Are Judges on the same planet as the rest of us?

[HeadingNorth]

Judges live on cloud cukoo land. its time these incompitant ,useless fools were replaced with normal members of the public who live in the real world . Only then will we see good , long ,severe prison sentences handed down for criminals.

 

If they're long and severe, they will not be good. Harsh sentencing does not help to reduce crime; indeed, when English sentencing was at its very harshest in history, crime was at its worst.

[boyfriday]

Someone said something to me yesterday which struck a cord.

Any person wanting to murder someone would only have to run them over in there car and get there sentance cut by 14 years....

The law in England is laughable.

 

..but they'd need a bloody good excuse to explain the presence of their car through the victims lounge window

[Lotusflower]

If that is the case, or does become the case; I would hope that our 'society' crumbles and self destructs with all possible speed, for it would not be a society worth keeping ... where convenience and profit are put ahead of truth and justice.

 

Has it ever been otherwise?

 

The thread title reminded me of a true story told by John Mortimer QC from a case in which he was defending an old habitual drunk and vagrant. With 17 previous convictions things were not looking good for the defendant. But then...the judge who was nearing retirement took a surprisingly lenient line.

"You have appeared before this court on 17 previous occasions and gone to prison. Prison is clearly not working so I am going to offer you a choice. I will bind you over to keep the peace and release you if you can promise me now that you will never touch another drop of alcohol."

"Yes your honour...I promise," said the man excitedly.

"And you must understand this profoundly," said the judge, "I mean it...not a single drop...not even a small sherry before dinner."

 

So on that evidence I would say no...judges do not live on the same planet as the rest of us.

[foxforcefive]

Has it ever been otherwise?

 

The thread title reminded me of a true story told by John Mortimer QC from a case in which he was defending an old habitual drunk and vagrant. With 17 previous convictions things were not looking good for the defendant. But then...the judge who was nearing retirement took a surprisingly lenient line.

"You have appeared before this court on 17 previous occasions and gone to prison. Prison is clearly not working so I am going to offer you a choice. I will bind you over to keep the peace and release you if you can promise me now that you will never touch another drop of alcohol."

"Yes your honour...I promise," said the man excitedly.

"And you must understand this profoundly," said the judge, "I mean it...not a single drop...not even a small sherry before dinner."

 

So on that evidence I would say no...judges do not live on the same planet as the rest of us.

 

Encouragement is a better technique than punishment.

[BettyBooHoo!]

Judge Andrew Gilbart QC, sitting with Lord Justice Laws and Mr Justice Christopher Clarke at London's Criminal Appeal Court, said: "The effect of this sentence would be to bring an obviously capable serviceman's career to an abrupt end."

 

The judge seems to be overlooking the fact that Mr Rodgers brought two people's lives to an abrupt end.

[Lotusflower]

Encouragement is a better technique than punishment.

 

I could'nt agree more.

 

I have no problem with the judge's lenity. I find it fascinating though that he talks of "A small sherry before dinner," to a man convicted of drink and vagrancy charges on 17 previous occasions.

 

Empathy is conspicuous only by its absence.