Red Defence
Full Member
Dunno, why, do you recognise either of the names?btw whats the chances one of them posted on Redcafe?
Dunno, why, do you recognise either of the names?btw whats the chances one of them posted on Redcafe?
I'm delighted with the verdict; what's wrong with making an example of someone to deter others? Seems like a logical move to me.
Humans make laws, they're not perfect. If you want to stop people from committing crimes then they have to be terrified (and aware) of the consequences. By sentencing these morons to four years the news has spread far and wide, nobody will be in any doubt that conspiring to commit a crime isn't all that different from actually carrying it out. Incompetence cannot be a defence.
Have these "two spastics" stated the reasons behind their behaviour then?Why would you be delighted that two people have been sentenced to length of time in prison? I fully acknowledge, these two idiots behaved in an irresponsible manner, that could have encouraged people to lose any sense of free will and cause civil unrest.
But why the delight? is it the 300k and additional legal fees it will cost the tax payer, that delights you?
I cant see how any satisfaction can be gained from any aspect of whole affair. People lost lives,homes,and their livelihoods. Imprisoning two spastics for displaying immature bravado on the bloody internet..goes no way to even begin rectifying that.
It is simply a knee jerk response to satisfy the masses, meanwhile the reasons behind the behavior are conveniently swept back into the cracks of our already fractured and faltering communities.
Maybe people will now get the message that what you do on the internet actually is real life, not some kind of 2nd, secret life where you can do what you want without consequences?
I agree that 4 years is harsh though. 1 year breaking rocks would have got the message. I suspect it will be reduced on appeal and the judge probably knew that but was sending out a message.
btw whats the chances one of them posted on Redcafe?
Humans make laws, they're not perfect. If you want to stop people from committing crimes then they have to be terrified (and aware) of the consequences. By sentencing these morons to four years the news has spread far and wide, nobody will be in any doubt that conspiring to commit a crime isn't all that different from actually carrying it out. Incompetence cannot be a defence.
Ok, shouting, "Let's all smash down Northwich Town!" Even if they were caught on video camera.
What I'm saying is that far from being a safe, anonymous world, as you're suggesting they think it is, the internet appears to be considerably more controlled than 'real life' as far as speech is concerned.
Humans make laws, they're not perfect. If you want to stop people from committing crimes then they have to be terrified (and aware) of the consequences. By sentencing these morons to four years the news has spread far and wide, nobody will be in any doubt that conspiring to commit a crime isn't all that different from actually carrying it out. Incompetence cannot be a defence.
Have these "two spastics" stated the reasons behind their behaviour then?
Why would you be delighted that two people have been sentenced to length of time in prison?
You worry me, the fact that you hold a minority opinion on the caf is a source of comfort though.
If only the first rapist had been sentenced to a thousand years. Or the first hacker executed.
Don't think I've ever committed a crime. Not because I'm "terrified" of the consequences either, but because I know it's the wrong thing to be doing. The whole "scaring the populace into obeying the law" is a bit too Gestapo-ish for me.
I'm thinking surely this can't be an isolated case? I was in MK, and saw well over a 1000 twitter rumours based on nothing, some were certainly attempts to start a riot, or to create the presence and fear of one. Others were saying to meet up in certain places after a time. There must have been loads of other facebook campaigns which tried to do the same? What about the ones who did successfully start a riot?
I'm delighted with the verdict; what's wrong with making an example of someone to deter others? Seems like a logical move to me.
It's a difficult one, because the looting and burning was quite bad, and you have to send a message that the State has control over violence between citizens.
I don't think the way to do that is through sentencing though. It's through policing riots and then bringing as many people as you can to trial. Beyond that, the law has to be consistent and outside the political sphere.
If the punishment for drink driving was a slap on the wrist do you think most people would continue to obey that law?
Well yes, but as you say it's not through sentencing, which will only cause problematic precedents and complications down the line...Not to mention yet more chips on the shoulders of people who live with perpetual chips all over their upper extremities..
The fact they arrested so many so quickly, and got so many through the courts in such a short space of time was good I thought. That sent out a message. Many rioting thought they wouldn't get caught plain as, because there were so many doing it. Not that it didn't matter if they were because "prison's a holiday camp, I'll get off lightly etc etc" and all that nonsense...
Being caught and tried for the crime you committed is the deterrent. You saw how once the police were on the streets, and people were seen to have been arrested, the whole thing stopped sharpish...
I don't believe sentences like this are deterring anyone. People would be deterred by a 1 year sentence. I know people who've been in prison, believe me, they don't want to go back, even for a month. It's only the hardcore timers and big wigs who "don't mind" it. All this is doing is satisfying the punishment fetishists.
Does drink driving have a ridiculously over the top sentence these days, since that is what was being discussed? Punishments should be judged fairly on their own merit, not weighted in favour of the "deterrent" side. If people are deterred by what is seen as a fair punishment, fine. The point isn't to set out to "scare" people into obeying the law.
I dunno, I think deterrent effect is an important part of weighing up punishments.
But you don't do that on the fly in response to recent events and an effort to influence mass behaviour in the short term, I don't think. That way lies highly politicised law courts...
I dunno, I think deterrent effect is an important part of weighing up punishments.
But you don't do that on the fly in response to recent events and an effort to influence mass behaviour in the short term, I don't think. That way lies highly politicised law courts...
... my experience of people who have been inside is the same, it doesn't matter how long, one day, month or year, they never, ever want to go back.
One of the worst things about this is the solutions or punishments being suggested, and the reaction they receive. I didn't think people were generally either that niave, or unaware to think that chucking families out, or cutting benefits is going to have any sort of positive effect. It's actually a bit retarded.
Saying they don't understand is understating it. They don't want to understand. They don't want to see it from the point of view of anyone else, or for it's long term effects, they see it (and want to see it) as faceless yobs getting their just deserts. The people I know who've been inside are (by and large) all decent, genuinely self improving people. But to see how much their chances are restricted and much of their life defined by their record is depressing. It's so easy to say they deserved it, but in at least one case, I've been guilty of the same thing.
One guy I know (who wasn't inside for dealing) came out and started dealing after a while, because even though he wanted to work in and eventually try and set up his own graphic design studio (which he is sort of doing now, with some help from the council) he couldn't get work through any of the normal channels, or the money for both it and his 7 year old son, from anywhere else, because he'd just been in prison. Yes it's easy to say he could try harder to do other, more legal things, and he could. But it would've been 10x harder than it would be for anyone else. And if you know him, you'd know he's a decent, loyal, fun bloke, who just sees this as the quickest way to get by at the moment because there's so little out there for him. He wants out of it too. He isn't doing it for fun, and a little spending money. He's doing it (or was) because it was genuinely one of the most realistic options he had.
And if he'd been caught and hauled back in on a second offence, someone on Question Time, or on a forum, who'd never met him, or had no idea of circumstances like his, could just easily dismiss him as a repeat offender who should be harshly dealt with, whilst they sit quite happily without ever having paid for a mistake they made, and never been made to rely on other peoples generosity for the rest of their lives because of it.
A stupid, youthful bit of idiocy and you've got a record. Thats all it takes. And then getting a break is a pain in the arse for the rest of your life.
Now I'm not saying no one should be punished for this. The rioting was ridiculous and everyone involved in looting and stealing and burning and all that should be dealt with, with those guilty of the worst crimes given prison sentences without question. But it seems endemic of some people to just want to lock people up for any law breaking or anti-social behaviour, and any attempts to deal with it in another way, or even try to give people second chances for mistakes or understand their motivations is seen as liberal fannying when what these bastards need is discipline. It's short sighted, and also very base and selfish IMO. And also hugely frustrating.
Ok, shouting, "Let's all smash down Northwich Town!" Even if they were caught on video camera.
What I'm saying is that far from being a safe, anonymous world, as you're suggesting they think it is, the internet appears to be considerably more controlled than 'real life' as far as speech is concerned.
Northwich is a hideous place and full of scousers .......They did seem to be actually trying to organise an actual riot, time and place included rather than merely shouting "Anarchy In The UK". That said the sentence seems entirely disproportionate and out of line with normal sentencing.
Some would say that Northwich and Warrington would be improved by a riot but that is an argument for a different day.
What's Jill dealing?
Does drink driving have a ridiculously over the top sentence these days, since that is what was being discussed? Punishments should be judged fairly on their own merit, not weighted in favour of the "deterrent" side. If people are deterred by what is seen as a fair punishment, fine. The point isn't to set out to "scare" people into obeying the law.
Well yes, because you're a reactionary, bandwagon jumping punishment fetishist.
I object to "bandwagon jumping". If you'd asked me before the riots I would have still wanted stricter sentencing and more criminals in prison. There's nothing like the undeserved smugness of bleeding-heart liberals like yourself.
More specifically, pimping underage rent-boys to the mentally ill
What's Jill dealing?
Bleeding heart is such a stupid term. Having empathy and attempting to understand the actions of others is a good trait in people. I've got no qualms with it. It's clearly better than stone hearted isn't it? I've never said people should get off scot free for this. The people who burned down shops/flats should get harsh punishment. But they should get the same punishment as anyone else who burned down something. These people shouldn't be treated differently just because the public are baying for it now. That's mob rule. It serves no one but the people who want the punishing done. It doesn't make anyone safer, unless you're of the opinion that those involved are a lower form of human who can't help themselves and would just run around burning things the second they're let out. I'm not of that view. In fact I'm of the view that the more inconsistent you make the punishment, the more aggrieved the punished will feel. Which will lead to more instances like this down the line. If that makes me "bleeding heart" then so be it.
Honestly, if you can't see that there's an agenda behind labels like 'Bleeding-heart liberals,' 'Pc gone mad,' 'Health & Safety lunacy,' 'Human Rights fiasco' etc etc etc, then there's no hope. Do you think that Tory-funded newspapers have blazing headlines of this kind - let alone the stereotypical 'BENEFITS SCROUNGER LIVING IN DIAMOND HOUSE WHICH YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY PAID FOR!' stories - by accident? No: this is policy, this is propaganda. And those who would profit most from an end to 'bleeding-heart' attitudes are responsible for it.
Personally I enjoy using the term "bleeding-heart liberal". It allows me to smugly dismiss your views the way most liberals smugly (and lazily) dismiss anything remotely right-wing as somehow associated with Nazi Germany.