One law for some

[jake-the-peg]

When does a 6'3" ex-soldier beating up a 5'2" woman in his care unconcious deserve a sentence of 6 months?

Answer: When he's a policeman

I know how much people love the Mail so here you go:

http://www.dailymail....tml?ito=feeds-newsxml

Just wondered if anybody thinks that this sounds like an appropriate sentence

[R1Geezer]

Ah so army/police ie anyone you hate deserve to be punished more. You are always going on about jail being a waste of space and how we shouldn't punish criminals. I've already said that this was out of order and the guy got six months, wiill lose his job and his pension. He diidn't beat her up he threw her in a cell and she broke her fall with her face. Did you see any punches thrown? any other blows? Vastly different from the thugs in any town centre on the weekend that you usually defend. Perlease!

[ludwig]

Jake I honestly don't know if you're saying it's too lenient or too harsh.

I think it's about right.

[sara3]

he didn't "beat her up" but dragged her around and then shoved her into the cell.

I'm not making light of it, I was disgusted.. but he didn't beat her up.

I'm sure he was sentenced within the appropriate sentencing guidelines, and will most likely get a right pasting in prison.

[jake-the-peg]

Normally in assault charges when a person is in a position of authority and abuses that position it makes the offence much more serious.

That does not seem to have happened here.

Secondly the nature of the injuries seem much more serious (she may need surgery) than to justify a simple charge of assault.

To me it seems that his status as a police officer mitigated the offence and got him off a lot more lightly than if it had been you or I

I am suggesting that abuse of that position makes it a lot worse.

I would suggest that offenses of this nature should not be heard by magistrates

[jake-the-peg]

Additionally - and worryingly

The judge was also critical of two officers who witnessed the incident and who gave evidence in the trial.

Are we saying Police officers are lying to protect their own in court?

[anotheoldgit]

What has his previous employment got do do with it?

Would you have said similar if he had been an ex-plumber?

There was no need to know their heights either, being taller doesn't relate to physical strength, come to think about it, neither does gender.

Disgusting all the same, perhaps we should bring back the 'Birch' why stop there, let's bring back 'Hanging'

Ooooh!!!! jake, spits out his yoghurt, all over his white socks and sandals, and to top it all his Guardian, slips from underneath his sweaty arm-pit, and is trampled into the mud.

[jackthehat]

No.............but I think you might be..........

[MrsT]

Of course drunk drivers are all well and good though aren't they jake?

[TheTruthHere]

One law for them and one for us

Suspended terms for gun sale Durham Police officers
9 July 2010 Last updated at 18:36


Suspended terms for gun sale Durham Police officers

Maurice Allen and Damien Cobain

Maurice Allen and Damien Cobain are suspended from the force

* Burglary puts an end to guns scam

Two Durham police officers who sold on guns which had been handed in to the force for safe disposal have been given suspended prison sentences.

Pc Maurice Allen, 47, and Pc Damien Cobain, 41, had admitted misconduct.

The pair were arrested in February 2009 when officers investigating a gun theft were told it had been bought from police.

Allen was sentenced to 51 weeks, which was suspended for two years, and Cobain to 40 weeks, suspended for 18 months.

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71 year old licensed gun owner jailed for five years for owning a few technically illegal guns.

http://www.telegraph....cave-of-firearms.html

Grandmother jailed for five years for having father's 80 year old pistol

http://news.bbc.co.uk...scotland/10335003.stm

Man jailed for three years for having forgotten pistol in storage:

http://news.bbc.co.uk...d/norfolk/7964280.stm

C

[BertiWooster]

// He diidn't beat her up he threw her in a cell and she broke her fall with her face //

Well , that's all right then .

OH - and that was after dragging her across the floor

[ludwig]

Question: When is only time that JTP expresses any concern whatsoever about a prison sentence being too lenient?

Answer: When the criminal is a policeman ( or Soldier, or Tory, or Middle class person, or member of the WI, or rich person, or someone who leaks details of MPs expenses that show Labour MPs in a bad light, or any other cliched leftie hate figure).

Geezer is right. Anyone 'normal' criminal like a murderer, mugger, paedophile, burglar and you're on here pleading for leniency on the grounds that prison doesn't work, and a harsh sentence is too much like revenge.

The guy's a thug who assaulted a defenceless and innocent woman and he got what he deserved - 6 months in jail, loss of job and pension.

[Thomas]

He should have killed her. He'd have got away with death by natural causes!

[eyethenkyew]

I didn't know that the laws of the land were different for a given offence depending on your profession? Were that the case, for example, we'd have hundreds of crooked MPs banged away - wouldn't we?

[fredpuli47]

. More likely when the maximum sentence which the magistrates or a district judge could impose for the offence was six months.

[rov1200]

I'd hate to think how he treats his wife! Maybe she likes a bit of the rough stuff.

[New Judge]

The decision whether or not to commit the matter to the Crown Court (and so be eligible for a sentence of more than 6 months) would have been taken by magistrates in advance of the trial and in accordance with their sentencing guidelines, jake.

It certainly is the case that the fact that this offence was committed by a police officer upon a victim who was in custody certainly aggravates the offence. However, for ABH to be considered in need of Crown Court attention (normally, without the aggravation of the “position of trust” aspect) the assault has to be pre-meditated. It seems this was somewhat impulsive and the magistrates obviously considered (almost certainly with the concurrence of the CPS) that a summary trial was in order.

Interestingly the sentencing District Judge awarded the maximum sentence he could and I would suggest that without the aggravating feature it is very likely that a non-custodial sentence would have been the result. So I suggest the six months handed down to PS Andrews was about right.

It certainly was a nasty incident but even police officers are entitled to be sentenced in accordance with the guidelines.

[R1Geezer]

yes judge but jake wants harsher sentences for people he doesn't like, police, forces, tories, etc.

[New Judge]

Sorrry Geezer, I'd forgotten that!