Murders' of Goth have their sentences reduced, WTF!?

[beddo]

Today I came across this story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7696709.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/29/goth-murderer-sentence-appeal

I'm not a goth and don't even really know many. However, I am a human! Their sentences were only reduced by nine months and some of the reduction requests were denied but seriously WTF!?

The principle alone is outrageous, if the judges agreed that the crimes were particularly horrific then WHY did they reduce the sentences of these criminals!?

Furthermore, why are their sentences so short in the first place!? These people can be out by the time they are in their early 30s when they will be able to have a normal life for another 50 or so years. They will be able to have families and carry on, what does this girl's family get!? They have to live with the loss of their daughter.

I feel justified in saying that justice has not been done in this case.

The UK legal system is a mess with systematic weaknesses. Sentences are short, jails are full, judges have their hands tied, politicians are unwilling to act. The system is corrupt, when officers commit crimes they cover it up, they frame people and torture them (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/7595860.stm) without being punished by law. Justice is almost dead in the UK.

I am going to try and contact the court of appeals or CPS to complain over this matter. I will also contact my MP and try to get a letter to Mr.Brown the Prime Minister for an explanation of his thoughts.

Please let me know your thoughts on the issue.

 

[bluerahjah]

It's not just the UK justice system. The one in the US is pretty bad too. It's nowhere near the if you do anything we're going to cut off your hands or anything like that, but in some cases, they have been known to just let convicted killers just walk. Or even in some cases, where a drunk driver hit a kid in Colorado at 1 am, they blamed it on the kid for being out after curfew, and not on the drunk.

 

[mintsauce]

I completely agree, this is a disgrace. I was absolutely incensed by this case, it was such a horrible tragedy, and now these monsters are getting out early. Life should mean life, and in this case justice has not been served.

Ugh, looking at their smug faces just makes me want to cross check them all in the mouth. I wouldn't, I'm not like them, but, you know...

/heads to the Angry Dome

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Disgrace. Those feckers should be locked up for life.

 

[Gxas]

This story pissed me off. Stupid stereotypical jock kids...

 

[MajukaRinye]

I've been following this story for a period of time, and it is shocking what has happened.

At the same time, I'm not at all suprised, because this is the sort of trend that has been tailored by Britain for a long time. Systems like the ASBO system which are meant to be designed to prevent feralistic gang-crime from occuring do not work and are fundamentally flawed.

I think the argument here was that they were as a group, and so less dangerous as an individual. But doesn't that make them more of a danger to society at large, the fact that they can influence groups of people to such a level as to commit murder? I think the sentence should've been longer in the first place: None of this "They're too young to go away for life malarky". I'm pretty much the same age as them, and if I were so inclined to put a boot through someone's face, I'd almost expect justified retribution.

People in Britain have been babied into thinking that they can get away with it, because they generally can. I think it's time that the justice system took the hard line with criminals and finally start showing that punishments are not slaps on the wrist that people can deal with.

We could start with making the prisons what they need to be: Places that people will actually not want to go to. I remember as part of some community work I spoke to an ex-con who was living rough before being arrested for being drunk and disorderly. He said that he would've got arrested every week to get the roof over his head, and it wasn't as bad as most people make it out to be. Why can't we make it as bad as it's made out to be without human right activists going ape-s*** on us?

Justice needs to be done, because things can get a helluva lot worse if we don't.

 

[Labyrinth]

Pretty little folk devil
Walking in the park.
The chavs descend
And tear her apart.

 

[ZantetsukenQ]

Disgusting, truely. I was always open minded about the UK justice system with atleast some faith in the act of "Justice", especially in comparison to the US. This has completely changed my view. Scumbags getting away with murder ....

 

[Aries_Split]

She was protecting her boyfriend...What kind of wimp was she dating? When a group chavs attack you and your girlfriend, you defend HER! God...Those people need to be locked up for life.

"The heretic seal beyond divine,
Pray to God who's deaf and blind,
The last night's, the soul's on fire,
Three little words and a question why.

Love's the funeral of hearts,
And an ode for cruelty,
When angels cry blood on flowers of evil in bloom,
The funeral of hearts,
And a plea for mercy,
When love is the gun separating me from you."
H.I.M - Funeral of Hearts.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Personally I'd arrest the parents as well. Smug bastards who LAUGHED when the accusation was laid out.

Hangings too good for them.

 

[zirnitra]

For the yanks who read the BBC articles and look at the photographs of the murderers, that's what we mean by the term 'chavs'.

That truly was a horrific case, if you go to the park where it happened therr are constantly fresh wreaths and flowers on the railings. I heard the recording of the 999 call of the teenagers who found the two victims he was crying his eyes out and he said that he didn't even know the couple.

I don't understand why they shortened the sentence just for two of the attackers.
they should be serving life with a minimum of more like 25 years before any possibility of bail happens. to be fair they probably will serve longer than 16 years since to get probation for a life sentence they have to go up to a court in the prison and persuade a judge, the prison governor and someone else I've forgotten what there job is that they've been reformed which they won't be because prison from the age of 16 for that long is sure to fuck someone up so their prison records will be appalling and the greavious nature of the case will mean the people on the court will be biased not to let them out anyway.


I don't know how much good contacting your MP will do the whole seperation of powers.

EDIT, I'd just like to add I was in the goth scene for about two years and a good amount of the time I was fearful about going through towns and parks alone in broad daylight because I knew there were a lot of people like that about. it's just about the only period in my life where I've been thankful for the prescense of a police officer

 

[Novajam]

Ehwhat? Why are they getting a reduced sentence? What's the basis of their appeal?

Spoiler: Off Topic

Is it me or does the one on the left look like a dumbstruck Gordon Ramsey?

 

[Xhumed]

I'm disgusted, appalled, and full of rage. Further proof I got out at the right time.

 

[Rachael Griffiths]

I've been following this story quite closely since the events happened.

I've always been appalled at the sorry state of the justice system in the UK, where it would seem that the law is designed to protect the perpetrator and not the victim (being a law student I've had some chance to study it quite closely).

This case is just further evidence that something is terribly wrong when you can kick somebody to death and not only gain (what I would class) a very short sentence to begin with, but also have it shortened on appeal only 6 months later.

I guess that we should be thankful that the respective sentences were not severely cut but in my eyes they should not have been cut at all. The teenagers involved should have had their appeals refused from the beginning.

We can only hope that people will learn from this and the events will cause people such as beddo to stand up and make a stand. An event like this is bound to affect anybody with any compassion and a basic sense of right and wrong - and we should all stand up for what we believe.

For those who may not be aware, Sophie's family have set up a charity since her murder - Stamp Out Prejudice Hatred and Intolerance Everywhere (S.O.P.H.I.E.) A link to their myspace page is set out below for aybody who wishes to know more.

http://www.myspace.com/inmemoryofsophie.

 

[Isilkor]

She was protecting her boyfriend...What kind of wimp was she dating? When a group chavs attack you and your girlfriend, you defend HER!

Lord Judge said the five teenagers "savagely and mercilessly attacked and beat unconscious" Mr Maltby.

"However, with remarkable courage Miss Lancaster rushed to give whatever assistance to him she could ...

Mr Maltby was kicked and beaten and was lying bleeding when the attackers turned on Miss Lancaster.

 

[Aries_Split]

She was protecting her boyfriend...What kind of wimp was she dating? When a group chavs attack you and your girlfriend, you defend HER!

Lord Judge said the five teenagers "savagely and mercilessly attacked and beat unconscious" Mr Maltby.

"However, with remarkable courage Miss Lancaster rushed to give whatever assistance to him she could

Guess that answers my question.

 

[beddo]

She was protecting her boyfriend...What kind of wimp was she dating? When a group chavs attack you and your girlfriend, you defend HER!

I find this comment particularly offensive, quite jarring, very inconsiderate and incredibly naive. The guy was attacked by three people chavs who undoubtedly got the jump on him. While he was probably out cold his girlfriend pleaded for them to stop, which is when they turned on her.

This guy has to live with permament physical and emotional scars and you are calling him a wimp!? I am quite frankly disgusted, it is not this guys fault in any way whatsoever! It is the people who did it and the authorities for failing to prevent the whole incident.

 

[Lukeje]

Errm.. there is a simple solution. Build more prisons. The problem? The exact same people who complain that justice isn't done complain when someone suggests building a prison in their neighbourhood!

 

[TheThanatos]

Doesn?t really surprise me. The legal system in the UK is far to in favour of human rights for the criminal then human rights for the victim. I believe it's a result from the various wrongful convictions and forced confessions from the 70's/80's. This resulted in a shift in policing and law more in favour of potential suspects. As my dad likes to say, the pendulum has swung too far in one direction. He's a customs officer and it?s incredibly easy to get out of a conviction if your lawyer is good enough. We don?t have a happy balance.

As for chavs picking on goths.... I spent most of my late teenage years getting in fights with chavs because of the way I dressed. I?m no Goth, more of a mix of rivet head/raver, that didn?t stop the ignorant fucks from shooting "OI GOTH" at me and then assaulting me 8 on 1 for the fact I was wearing a bloody NIN hoodie. (they cant even get there insults right)
I called the police once after the first fight I had, they didn?t take a statement or come to see me, and I was told there was nothing they could do.
What did that teach me? Don?t bother with the police, ever. Ive taken the law into my own hands every time Ive needed to from that day. Last incident was 2 years ago while drinking in the pub; a group of chavs outside were yelling random abuse at us, posturing for a fight. My mates and I grabbed some pool cues and the four of us went outside and challenged them to a fight. What do you know chavs don?t want to fight you when you?re in a group and armed.
What does it say about our society though when this is a regular occurrence on the street? When police are more interested in nicking you for speeding then assault/breaking and entry?
I mean I like living in the UK, and there?s only a few other places in Europe where I would want to live, but fuck do we have some serious social problems building up in the non-working white section of society.

 

[Aries_Split]

She was protecting her boyfriend...What kind of wimp was she dating? When a group chavs attack you and your girlfriend, you defend HER!

I find this comment particularly offensive, quite jarring, very inconsiderate and incredibly naive. The guy was attacked by three people chavs who undoubtedly got the jump on him. While he was probably out cold his girlfriend pleaded for them to stop, which is when they turned on her.

This guy has to live with permament physical and emotional scars and you are calling him a wimp!? I am quite frankly disgusted, it is not this guys fault in any way whatsoever! It is the people who did it and the authorities for failing to prevent the whole incident.

See, I hadn't known that. From the article I read, it sounded as if they were walking in a park together, and then attacked. In that sense, he should have told her to leave. I understand that's not what happened.