[News] Weak prison sentencing

[Springal]

I don’t normally follow this kind of stuff but the location of the offender piqued my interest.



He was found guilty of 11 sex offences against children, and only got a 7 year sentence. Can someone explain that to me? He’ll be out in 3 years.

Imagine being a victim finding out each offence wasn’t even worth a year in jail for ?

 

[Poojah]

I don’t know the area at all but I just Google Map searched Brougham Road, Worthing and this is the first thing I saw on Streetview.

No idea what’s going on here but it seems Mr Hogbin (suitably awful name btw) isn’t the only local resident with something to hide.

 

[portlock seagull]

All has to be balanced against the cost of keeping him in jail. And we don’t have the money or least not prepared to spend it on. There but go all of us in this respect. Try not to let it affect you. Evil is everywhere, and always has been.

 

[happypig]

The offences were committed 20 years ago, if the sentencing at the time of the offences was lighter, then he will have been sentenced accordingly (I don't know whether they were but that's a general principle)

 

[Pevenseagull]

The offences were committed 20 years ago, if the sentencing at the time of the offences was lighter, then he will have been sentenced accordingly (I don't know whether they were but that's a general principle)

30 years ago and he'd have got an episode of 'This Is Your Life'.

 

[BNthree]

There are Home Office guidelines for sentencing that judges use.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I don’t normally follow this kind of stuff but the location of the offender piqued my interest.



He was found guilty of 11 sex offences against children, and only got a 7 year sentence. Can someone explain that to me? He’ll be out in 3 years.

Imagine being a victim finding out each offence wasn’t even worth a year in jail for ?

Conviction will never be spend based on the duration of the custodial sentence so always disclosable now and I imagine will be on the register for life.

He and many others will always be a risk to society but costs and space will dictate here.

 

[Coalburner]

There are Home Office guidelines for sentencing that judges use.

Could someone pl;ease explain to me why they are called guidelines? Either they can be used to guide the judges or are just a euphemism for rules

 

[Swansman]

Cut his dick off and send him to Australia

 

[happypig]

Could someone pl;ease explain to me why they are called guidelines? Either they can be used to guide the judges or are just a euphemism for rules

I can try.
Sentencing guidelines are issued by the sentencing council (they sit under the Home Office). The purpose of the guidelines is to try and ensure consistent sentencing irrespective of location (in the past there have been vastly different sentences for similar offences in different locations).
The guidelines set down starting points for the most common offences (Fine/Community Penaty/Custody etc) dependant on harm and culpability. Add in aggravating/mitigating factors and personal circumstances and any court should arrive at a broadly similar sentence.
The caveat to all this is that the guidelines should be followed unless it is "not in the interests of justice".

 

[Easy 10]

At least that piece of filth who murdered his pregnant missus and 3 kids with a claw hammer (raping one of them as she was dying - she was 11) will never, ever see the light of day again in his lifetime.

I'm not an advocate for the death sentence, but in THAT case...I think I'd make an exception.

 

[Weststander]

So 3 or 4 years, for destroying lives.

 

[Coalburner]

I can try.
Sentencing guidelines are issued by the sentencing council (they sit under the Home Office). The purpose of the guidelines is to try and ensure consistent sentencing irrespective of location (in the past there have been vastly different sentences for similar offences in different locations).
The guidelines set down starting points for the most common offences (Fine/Community Penaty/Custody etc) dependant on harm and culpability. Add in aggravating/mitigating factors and personal circumstances and any court should arrive at a broadly similar sentence.
The caveat to all this is that the guidelines should be followed unless it is "not in the interests of justice".

Thank you

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Could someone pl;ease explain to me why they are called guidelines? Either they can be used to guide the judges or are just a euphemism for rules

'Afaik' there is a matrix that allows mitigating factors to reduce the recommended starting point of any sentence. For example, an early guilty plea, cooperation, no previous convictions. On the flip side, if a defendant has pissed off the judge with a frivolous defence, obvious lying, and generally being a dick, the recommended sentence for that particular crime can be topped up.

 

[macbeth]

'Afaik' there is a matrix that allows mitigating factors to reduce the recommended starting point of any sentence. For example, an early guilty plea, cooperation, no previous convictions. On the flip side, if a defendant has pissed off the judge with a frivolous defence, obvious lying, and generally being a dick, the recommended sentence for that particular crime can be topped up.

yes. there is also a huge, huge capacity issue in courts and prisons right now, so shorter sentences and wanting to get cases in and out quickly has been the priority

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

This does seem like a light sentence at first glance. This isn't his first conviction, he got jailed for 15 months in 2017. It would appear that the crimes in both convictions come from the same time though rather than release and re-offending so I don't know if that has some mitigation as far as sentencing goes. From reports it seems there was a 12 day trial which would indicate a not guilty plea and putting those he assaulted through the ordeal of having to give evidence in court which would be an aggravating factor as far as sentencing goes.

Having looked into it, it would appear that the guidelines recommend a maximum of 7 years for the likely category of harm and culpability for offences he committed, which is quite frankly too short in this case.

 

[happypig]

'Afaik' there is a matrix that allows mitigating factors to reduce the recommended starting point of any sentence. For example, an early guilty plea, cooperation, no previous convictions. On the flip side, if a defendant has pissed off the judge with a frivolous defence, obvious lying, and generally being a dick, the recommended sentence for that particular crime can be topped up.

Not quite. The starting point is dependant on the category; this is determined by the culpability and harm of the offence committed. Mitigation and aggravation are considered once the starting point is determined.
Have a look at https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.u...ravated-common-assault-for-consultation-only/ to see how a structured sentence is arrived at

 

[Popeye]

Just seems that lawyer are way more about making plea deals nowadays than they ever have been in the past. Want to cut down on court costs? Other reasons? Whatever it is, I don't totally agree with it as some criminals should really get way harsher sentences than they do.

 

[The Clamp]

Just seems that lawyer are way more about making plea deals nowadays than they ever have been in the past. Want to cut down on court costs? Other reasons? Whatever it is, I don't totally agree with it as some criminals should really get way harsher sentences than they do.

We don’t have plea bargaining in the U.K.
rightly or wrongly, we base our system on proving innocence or guilt.

In the U.S plea bargaining is the standard approach. That’s for a number of reasons.

There is more racism in the States.

You have a vast private prison network. Ours is going that way.

There is more poverty and social exclusion.

There are other elements feeding in to the situation. But the main difference is in the U.K. we try to prove innocence. In the U.S they try to get less jail time.

It’s a sad state of affairs.

 

[kacie.phillips]

I don’t normally follow this kind of stuff but the location of the offender piqued my interest.



He was found guilty of 11 sex offences against children, and only got a 7 year sentence. Can someone explain that to me? He’ll be out in 3 years.

Imagine being a victim finding out each offence wasn’t even worth a year in jail for ?

I am girl A from this trial. His sentence is embarrassing. The police failed to mention I was only 8 years old and the "abuse" he was convicted for included counts of penetration. If you're genuinely interested in finding out more feel free to send me a message, I've kept everything from the case.