“If he were to have a similar encounter now, he would just let it go, Vine said.”
Mr Vine is, alas, not made of the stuff Britain needs more of. The reason that many people behave in the way Ms Pearson did is because (a) they know that their victims rarely want to “press charges” (even though the choice is not theirs), (b) if they do it is unlikely a prosecution will follow and (c) even if it does it is unlikely that a meaningful and appropriate sentence will be handed down.
In her case a reasonable sentence was available purely by luck. (Well, the nine months nominal sentence could be said to be reasonable. The nine weeks she will serve before being released on “Home Detention Curfew”, maybe not). Of course Mr Vine was not to know of her suspended sentence but it seems that if he had he may have been less keen to “press charges”. As an aside this demonstrates the iniquity of suspended sentences. Had she not committed the offence against Mr Vine, Ms Pearson would have had no appropriate punishment for her earlier offence. As it is, as Eddie explained, she has received a “BOGOF”.
Mr Vine said he would have been content with an apology. He is far too forgiving because as has been demonstrated by Ms Pearson, weak sentencing simply leads to more recidivism.