Want To Get Rid Of The World's Garbage, Send It To Britain.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/liberia/10336000/Charles-Taylor-to-spend-rest-of-life-in-British-jail-for-Sierra-Leone-war-crimes.html

Why must this war criminal spend the rest of his life in a British prison, at the taxpayer's expense?

/// He will serve his sentence in Britain where he is expected to be a “category A” inmate fit only for a maximum-security prison. If so, the cost to the British taxpayer will be up to £60,000 per year. ///

[emmie]

no idea, but we do seem to get some of the dregs.

[youngmafbog]

50 years?

Don't worry the HRA brigade will soon be on this one. He'll be out by Xmas.

[Zeuhl]

Well up to a few years ago Charles Taylor was a national leader; he may be 'dregs' morally but he's hardly a two-bit drug dealer or mugger who's been sent here; if he remained in Africa he could yet become a significant influence in the region's affairs.

As such, contributing to 'the International Justice system' is about UK being a significant player globally

If we don't want to be a significant player we can just abdicate these sorts of roles

[youngmafbog]

Sounds ok on the face of it Zehul, but I am being serious in a way when suggesting someone will champion his human rights over a 50 year sentence. It won't be the first time.

[emmie]

zeuhl, global player, oh come on,. why does Britain have to take him or anyone in his position, it isn't our duty to take the worlds detritus.

[LazyGun]

The article makes it quite clear that it is not yet certain where his destination will be.

"The final decision on sending Taylor to the UK will be taken in the coming days with Finland or Sweden said to be other possibilities at the discretion of the UN judge."

And his defence team are planning to appeal for him to serve out his time in Rwanda, on the grounds of common cultural background.

"Morris Anyah, his defence lawyer, is planning an application to Justice Galega King that Taylor "might not serve his sentence in the UK, which has offered".
The defence want Taylor to be imprisoned in Rwanda, where other people convicted by the UN court for Sierra Leone have been jailed, because he would be nearer his family and would not be "removed from traditions and culture".
"Mr Taylor has young children who might not be used to cold weather in Europe. There are issues with the food," said Mr Anyah. "He expressed his view that the next phase of life is to see how to preserve his contact with his family and ensure that his younger children are provided for."

As to why the UK is involved and has offered prison space - The UK has strong ties to Sierra Leone, being the former colonial power and all. The other reason the UK offered jail space was to break the diplomatic stalling which was preventing his trial at all.

[razza]

Shoot him

[Gromit]

Did you bother to read it?

No decision on where he will be imprisoned has been taken.

He could end up in Finland or Sweden.

Pointless thread.

[emmie]

not pointless, are you the only one to have an opinion, the man could end up in another country, that is not to say he won't end up here.

[ummmm]

/Want To Get Rid Of The World's Garbage, Send It To Britain/

It is a bit pointless when that ^^ is not a fact.

[emmie]

not so far, but there are others who are persona non grata who live in UK, some thank goodness have finally after years of trying, been deported but we do seem to get out fair share of undesirables, so it is not a pointless post, it isn't only about this man. Let us wait and see what they do with him...

[Orderlimit]

'If so, the cost to the British taxpayer will be up to £60,000 per year'.

It will cost a lot more than that, in 2010, the average cost per Dispersal prisoner place alone was 70k p.a.

[emmie]

a lot of money if he is housed here.

[anotheoldgit]

/// The defence want Taylor to be imprisoned in Rwanda, where other people convicted by the UN court for Sierra Leone have been jailed, because he would be nearer his family and would not be "removed from traditions and culture".
"Mr Taylor has young children who might not be used to cold weather in Europe. There are issues with the food," said Mr Anyah. ///

Blimey there are hundreds who come here in all modes of transport and manage to survive our weather, find little or no issues with the food and are not at all bothered about being removed from their traditions and culture.

The latter because they just carry on with their traditions and culture.

[LazyGun]

@ AoG - and the point of that last contribution of yours?

[Orderlimit]

This is interesting AOG:

'In the ministerial statement made on June 15, 2006, here is what the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mrs Margaret Beckett, said: “Were the Court to acquit former President Taylor, we would not be required to allow him to come to the UK. Were he to be convicted, and subsequently released after serving a sentence, the expectation at this stage is that former President Taylor would leave or face removal from the UK.”

[anotheoldgit]

LazyGun

/// @ AoG - and the point of that last contribution of yours? ///

Sorry, can't you work it out, it is not really difficult.

It is in reply to Taylor's defence argument why he and his family would suffer if he was imprisoned in Europe.

[LazyGun]

Well thanks for that, AoG - but it still does not clarify what you felt that response offered to either the OP or subsequent posts. What was the point you were trying to make? Was it an attempt an irony or something?

[starone]

£70,000 - good gods no wonder the judges try not to pass custodial sentences! So this is where my income tax is going, is it?