[Politics] Shoreham Pilot - Flying Licence Appeal Rejected 17/10/2024

[Igzilla]

Very fair point. I think we probably all expect total hypocrisy from politicians these days, and he's not my political cup of tea.

But that said,surely our main priority is the families of the victims and overcoming the inertia that has set in, not to mention the unfairness of the legal representation situation.

So if he gets to grandstand in the Commons but some good comes out of it and it moves the issue up the agenda, I'll take it.

I wholeheartedly agree with the point about the families, but I really don't see why Loughton should come out with any credit for this. As the constituency MP, it's his basic, fundamental job to do this sort of thing, not some extra special effort he's putting in cos he's so good. Let's not tangle him up with the rectifying of this disgraceful situation. Personally, I would hope there was some small amount of integrity in our elected representatives, naive as that may be. I don't expect them to be paragons of virtue, but I would expect a small shred of decency. Loughton seems to have none.

 

[Igzilla]

To be fair, I would expect nothing less given he is the elected MP in the area

I agree.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Out of interest what do you think the point of a prosecution in this case is?

AFAIK there are three reasons for prosecuting someone.

1. Punishment. I would have thought being responsible for all those deaths on the pilot's conscience is punishment enough, 5 years in prison isn't going to make any difference.

2. Protecting the public from the defendent re offending. The pilot will never be allowed to fly again, so does not apply here.

3. Deterrent. I severely doubt any pilot will try to pull the same stunt ever again at an air show having seen what might happen.

So it feels like a criminal trial is pointless.

If you kill someone through dangerous driving you get prosecuted he killed through dangerous flying. The difference is?

 

[Tooting Gull]

Out of interest what do you think the point of a prosecution in this case is?

AFAIK there are three reasons for prosecuting someone.

1. Punishment. I would have thought being responsible for all those deaths on the pilot's conscience is punishment enough, 5 years in prison isn't going to make any difference.

2. Protecting the public from the defendent re offending. The pilot will never be allowed to fly again, so does not apply here.

3. Deterrent. I severely doubt any pilot will try to pull the same stunt ever again at an air show having seen what might happen.

So it feels like a criminal trial is pointless.

There are clearly problems with this argument, since it could be used as a green light to let just about anyone off for anything.

Just having it on your conscience isn't enough, is it? It isn't in any situation where people are killed through recklessness or negligence. In such a situation - and that may or may not be the case here - being sent to prison sends a message, and is seen as justice. And it would be an extra deterrent.

And just because someone doesn't represent a danger to the public isn't a good enough reason either. You get that from lawyers of white-collar fraudsters. But if they have broken the law sufficiently badly, then it's off to prison they go.

I honestly don't think if you had a relative that was killed at Shoreham, you would say a criminal trial was pointless in all circumstances.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

Don't normally post on these threads, but here goes. I don't understand why a lorry driver can be brought to justice for killing 4 through negligence on a mobile phone within a few months, yet this guy is still awaiting trial? For me it is not about deterrence, protecting the public, or punishment, as the same arguments apply to mr lorry driver. It's about Justice, and I'm not seeing it yet.

 

[GT49er]

Out of interest what do you think the point of a prosecution in this case is?

AFAIK there are three reasons for prosecuting someone.

1. Punishment. I would have thought being responsible for all those deaths on the pilot's conscience is punishment enough, 5 years in prison isn't going to make any difference.

So it feels like a criminal trial is pointless.

I imagine quite a lot of people who kill innocent victims, intentionally or just carelessly, live with guilt for the rest of their lives. That doesn't make a good ticking off in the police station the appropriate sanction for manslaughter.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The pilot should be in jail, what was he thinking performing the whole manoeuvre over a busy dual carriageway?

 

[The Camel]

If you kill someone through dangerous driving you get prosecuted he killed through dangerous flying. The difference is?

Deterrent.

So many people drive, they see someone getting 10 years, it should encourage them to drive more carefully. How many people are licensed to fly a plane?

Actually think drink/driving penalties should be far harsher. If everyone who gets caught got 3 months in prison, it would slash the numbers who risk it massively.

 

[Falmerfourtickets]

A travesty of justice?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Very strange verdict.

 

[wellquickwoody]

I am surprised he has not committed suicide.

 

[Worthing exile]

What can one say?

 

[Mackenzie]

....

 

[Bozza]

Be very, very careful what you say.

 

[Titanic]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47495885

Pilot Andrew Hill has been found not guilty of manslaughter over the Shoreham Airshow crash, in which 11 people died.

Mr Hill's ex-military Hawker Hunter jet crashed on to the A27 in Sussex on 22 August 2015.

The ex-RAF pilot denied deliberately committing to a loop manoeuvre despite flying too low and too slow.

Karim Khalil QC, defending, argued Mr Hill had been suffering from "cognitive impairment" when the jet crashed.

 

[Driver8]

I can’t believe he has got away with that.

 

[Gwylan]

When I did jury service, the judge warned us not to listen to friends/relatives offering opinions on the cases we were trying as "as no-one could possibly comment unless they'd sat in court and heard every minute of evidence."

It's really, really good advice

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Having heard all the evidence from aviation experts, I have to say that that is a surprising decision. I would imagine that the many bereaved
will be more than disappointed.

 

[Worthing exile]

When I did jury service, the judge warned us not to listen to friends/relatives offering opinions on the cases we were trying as "as no-one could possibly comment unless they'd sat in court and heard every minute of evidence."

It's really, really good advice

We weren't at Neverland either but MJ has already been hung drawn and quartered.

 

[Nathan]

Interesting verdict.