R1 I agree with you - but dont forget that the judges who hear these cases are bound by sentencing guidelines - and who set these guidelines? The LCJ in conjunction with myriad teams of criminologists (aka social workers) and other apologists for criminal behaviour - let judges act as they perceive what is just and not to accord with Home Office dictats
Civilised society? Whats civilised about an offence like this being "punished" with a sentence like this - who will be deterred from vilolence by this ?
I agree Jatte, there's no excuse for beating a child. It seems though Bullen had deeper issues if he can revenge an act from 20 years previous. Society isn't safe with him around even in 18 months but then he already has a criminal record.
He will probably be cheesed of to know that his head-teacher forgives him.
A few other media sources are stating the cretin got an Indeterminate Sentence with a minimum of 3 years custody, so hopefully he will end up doing a lot longer. Still a joke of a sentence.
The teacher helped lay the foundations of violence as a solution in the psyche of his attacker as a child. Another reason the stone age philosophy of religion needs to be expunged from our societies.
Steve's post demonstrates the multifaceted and conflicting "see whatever you want" moral advice of the Bible.