Of course none of us knows the details of “Skullcrusher’s” offences (and those details would heavily influence the sentence). But this has nothing to do with “Human Rights”. It is a result of sentencing policy devised by the supposedly independent Sentencing Council who issue guidelines by which judges and magistrates are bound. This document gives details of the sentencing guidelines the judge would have used when sentencing this odious creep:
http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/docs/web_robbery-guidelines.pdf
I must say that the sentence (Life, with a minimum of eight years) seems unduly lenient, especially bearing in mind that he began his latest robbery spree whist on parole from a 27 year sentence imposed for similar offences.
Regrettably this demonstrates clearly the pathetic weakness of the authorities to deal adequately with serious crime. The judge was bound by the sentencing guidelines and concurrent sentencing policy dictates that only in exception circumstances can consecutive sentences be imposed for a string of similar offences.
He was in Standford Hill prison on the Isle of Sheppey and was almost certainly being prepared for release. He was actually on “weekend leave”. Again the lack of consideration for the protection of the public is clear as he had gone on the run previously. The establishment is an “open” prison for “Category D” prisoners. The definition of these is :
“Those who can be reasonably trusted not to try to escape, and are given the privilege of an open prison. Prisoners at 'D Cat' (as it is commonly known) prisons, are, subject to approval, given ROTL (Release On Temporary Licence) to work in the community or to go on 'home leave' once they have passed their FLED (Full Licence Eligibility Dates), which is usually a quarter of the way through the sentence.”
Quite how somebody who had gone AWOL before can be “…reasonably trusted not to try to escape” is a little curious to say the least.