This Judge Should Retire Or Be Retrained....

[trt]

This poor child has no future, and will need care till it dies young, and all they get is a couple of years.

What a bloody disgrace, and I hope they get what they deserve in prison!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4010066/Couple-jailed-leaving-baby-catastrophic-injuries.html

[jno]

weird. Just ignore the Nandos nonsense that the Mail has chosen to headline its story, and there's a lot worse in there.

[anneasquith]

5 weeks old, the sentence is disgusting, this couple will very soon be able to breed again.

[Mamyalynne]

That's a disturbing story on ever single level.

[ToraToraTora]

?&*^ing judges are a nightmare. Add this idiot to those 3 treacherous bum0les from the other week and pension them off.

[EDDIE51]

Yet again a rant because a Judge is forced to give a sentence according to the sentencing rules. The charge was 'allowing a child to suffer physical harm' The father got 8 1/2 years the Mother got 4 years 1 month.
The judge even gave an extra 2 1/2 years to the father!
This was not a murder or attempted murder charge. The father has had the maximum sentence for this offence.
I do NOT agree with it but at least I know it is NOT the judge's fault.
How many times do I have to say 'Judges do not make up the sentences'
They have sentencing tables and guidelines that they are forced to stick with.

[-Talbot-]

No mention of cannabis though TTT.

[anneasquith]

I take your point Eddie, maybe time for sentencing guidelines to be revisited ?

[trt]

I know it wont make any difference, but who can you complain too, about the lenient sentence?

[anneasquith]

Your mp?

[Mamyalynne]

Ask these people

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/contact-us/

[Baldric]

The Establishment, but to be fair the first time they have listened for ages was Brexit.

[vulcan42]

EDDIE, if the judge was able to add another 2.5 years and still be inside the guidelines, why didn't he give the maximum straight away? Seeing as how the child has permanent injuries that will eventually kill her why wasn't the charge more serious than ' allowing a child to suffer physical harm'? he didn't just allow it, he deliberately carried it out.

[mikey4444]

It does seem a very light sentence to me. That poor child !

[EDDIE51]

The two both pleaded guilty so the automatic 1/3 rd reduction applies.
Also both of them have major 'mental health' problems, they were totally unaware of the consequences of their action or even that they had harmed the child. That again reduces the culpability. Under the circumstances it was not possible to give a more severe sentence. The judge added the 2 1/2 years as an extra on top of the basic sentence as he knew the base sentence on it's own would be viewed as too lenient. So far from being 'soft' or a 'treacherous bumhole' he was exactly the opposite!
These two will almost certainly be put in a secure mental unit rather than a jail.
I am sure another reason the judge added the 2 1/2 years was to make sure they served enough time to undergo treatment for their mental problems. In all a 'Wise and Upright Judge' rather than an idiot!

[youngmafbog]

Surely if the mental health issues are that great they should be in a mental institute for life.

Otherwise it will just be groundhog day in a few 4 years.

In cases like this the 1/3 off rule should not apply.

[EDDIE51]

^ Can't lock them up for longer than the sentence.
If the 1/3rd reduction is to be removed for some offences you have to have a way to decide which ones get the full sentence. Which will be subjective, open to interpretation and bias .

[andy-hughes]

Thanks Eddie for some balance and objectivity over what is a seriously emotive issue.

Everyone can agree that the sentence appears inadequate, but then what sentence would be adequate for a situation like this?

As I have said dozens of times on the AB, the law exists outside emotion and is far better for it.

[anneasquith]

A very serious emotive subject as it should be AH. As to sentencing I would at least double the time spent in prison. They should be released only when they consent to very long term contraception., preferably permanent contraception .

[hc4361]

Have you read the thread, anne? The judge could not increase the sentence however much he may want to

[anneasquith]

Hc. AH asked " what sentence would be adeaquate? " I gave my personal view .