Why is this man not in jail?

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

Before I start, I'm not part of the Daily Mail 'hang em high' brigade, but came across this story in the Argus this morning.

Tom Bowles, 26 attacked his girlfriend in a Brighton street, broke her nose and she needed 18 stitches in a 5cm cut

AND HE WAS GIVEN A 12 MONTH PRISON SENTENCE SUSPENDED FOR 2 YEARS......

To me this is f***ing ridiculous

I know there are police on this site, so can someone tell me why they think he would get a suspended/short sentence?

Angry from Crowborough

 

[magoo]

I'd say mainly because the prisons are over crowded and it may be his first offence.

 

[BigGully]

I'd say mainly because the prisons are over crowded and it may be his first offence.

Yeah, he just had a bad day eh !!!!!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Do you know the whole story, or just what you read in the paper ? I know nothing of it, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions without knowing more facts.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

What has sentencing got to do with the police?

 

[BigGully]

Havent got a clue of the facts, but smashing his girlfriends head in makes be not kinda like the fella.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Was there a history of her attacking him?
Is he 5' 2", and she 6'3" and 19 stone?
Were they both high on crack at the time?
Do you know any more details?







(arguing for the sake of it - I'm sure he probably is just scum...)

 

[Sussex Nomad]

CPS deal with prosecutions, Police deal with arresting.

 

[User removed 4]

What has sentencing got to do with the police?

Nothing, and he didnt imply that they do, i'm sure he was just asking as edna or somebody usually comment on legal matters.

 

[chops]

What has sentencing got to do with the police?

I'm sure he's just asking for a police opinion as they are likely to know how the sentencing system works, what with them being involved with the justice system and all that.
Just because they don't hand out sentences it doesn't stop them from understanding the way the process works...

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

Do you know the whole story, or just what you read in the paper ? I know nothing of it, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions without knowing more facts.

Of course I don't know the whole story........

Just commenting on why someone whom I would have thought should be in jail for attacking a woman is not.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Was there a history of her attacking him?
Is he 5' 2", and she 6'3" and 19 stone?
Were they both high on crack at the time?
Do you know any more details?







(arguing for the sake of it - I'm sure he probably is just scum...)

Maybe he works for one of the emergency services - on second thoughts, if he did work for them then she would have got 5 years for repeatedly headbutting his fists so it can't be that.

 

[NMH]

Yer, maybe she ASKED for it

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Of course I don't know the whole story........

Just commenting on why someone whom I would have thought should be in jail for attacking a woman is not.

Just saying, without knowing more, how can you judge. Obviously not right if it was as reported, but believe it or not, the papers don't always print the whole story.

 

[magoo]

Yeah, he just had a bad day eh !!!!!

not saying it's right. but as others have said you can't know all the facts.

 

[happypig]

Police arrest and gather evidence. Cps prosecute. Courts sentence.
He will have been sentenced according to the guidelines after reports prepared by the probation service. The sentencing judge (it's a 12 month sentence so it will be Crown court, not mags) will have first determined that it crosses the custody threshold and then considered whether it is possible to suspend and attach associated orders such as a curfew, supervision, unpaid work etc.
Unfortunately the papers rarely report all the facts of anything but the highest profile cases and the often get that wrong.

 

[Bakero]

A few years ago I was a prosecution witness in a similar case. I'd been in a nightclub in Bristol when a guy attacked a girl; she was a complete stranger to him. When I saw what was happening I stepped in and managed to restrain him until the bouncers intervened. He left her badly bruised with a broken nose and missing tooth.

At the trial (which took place a year later!) myself and several other eye witnesses described what happened. The jury found him guilty.

12 month Suspended sentence.

 

[tubaman]

The courts have to adhere to sentencing guidelines set by the Home Office. Just like the Police who are told they must Caution more offenders and deal with others in a way that prevents the courts getting over used, so the courts are being ordered to use non custodial sentences more to prevent the prisons becoming even more overcrowded.

Sometimes it doesn't make sense but generally when something hits the headlines it is because the press don't publish all the facts.