what is the world coming to?

[johnlambert]

paedos freed into the community, journalists jailed for mobile pphone hacking?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/26012007/325/governme nt-embarrassed-paedophiles-freed.html

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/26012007/325/news-wor ld-journalist-jailed.html

What messages does that send out?

[Grunty]

The meaage it sends to me is that the judges are making an unnecessary protest against the Home Secretary. The Home Secretary apparently wrote to the judges asking them to bear in mind the guidelines that advise (not instruct) them to only send the most serious offenders to prison. They were not his guidelines, but originated within the legal profession. He did not change the guidelines or seek to do so. Many people think that the action in sending the letter was, at best, clumsy. The judge in question apparently saw it as an unwarranted intrusion into his responsibility, and set the prisoner free to make a point. If the guidelines had been followed, the prisoner would have been imprisoned. The answer is that politicians should keep out of the courts and judges should keep out of politics.

[misto]

I think it says it all when you read that the judge who jailed the reporter is called Judge Gross. We look forward to seeing him in next years honours list.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Hang on, the journalist commited a serious crime. It's not kiddy fiddling for sure, but it was still a serious crime and he deserves to go to chokey. Sod him, frankly. He knew what he was doing.

His crime is not weighed against the child pornographers. It was *not* a case of 'Jesus or Barrabbas', and just because one injustice has occured, it doesn't mean two have.

[idalovett]

I think there is a division between the legal people (judges) and the government who are tying the judges hands behind their backs. I think this is political and maybe the judges in question are all Tories? It's a protest I think and the Judges are taking the governments regulations by the book. I think it all ends up to an MP deciding that they know the law better and not having room in a prison to jail a person is demanding that the law changes their sentencing rules. I was in chambers a few days ago (chatting to Queen's council) and it seems that their hands are tied so they are playing things by the book as decreed by the home secretary.

[johnlambert]

So he journalist is violent or a danger to the` public and the paedophile is ok to roam the streets?
Sorry,Im missin g something?

[kwicky]

I suppose John Read will be saying next that Judges are not fit for purpose!

[WaldoMcFroog]

No John, but you appear to be arguing that the phone hacker has been judged more dangerous to society than the kiddie fiddler, and that's not the case.

He was jailed because he committed a criminal offence which carries a custodial sentence, end of. There was no comparison done between the two, and one judged more deserving.

The judge's decision in the child pornography case certainly seems bizarre, but it's completely unrelated to the sentencing decision in the other case - different court and different judge - so I'm not sure why you're seeking to make a connection.