spindrift Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 yeah yeah. the situations, in themselves are not comparable, i don't think. but that they are handled by the same system with such varied results even when loss of life is concerned is disturbing. mob rule, adrenaline, etc could have been mitigating for the boy. they've been used successfully before, but the media made that impossible, i think. my point is, under the system, looked at as a whole, with precedent, and comparison of other crimes done and judged, his sentence does seem harsh. Many people have made the same point: I know little about this young unfortunate's character, but I suspect it was a moment of sheer stupidity that luckily had no serious consequence for others. How different if he'd driven a ton of metal mere inches away from someone and just missed, no-one would have batted an eye. Everyday drivers in their motor-cars think nothing of endangering vulnerable road users and when things go awry, and someone gets killed or seriously injured they say 'sorry I didn't see them' and they get away with it. Causing death or serious injury on the road while driving is treated as an an unavoidable consequence of modern life, accepted by the media and the Law. Motorists who kill cyclists are often it seems treated with more sympathy than their mangled victims. Because motorists who kill aren't real criminals – they're really 'good', 'normal' people who were rather unlucky, while the mangled victim is conveniently forgotten. And cyclists? Everyone knows they're all law-breaking Lycra-wearing anarchist scum anyway – nobody cares. All actions that could reasonably be expected lead to serious or fatal consequences and those that cause serious injury and death need to be treated equally seriously by the courts. No more easy ride for motorists or any other special group. The roads would be great deal safer for all if motorists who killed and injured were treated as severely as this young man and he didn't kill or injure anyone. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23912777-sixth-form-student-faces-jail-for-throwing-fire-extinguisher-during-tuition-fees-riot.do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 i suppose the other question would be-"for this moment of madness, considering our system takes prior records into things, does the kid deserve to have his studies, life etc derailed? I don't actually think he did get off lightly. Imagine the atmosphere he was caught up in at the time! This was clearly a spur of the moment act of rebellion, not a planned act of violence. As for the punishment, imagine what it will be like for a boy from his background, being locked up with the kind of feral inner city types to be found in the Feltham young offender institution, many of whom will be violent gang types who's criminal actions have been persistent and malicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimani Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I don't actually think he did get off lightly. Imagine the atmosphere he was caught up in at the time! This was clearly a spur of the moment act of rebellion, not a planned act of violence. As for the punishment, imagine what it will be like for a boy from his background, being locked up with the kind of feral inner city types to be found in the Feltham young offender institution, many of whom will be violent gang types who's criminal actions have been persistent and malicious. you do have a point. that's why i was saying with no priors and for what he did he shouldn't have ended up inside. i did time in my younger days. it was only 4 months and for a non violent offense. but i ended up, because of overcrowding, in Hull, with lifers telling if anyone messed with me all i needed to do was get someone outside to put a hundred pounds in their prison account and the person is sorted. it's not an environment people should be sent for stupidity coz you do make them worse. but it's the time he got, just too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hots on Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I don't actually think he did get off lightly. Imagine the atmosphere he was caught up in at the time! This was clearly a spur of the moment act of rebellion, not a planned act of violence. As for the punishment, imagine what it will be like for a boy from his background, being locked up with the kind of feral inner city types to be found in the Feltham young offender institution, many of whom will be violent gang types who's criminal actions have been persistent and malicious. You're going easy on this guy out of your solidarity for the students cause. If it was a country side alliance protest and it was Otis Ferry that chucked a fire extinguisher into a crowded area from a tall building i doubt you'd be so sympathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimani Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 You're going easy on this guy out of your solidarity for the students cause. If it was a country side alliance protest and it was Otis Ferry that chucked a fire extinguisher into a crowded area from a tall building i doubt you'd be so sympathetic. you might be right. i too might be doing that. but i don't think I'd be harsher if it was some BNP nut or whatever. just need the system to be consistent. the police do that all the time. if you urinate in an alleyway on west street or be 'drunk and disorderly, there you'll get a telling off and told to go back to your hall. do the same thing further out or down where they suspect you not a student you get to coll down in the cells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 You're going easy on this guy out of your solidarity for the students cause. . I don't support the students' cause. Many students will be better off under the proposals. The danger with rolling news is that anyone in London who sees a riot can be there in an hour, every crusty in a hackney squat will zoom straight down there to kick off with the old bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frumius Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 You're going easy on this guy out of your solidarity for the students cause. If it was a country side alliance protest and it was Otis Ferry that chucked a fire extinguisher into a crowded area from a tall building i doubt you'd be so sympathetic. He deserves locking up for being named after a lift. And dont blame the parents. He could have changed it by deedpoll. (Is this trolling? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimani Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 He deserves locking up for being named after a lift. And dont blame the parents. He could have changed it by deedpoll. (Is this trolling? ) :hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Normal logic is wasted on some. They two things are not comparable. It does seem that way, unfortunately. But then I think there is a delusional element inherent in all of us that makes us lower our logical standards when listening to arguments for something we agree with, and then raising them for something we disagree with. I recognise this trait in me, and try hard to balance it out. Having lurked and posted here for a while now, it is obvious that a number of posters go out of their way to regularly, but correctly, tick off posters that make outrageous comments, but then remain silent when equally outrageous comments are made in the opposite direction from people that support their view. I wonder if it's the fact that many people actually support the cause of these students, or identify with the "decent family" background of the perpetrator, which makes them have empathy for him and make them think he was unfairly judged? Perhaps if it was some yob chucking a lump of concrete off a bridge onto traffic on parkway roundabout they would have less sympathy? One things for certain, certain posters will not be able to make comments in future without me thinking "mind the gap". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj.scuba Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 i suppose the other question would be-"for this moment of madness, considering our system takes prior records into things, does the kid deserve to have his studies, life etc derailed? Nobody has 'done' that to him though, it's all of his own making. But he will be out in about 12 months and he's still young, so he still has plenty of time to make something of his life. He certainly can't blame this for the rest of his life if it is a screwed up. Plenty of criminals make a life for themselves after prison, no reason this chap shouldn't, and good luck to him with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.