The lying juror - The right Punishment?

[grffindoor2011]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...d-manchester-16315486

I read yesterday the attitude of the mother who thought her son should be given a slap on the wrist. This is often the attitude of parents and individuals when they downplay wrongdoings. Even on here there was a comment from someone in a posting that 'I only broke someones eye socket'.

People need to realise that in this case, lying to a court, thus possibly affecting an accused's life should be met with punishment. If slaps on the wrist were given for bunking off jury service we would all be at it. Cases would never end.

I hope they fail in their appeal and hope that this case sends out a strong signal to everyone else, ''tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth'', even if you are just the juror.

[ladybirder]

Agree. I've just seen him and his parents acting all hard done by on the news.

[gingejbee]

Didn't he get fourteen days? He is now free- after serving four.

[hc4361]

His mother should have sent to prison as well if she were aware he was bunking off to go to the theatre with her.

[EvianBaby]

I think prison spaces should be saved for the people we really need off our streets.

[craft1948]

So much is down to the parents protecting their children even when what they have done is plainly wrong..................I doubt the 'big fella' would have been summonsed if it wasn't for the idiot son's idiot father.

[sandyRoe]

Since 2006 more than 14000 have been sent to prison here in NI for non payment of fines. That's a waste of resources.

[hc4361]

sandy, so do you think they should have been sent to prison in the first place instead of being fined?

[sandyRoe]

It's likely that most of them were on benefits. The fine could have been deducted.

[sandyRoe]

To end up doing porridge for not having a light on your bicycle seems a tad harsh.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...hern-ireland-16217228

[joko]

i think prison is a bit over the top... he knows he did wrong, but his crime was one of stupidity and excitement and disappointment at having to miss something he presumably had been looking forward to, had paid for, maybe even saved up for - maybe it was something hed been waiting all year for - and figured one day off wouldnt hurt...

hardly a master criminal is he?

he should have been fined.

perhaps he figured he had nothing more to add the debate...

[Jonathan-Joe]

No, they do porridge for not having a light AND for not paying the fine.

[hc4361]

joko, he could and should have informed the court before he started jury service. It is possible that he could have been excused and called at a later time.
His boyfriend bought the tickets for them both to go, but boyfriend couldn't get the time off work so he took his mum instead.

If I were the accused or a fellow juror I would be very angry at being sent home and having to do an extra day (or wait another day for the verdict) just so that this idiot could go to the theatre.

[daftgrandad]

Unfortunately this case now,show the need for professional jurors,or something
very similar.
This is a prime example of young people,when called for jury service believing that it will not matter,if they do,nt turn up for the odd day.
Had this case not happened at Xmas,I would like to believe,that the original
sentence would have stood.

[hc4361]

It's not just young people though. There have been cases of jurors falling asleep in court, texting details of the hearing and this 40 year old who was sentenced to 8 months http://www.theregiste...facebook_jury_prison/

[jno]

the guy dreams of working in government.... so who'd want their government in the hands of someone who couldn't even be bothered to turn up for jury service, and then lied about it? If it damages his job prospects, I'd say that was pretty much self-inflicted.

[jake-the-peg]

ah come on hc

All the middle aged self righteous so-and-so s were getting ready for a "kids these days- I blame the parents" rant and you're spoiling it!

[jno]

apparently there were a lot of people he didn't want to let down. So hey, let the justice system down instead.

[ladybirder]

I totally agree hc, he cost the tax payer thousands no doubt and wasted all the other jurors and the lawyers' time. He lied to the court and his mother was complicit. She should have been sent down as well. And he only did 4 days. Oh well he won't be called again will he as he has a criminal record now. Way to go.

[jno]

it says his mother didn't know.

[tonywiltshire]

This Court wasted a good deal of time over the failure of this juror to attend on the fifth day of the trial without a credible reason and he was found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to 14 days in custody, which will I think include the Christmas holiday. He was hearing an important case where it was alleged that a man had run down his girlfriend with a car
I find it difficult to have any sympathy with the juror.