Abigail Witchalls

[silly moo]

I assume that most if not all ABers will feel as shocked as I do as more details of this attack are made known.
Such a seemingly motiveless and senseless violent assault could surely only be committed to either a person high on drugs and / alcohol or severly mentally disturbed.
Am I the only person cynical enough to think that when this person is caught he will probably be given more help than punishment?

[Dom Tuk]

If and not when this criminal is caught he will be probably charged, remanded and custodial sentence passed on him. It will be the barest minimum sentence as remember all our jails are full. Now this will happen because of the intense media interest.

There are many many such stabbings taking place in the UK without the accompanying media interest. The prepretators are sometimes drugged and at other times plain nasty evil people (yes these types of people do exist). If caught they may even be bailed to appear in court...so no remand for them but free to roam the streets. Strange no!

[inferno]

Dom Tuk - where do you get this idea from? He will get the sentance appropriate to the crime. Sentances have actually got longer than they used to be. There is no evidence that judges are influenced by how full prisons are - unless you have evidence to the contrary.

[cruthinboy]

Andy hughes "biased media account"? Quite right, I think we should have balance by promoting the views of the pro-stabbing mothers with small child community.

Inferno - sentence appropraite to crime? Sentence prescribed for crime maybe, but not appropriate.

[cruthinboy]

I think all children think their Mummys are beautiful and brave - if my "notion" invites no further comment then please feel free to abstain from such - I won't lose any sleep.

[cruthinboy]

I know the point you're making, but who said the victim was more deserving because she's physically attractive?

I haven't heard or read that suggested anywhere.

[silly moo]

As the police have made public the main results of their interview with Ms Witchalls are enough facts already known on which to basesome opinions.
Her attractiveness or otherwise makes no difference; but the fact that she was with a young child at the time makes the crime seem so much worse - at least to me it does.
Noy only does she and her family have to live with the physical results but her son would have been terrified.
If this man was mentally ill I can accept he would need psychiatric help. My worry is that this help couls possibly be instead of some punishment not as a part of it.
As a woman who likes to walk along country paths , and as a mother, this crime may have hit more of a nerve with me than do some other equally terrible crimes.
It seems to be motiveless. Even the drive by shootings that we seeing more of these days have some motive.

I really don't think that the press has been biased. Then again I don't read the tabloids and maybe I just haven't seen this type of headline.

[Dom Tuk]

inferno...goggling 'british jails full' gives a report from the Guardian which mentions jails in the Uk are full to bursting. With regards to it influencing judges decision to lighter sentencing...i cant recall where i read that. someone here may know

[FurryFeet]

If the victim was a mother and in an inner city council estate would she get as much media coverage,,,,I think not.

[jno]

andy hughes, you'll be telling us that the perpetrator is innocent until proven guilty next. When David Blunkett comes to power, the likes of you will have 'bleeding heart liberal' inscribed on your identity card, and perhaps branded on your forehead, so people can throw bricks at you.

[buchanan]

I hope that whoever did this is punished and helped so that when they dogo back into society, whatever motivated them to do such a horrible thing will have been sorted out.

[mike1222]

Oh dear, so many bleeding hearts wanting to help the poor, hard done by perpertrator.  Let's hope he is helped all the way to a life in prison!!  If the prisons are full, let's crowd them in a bit more - move the TV sets out to make more room or use the gyms as cells.  Better still, let's build more prisons!

Unfortunately all the bleeding hearts, human rights brigade and politically correct crowd have the last say in this country.   What people in this country have to realise is that there is no connection between the law and justice.

No doubt someone will come back with the old chestnut about civilised countries treating their prisoners (criminals) in a humane manner.

[Dom Tuk]

read this inferno...article from the Times......so there you are......this is where i got the idea from...

January 14, 2005

Judges are told not to jail criminals if prisons are full
By Richard Ford Home Correspondent and Francis Gibb
 
 
 
JAIL sentences are to be linked to whether there are enough prison places � for the first time in British history � under government proposals that provoked outrage last night.
Judges will be expected to consider the state of prisons and the numbers already in them when deciding if a criminal should be jailed or given a community sentence.

 
 
The move, long supported by Lord Woolf, the Lord Chief Justice, was part of a Bill that included plans for a huge increase in the maximum fines magistrates can impose. 

 
 

[silly moo]

furryfeet - what a ridiculous comment.
The news is full of such horrible crimes all over the country.
The drive by shootings in B'ham (plus all the other murders in the same area) were hardly the leafy middle class suburbs and got the same media attention.

[FurryFeet]

silly moo,as you said those were murders,a friend of mine was stabbed several times in the face and neck..full media coverage.No Way!

[Philtaz]

Of course he'll get more help than punishment silly moo.  That's why general crime has decreased but violent crime has increased.

There is no current suitable deterrent for violent crime and punishment is never in proportion to that crime.

[Philtaz]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/3742973.stm

I know it was last year but could anyone tell me if that was an appropriate sentence?  I doubt it.