This country is far too lenient!

[yorkie]

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8258148.Youth_leaps_from_dock_at_York_Magistrates_Court/?ref=mr

So someone who goes pulling a knife on people, committing robbery, and escaping from a court, CANNOT BE NAMED?! Unbelievable! Does he have to commit murder to be named? Ridiculous.

This country is far, far, FAR, too lenient and biased toward people who commit acts of aggression and violence. I know some right wingers call lenience toward violent people a "lefty" view, but it really isn't, not at all. It's just a view held by numpties who don't give a damn about public safety, not "lefties"!

He can't be named for "legal reasons", because he's Under 18. So blinking what? He's hardly a kid! Someone who is 16 or 17 and committing acts like this should be named, shamed and we all have the right to see the photo of anyone who pulls a knife on anyone.

Disgraceful. The people responsible for these laws should hang their heads in shame.

Meanwhile, this person prodded a guard, didn't pull out a knife and has their photo released:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8258089.Picture_released_of_abusive_rail_passenger/?ref=mr

That's unacceptable behaviour so it's only right that their photo is released. However just because someone is 17, why can they get away with far worse behaviour and we can't see who they are?!

I do wonder why it's taken TPE/BTP about two and a half months to release the picture though. By now she would have returned to Merseyside! If they had put her photo out earlier there would have been a chance of catching her on her return journey.

Oh well, 2 and a half months is about right for a BTP response I guess :roll:

 

[ainsworth74]

CANNOT BE NAMED?! Unbelievable!

A few reasons for this all of which make sense to me:

1. To prevent contaminating the jury pool before and during the trial.
2. To prevent a media circus building up around his family and friends.
3. To prevent a lynch mob deciding to take things into their own hands.

Do I feel our justice system is skewed in favour of criminals? Yes. However protecting their identity until have a trial has ended, I have no issue with.

 

[Greenback]

A few reasons for this all of which make sense to me:

1. To prevent contaminating the jury pool before and during the trial.
2. To prevent a media circus building up around his family and friends.
3. To prevent a lynch mob deciding to take things into their own hands.

Do I feel our justice system is skewed in favour of criminals? Yes. However protecting their identity until have a trial has ended, I have no issue with.

If that is the case, how come it doesn't apply to everyone who is charged with an offence?

 

[generalvegitable]

I think that all criminals no matter what the age should be named (even if they are under 10), only victims/witnesses should have their identities kept a secret, but I agree, this country is far too lenient, maybe we should use harsher punishments, if someone steals something, confiscate something that they hold dear, if someone graffitis something, graffiti something of theirs, if someone breaks something, break something of theirs, it is the only way to make them learn, and get rid of this bloody compensation culture, with rights come responsibilities, if someone denies anyone any of these rights, deny their rights, it is the only way

 

[yorkie]

A knife-wielding dangerous criminal who is on the run should be named and have their photo released without exception.

The fact is someone is in the city of York on the run who is armed with a knife and not afraid to use it. Yet we are not allowed to know who this person is, or what they look like. Great!

 

[Greenback]

The only cocnern I have is that our system presumes innocence until proven guilty, or it's supposed to anyway!

However, I agree that where someone is on the loose and armed, then their details should be released in order toe xpedite their capture.

 

[bnm]

Just a small point. In summing up the slow response in the second story, Yorkie, you said the delay in publishing details reduces the chances of the offender being caught as she will have returned to Merseyside.

Having a Merseyside accent doesn't mean she lives in Merseyside.

 

[yorkie]

Just a small point. In summing up the slow response in the second story, Yorkie, you said the delay in publishing details reduces the chances of the offender being caught as she will have returned to Merseyside.

Having a Merseyside accent doesn't mean she lives in Merseyside.

It doesn't guarantee it obviously, but statistically someone on a Liverpool to Malton train who has a Merseyside accent (I guess it's non-PC to say Scouse accent?! I've never heard the term 'Merseyside accent' before it was published here!) is more likely to be on their outward journey, than on their return journey. So logically it would make sense that if you are wanting this person to be identified, you would bear in mind that there is a very good chance of them doing a return journey, and that statistically most return journeys are done considerably less than 2.5 months after the outward.

Of course, anything is possible, but if they wanted to maximise their chances of catching her, they should really have done it rather sooner! If she has any sense she'll go by coach next time! (if there is a next time)

 

[Vulcan]

Personally, I couldn't give one about what criminals are called, its not as though i'm going to write them a Christmas card. As long as they get whats coming to them (which unfortunately doesn't happen often enough) then the media can call them what they like. (as long as it isn't my name!)

 

[ukrob]

I guess it's non-PC to say Scouse accent?! I've never heard the term 'Merseyside accent'

Which is just nonsense as there is more than one accent on Merseyside. It is just bad reporting, nothing to do with being PC.

Back to the story, I'm quite happy for people aged 15 and younger to have their names withheld, but not someone old enough to fight for his country.

 

[455driver]

They cannot name a knife wielding thug, but they do name an "alleged" shotgun wielding thug!
Double standards or what.

Just wondered if this chap with the knife stabs somebody, could the victim claim compo from the government BECAUSE the thugs ID was not publicised, just a thought.

I blame Cherie bloody Blair!

 

[Oswyntail]

....He can't be named for "legal re...ll otherwise be the same - in no way lenient.

 

[yorkie]

Treating 16/17 year olds like kids is ludicrous IMO. Kids who are considerably younger than that, as young as 10 are treated as adults if the situation 'fits' (which I don't agree with, however bad the crime), which is crazy.

If they are being judged by how immature they are, then age is just a number and cannot be used to judge that anyway, so that's a red herring IMO.

Even if he should normally be protected from having his identity revealed, the fact he is on the run and the public are in danger, that anonymity should immediately cease.

His punishment will be lenient, in relative terms, in my opinion as we simply do not punish violent crimes heavily enough.

 

[Oswyntail]

...
If they are being judged by how immature they are, then age is just a number and cannot be used to judge that anyway, so that's a red herring IMO....

I agree, 18 is purely arbitrary. But, unless we are going to devise a "developmental means test" arbitrary is what we have. It could be argued that anyone who resorts to crime or violence is, almost by definition, immature anyway....