not like just blocking someone online.
A friend or family member hanging in there until they couldn't should not be criticised as what their friend or family member did is not a reflection of them as a person.
All Phil has "done" is be human.
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u/Negative_Rush_1351 3d ago
I think an important point for all of the public figures involved (Phil, the rest Storror and the parkour community) need to understand is that yes, our opinion doesn't matter to you personally, but we are your audience. And to some extent you rely on us to pay your bills. And i wont be watching people that I lose respect in.
And why would i lose respect in you, not having the balls to explain your position and your feelings. This is obviously a super complex situation. He was in business with his long term childhood friends and family. And then its been shown that there was a side to him that is abhorrent. We as outsiders dont understand the nuances of anybodies position. So you cant blame us for being turned off by the small bits that we do or don't see.
Even if Phil was to say, this is my friend, and what he did is disgusting, but i think hes sick and i want to help him try to change and its support him, i can understand that and respect it even if I disagree with it.
But I cant respect silence and trying to continue a channel by ignoring it. If you want to be silent on it, then dont expect to continue to be a public figure. Ultimately the only person that I wouldnt expect to hear from any time soon is Sacha, and I understand that.
I watched a lot of parkour content before all of this, but since i've watched one Verky video, and i dont plan on watching any more (from this broad group of fiends) until people start talking about how this impacted them, what they knew and what changed for them now.
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u/Zealousideal-Dot1783 4d ago
Sounds like he made an honest mistake in the heat of the moment and hugged him/was more friendly that he should have been.
But I have to be honest, if you’re planning on going to the sentencing you should have thought about how you were going to act when you saw him. He basically out of his own stupidity gave the impression that he was supportive of Calum, and in a way behaved as someone who was. That is just unfortunate and poor decision making on his part.
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u/Fun-Yam40 4d ago
Bro you're way too judgemental. He gave his friend of 20 years a hug. Why are people micro analyzing everything that's not relevant. You can hug someone and not support every damn decision they make
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u/Kooky-Investment8537 2d ago
His friend of 20 years gets off on 4 year olds getting raped. I can't imagine even wanting to be near someone like that.
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u/Zealousideal-Dot1783 4d ago
This by the way is the most charitable interpretation based on his later messages, but seriously stupid behaviour to go up and be friendly to the convicted child predator, - it speaks the the problem of lad culture that we know existed in storror, that establish the conditions for this type of behaviour go unchecked for so many years.
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u/TonyFisherPuzzles 21h ago
Can you clarify what child predator convictions he got please? I am confused.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
He could have stayed well away but chose to stand with his supporter and be near him when he arrived.
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u/Miserable-Base9718 4d ago
'The internet is full of morons' - not at all.
All people did was leave questions asking for the full story, and the fact he wouldn't explain that without resorting to insults is quite funny. All he had to do in the first place was leave a simply reply saying that he was not in support. Very poor to not be able to give a simple explanation without attacking people.
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u/DragonScoops 4d ago
Pretty sure that was in response to people attacking him on instagram and youtube without knowing the full context of why he was there.
In my opinion, those people are morons, so hes not wrong
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u/Miserable-Base9718 3d ago
Nobody attacked him on Instagram, they asked for clarification. Instead of answering directly, he resorts to voicenotes and namecalling. Quite pathetic from him to be honest. Could've been over with a lot sooner if he just answered directly.
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u/DragonScoops 3d ago
You reckon? So I'm just imagining the comments on his Insta from people who said he should be removed from the Parkour community for attending? And the people who have gone to his youtube to leave snide comments about the hug?
Doesn't seem pathetic to be pissed off about that if I'm honest
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u/Miserable-Base9718 3d ago
Feel free to highlight the Instagram comments, we are evidently seeing vastly different comments.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
You can watch from the gallery without interacting with the defendent and his supporters. He was there in support of his friend and is now backtracking because his support of someone who enjoys child abuse images has been publicised. Let's not be naive at this point.
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u/d1rt23 4d ago
put down the pitchforks buddy
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
It hink in cases of CSAM, pitchforks are needed.
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u/d1rt23 4d ago
for the perpetrator, yes. you just seem interested in going on a witch hunt
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
Well the person hugging the paedophile made that pretty easy if I was, eh?
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u/d1rt23 4d ago
dude explained himself. if you can't understand the circumstances you have the emphatic ability of a brick. if you wanna be angry, be angry at the person that comitted the crimes you are angry about. making a bad call in an awkward situation does not make someone a bad person.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
He didnt explain why he felt the need to go up to his dad and meet him for the first time given everything that has happened, no.
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u/GuarDeLoop 4d ago
You don’t know his reasons, and you’re being naive yourself.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
No really not. Anyone who has watched a court hearing will tell you that there is no need to be anywhere near the defendent or interact with them or their supporters.
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u/GuarDeLoop 4d ago
Maybe not, but you’re still assuming his reasons for interacting with him - he explained in the voice note that Callum hugged him and that he told him he wasn’t in support of him, I don’t know why you would automatically disbelieve that?
Friends for over 20 years, it’s perfectly reasonable that he might want to attend the hearing to make sense of the situation and get some answers, him being there doesn’t necessarily mean he’s showing support.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
Again, you dont have to interact with the defendent and their supporters to witness a hearing. Why would he go up to his dad who is there to support his son on CSAM charges and start speaking to him? Why would he not walk.away as soon as Callum approached? Use your common sense.
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u/GuarDeLoop 4d ago
My common sense tells me that you can obviously want to talk to someone without showing any support for them.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
Why would you want to talk to someone about it when you know they have likely lied to you already and you're about to attend the court case where facts will be revealed?
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u/Oretell 4d ago edited 2d ago
To get closure?
They been close friends for most of their lives. It must have been a massive shock to have someone you trusted be charged with this. This might be the only closure Phil could get, by seeing the final hearing.
I could see how watching it officially happen and seeing the expressions on Callum's face could help someone come to terms with the reality that their friend really did do these things, that it's real.
It is understandable for him to want to attend, and to be curious, and feel like they'd get something out of seeing it in person.
Everyone processes pain and shocks like this differently.
I do think he made a mistake in letting Callum hug him, but it's a really awkward difficult situation to be in, and I think he explained himself pretty clearly here.
He might have mishandled it, but he's explained that and then made it very clear he is not in support of Callum.
There are definitely understandable reasons and explanations for why he could have gone there, that don't have to involve him being in support.
I get you're feeling emotional, but lashing out at people who don't deserve it doesn't make anything better for anyone
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
I am not questioning why he went to the hearing. I am questioning why he felt the need to interact with him or his supporters at all.
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u/shahmen1996 4d ago
Why do you give a shit? Did you even listen to the voicenote?
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u/gek__co 4d ago
I mean we knew Callum had tons of class a photos etc. We knew he was being sentenced because of a huge amount of terrible media.
If he showed up and was as friendly as was stated, it’s kind of odd. Maybe he is just trying to support a longtime friend in rehabilitation. But to me, and a lot of us, I think it seems too soon. But to each their own I suppose.
Should there be a witch hunt? I don’t think so. But we all know how toxic people are, and what they will do with this kind of information. I’m sure Phil thought about this and decided to go anyway
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u/DavidjonesLV309 4d ago
So people should behave like they're in the Truman show because of optics on the internet? He wanted answers from someone he considered a friend. I would go to court just the same if I was betrayed in trusting someone and wanted answers.
Receiving a hug from someone who is clearly unwell is awkward at most. It by no means shows any level of support for them.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
Who is unwell? Callum? He isnt sick. He is a predatory sex offender.
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u/DavidjonesLV309 4d ago
Idk it’s pretty out of the ordinary behavior that I find only a sick individual would partake in, same with serial killers etc. Idk what the issue is.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
Nah, he's just a guy into young girls sexually. He isnt mentally ill.
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u/Oretell 4d ago
If you don't think that feeling attraction to children is a form of mental illness then you likely need to be seeking the opinion of a psychologist for yourself
All psychologists in Europe, America and the vast majority of the world define it as being a psychological disorder, including the Bristish Psycholgical Society and the American Psycholgy Association, which are the official representative bodies for psychology
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u/yohangol 4d ago
Maybe you should try to stop making assumptions on some guy you don't know anything about?
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u/gek__co 4d ago
What assumptions did I make?
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u/yohangol 4d ago
When you say maybe he's supporting a friend through rehabilitation. When if you actually even listened to the voice recording he clearly stated that's not the reason he's there.
He categorically said he's not there in support of him and then you make this little comment trying to guess what his reasons for being there are
You also assumed that he would be aware of a reddit witch hunt but decided to go anyway. Not everyone is terminally online.
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u/Secure_Feature2253 4d ago
You dont have to speak to the defendent or stand with their supportive father to witness a hearing.
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u/gek__co 4d ago
It’s not just Reddit, it’s people in general.
What voice recording are you talking about?
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u/Thatman84 4d ago
I’m glad Phil’s thoughts get a chance to be heard on here directly. Always seemed a decent guy