Perverting the course of justice

[beck07]

Someone i know has been charged with this and i am trying to find out for her if she is likely to go to prison? She has a few things on her criminal record but nothing like this. She has a baby and is not usually in trouble. Any ideas on what kind of punishment she is looking at?

Thanks all

[Buenchico]

Perverting the course of justice (or attempting to do so) is always taken very seriously by the courts but the likelihood of a prison sentence is, to some extent, determined by the severity of the situation to which the offence relates.

For example, some people try to evade speeding charges by lying about who was driving the vehicle. This can lead to a short period of imprisonment, as here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/ herts/6480005.stm
However, other people in roughly similar situations might avoid prison, as in the well-publicised case of the 'fictitious Bulgarian':
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article5 78756.ece

So, when the charge of perverting the course of justice relates to a relatively minor original offence (such as speeding), it's possible that a non-custodial sentence might be passed. However, in the Soham murders case, Maxine Carr was prosecuted for the same offence because she provided Ian Huntley with a false alibi. It's not hard to understand why a lengthy custodial sentence was passed.

The person you refer to probably has a reasonable chance of avoiding prison if the original offence was fairly minor but a virtually non-existence chance if the original offence was very serious.

Chris

[beck07]

Her boyfriend was charged with death by dangerous driving and she picked him up at the scene of the crime and they never reported the accident and just left the guy dead at the scene. when she was nicked she lied 3 times trying to cover up for her boyfriend so i can assume she will probably be going prison!

thanks for your answer

[JK04]

She has a few things on her criminal record but isnt usually in trouble?

I dont have a criminal record. Im not usually in trouble.

She deserves to be locked up.
I feel sorry for the victims family. And i also pity her baby.

[mrs_overall]

"She has a few things on her criminal record...."
"...they left the guy dead at the scene...."

Nice friends you have.

I wonder if they have any medical qualifications which enabled them to make sure the guy was really dead....or didn't they care?

[Lakitu]

I wonder how she would leave if someone left her child for dead after running them over. My guess is not particularly understanding.

[Lakitu]

feel*

[Annlinda]

There is a very good possibility of her receiving a custodial sentence.

[squarebear]

I would certainly hope so Annlinda. How horrible of her.

[beck07]

I understand what most of you are saying and sort of agree with some of you, i only met this girl a few weeks ago she is a neighbour, i wrote another post on here about her boufriend- he is violent towards her and isnt a very nice person and i think she was probably scared of what he would do if she told the truth. I think he deserves to be locked up but i do sort of feel for her..