1/29/2009

Time to re-educate judges ?

A few days ago two men guilty of raping a woman with learning disabilities then throwing caustic soda at her were given ludicrously low sentences for their sickening crimes. The attorney general has now called for a review of their sentences.

Today those responsible for protecting the killer of Rhys Jones, those responsible for giving him the gun and those who provided a false alibi were given sentences ranging from probation up to seven years. The person given seven years will be out of prison in just three years. They were reported to have cheered the sentences they were given, winking to people in court and were heard laughing as they were led away. Quite clearly they could not believe the ludicrously light sentences they were given. Clearly the judge that gave out this sentences lives on a different planet from everyone else.

The question is though, what faith do people have in our justice system when judges apply such appalling sentences on people who have committed such awful crimes ? What message does this sent to criminals ? Isn't it time for some judges to be retired or retrained ?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Judges can only hand down sentances based on the restrainst of the guidelines given to them.

Anonymous said...

"Isn't it time for some judges to be retired or retrained ?"

No. Retiring or retraining them costs us money. They should be sacked.

jailhouselawyer said...

In the progressive state of Sweden, 2 years is deemed to be a long sentence.

I suspect that some of that behaviour by the convicted to their relatives and friends can be put down to bravado.

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