You Are the Judge!

**KukriKhan** · 06-09-2010, 13:46

Originally Posted by Vladimir

So you're in favor of tougher, U.S. style sentencing? He needs help, not the rule of an oppressive state. This seems reasonable for Europe.

Besides, he's an old nutter anyway.

60 ain't old.

But I agree: this seems par-the-course for the eastern Atlantic States. Imagine the trouble of housing him 5+ years among the badGuys he put in prison during his active duty.

**Vladimir** · 06-09-2010, 15:01

Originally Posted by KukriKhan

60 ain't old.

But I agree: this seems par-the-course for the eastern Atlantic States. Imagine the trouble of housing him 5+ years among the badGuys he put in prison during his active duty.

No it's not, just practicing my UK slang. Did you just take a clever jab at the UK?

**Idaho** · 06-09-2010, 15:18

He is a "bad guy". Hoarding illegal firearms and using CS spray on people makes you bad. That's what the law says.

You americanos seem to think that you have to wear black leather, have stubble and act like a b-movie villain.

**Vladimir** · 06-09-2010, 16:07

We like our baddies bad you see. Foul body odor is a plus. One thing we insist on is perfect teeth.

I'm certain that flexibility exists under British law. If the authorities thought this was the best decision, it likely was.

**Idaho** · 06-09-2010, 16:09

A touching faith in the British criminal justice system.

He was let off because he was an ex-policeman. Justice is meant to wear a blindfold.

**Vladimir** · 06-09-2010, 16:12

Originally Posted by Idaho

A touching faith in the British criminal justice system.

He was let off because he was an ex-policeman. Justice is meant to wear a blindfold.

...and have large breasts. However, the blindfold makes it difficult to see evidence.

Are you a proponent of mandatory minimum sentencing? How does the sentencing in this case compare to similar cases?

**Ja'chyra** · 06-09-2010, 17:14

He should have got at least 5 years as per the law.

You make your choices and live with the consequences, or at least you should. The fact that he was an ex-policeman means he should know better.

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 06-09-2010, 17:15

Originally Posted by Idaho

A touching faith in the British criminal justice system.

He was let off because he was an ex-policeman. Justice is meant to wear a blindfold.

"Justice is meant to wear a blindfold" means that justice should be objective, doesn't it? How is this not objective? Especially if you consider the description of the event you gave in the op to be objective.

If prison is particularly worse for someone than it is for another person charged with the same crime, it's just to do the house arrest supervision thing.

**TinCow** · 06-09-2010, 17:31

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** · 06-09-2010, 17:45

Originally Posted by 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.

Surplus police gear? Really?

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

**rory_20_uk** · 06-09-2010, 17:39

A Muslim with CS canisters and a nasty pamphlet wouldn't see daylight for decades.

PTSD my arse. That's no excuse to have a couple of pistols at home and to assault others. Nothing states that he was undergoing help, merely that undertaking his job has made him an irritable, violent thug who is a law unto himself which the defence lawyer dressed up as a medical condition. As Idaho stated, this seems to be more to do with his previous job.

Fine him heavily, curfew him. The only reason I'd not send his arse to jail is the cost to the state. If we could devise some cheaper ones then lock him up for a bit mainly as an inconvenience more than anything else.