You Are the Judge!

[TinCow]

CS gas is tear gas, it's not some crazy terrorist weapon. The guy's an ex-policeman with four cans of tear gas and pepper spray in his house, plus two pistols that he hadn't registered. That sounds a lot like surplus police gear to me, not some criminal horde. Hell, I've got three cans of pepper spray at home myself, plus an unregistered rifle. Five years in prison for this guy that seems like a total waste of resources, he's not a danger to anyone and would cause more problems for society by locking him up than by getting him some anger management therapy. I applaud the verdict.

[Ja'chyra]

CS gas is tear gas, it's not some crazy terrorist weapon. The guy's an ex-policeman with four cans of tear gas and pepper spray in his house, plus two pistols that he hadn't registered. That sounds a lot like surplus police gear to me, not some criminal horde. Hell, I've got three cans of pepper spray at home myself, plus an unregistered rifle. Five years in prison for this guy that seems like a total waste of resources, he's not a danger to anyone and would cause more problems for society by locking him up than by getting him some anger management therapy. I applaud the verdict.

Surplus police gear? Really?

And if it is then do him for theft as well.

[TinCow]

Surplus police gear? Really?

And if it is then do him for theft as well.

Meh, I've never understood the UK's obsession with minor weapons. The bans on civilian ownership of tear gas and (especially) pepper spray are ludicrous. They're non-lethal weapons that are an excellent alternative to firearms. Given the growing problem with firearms in the UK, tear gas and pepper spray should be legalized for civilian self-defense. Same with tasers. Any society that is trying to combat the use of firearms should be promoting non-lethal alternatives for personal use.

[rory_20_uk]

Meh, I've never understood the UK's obsession with minor weapons. The bans on civilian ownership of tear gas and (especially) pepper spray are ludicrous. They're non-lethal weapons that are an excellent alternative to firearms. Given the growing problem with firearms in the UK, tear gas and pepper spray should be legalized for civilian self-defense. Same with tasers. Any society that is trying to combat the use of firearms should be promoting non-lethal alternatives for personal use.

That's fine. But irrelevent.

He broke the law. He assaulted others. His penalty was inappropriate.

[HoreTore]

Possession and a minor assault?

About a year seems fine to me. At least nothing more.

EDIT: The punishment he got seems fine to me. It does not specify how long he's electronically tagged though, is it throughout his community service?