Attacker of elderly man gets supervision order

[daffy654]

This violent scumbag attacked a 96 year old man for no reason and was filmed doing it,how the heck can the judge get away with giving him a 3 year supervision order? I would think any one with half a brain would realise this man is a danger to people and a non custodial sentence is no deterrent whatsoever.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7056 325.stm

[Sweep2k]

"This country is finished, and if you are not comfortable with it, get used to it or emigrate."

Or whinge about it every single day on a Q&A website.

[whiffey]

Yes Sweep, that's what life's all about, fortunately we still have the freedom to complain (aka whinge)

[Gromit]

I posted this on the other thread:

A vital piece of information not in the BBC report is that Stephen Gordon is diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. He is mentally ill and it was for this reason that treatment instead of prison was the judges verdict. Sending a mentally ill person to jail serves no purpose

The judge decided that treatment, rather than a custodial sentence was in the best interests of the public.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime /article2718156.ece

Hospitals are for people who are sick. Jails are for re-education (Not punishment). There is little point in trying to re-educate someone who has acted because they are ill.

The main thing here is that he is getting treated. We do not know the mans circumstances ourselves and it has to be for others who are professionals to judge whether this man is likely to re-offend.

The Times report says he was found guilty earlier this year, so we must assume that it has taken this long to sentence him because they have carefully assessed reports of his health and whether he is a danger, and the best treatment available.

[Sweep2k]

Just saying whiffey, the choice isn't as stark as you make out - as you yourself are proving.

[Sweep2k]

I agree Gromit.

There was a fascinating documentary series a couple of years ago (possibly called Anatomy of a Crime) that each week followed a crime through the criminal justice system.

In one, a paranoid schitzophrenic in Manchester had stabbed 3 people, killing one. Every medical expert agreed that he was very very mentally ill.

One of the survivors was livid that he was being sent to a hospital rather than a prison. She was even more furious when she learnt that once he was cured he'd be released altogether - she believed he should then have to serve a prison sentence. She simply couldn't get her head around the fact that he shouldn't be held fully responsible for his actions.

[brionon]

Great I've got an expert who will say I'm mad,{after the event,of course} so off I go to Rob and Rape,after all I'm not sane am I ? By the way Ihe wasn't too mad to claim he acted in self-defence was he ?