They're at it again

miseeire

Is it any wonder I have serious misgivings about our learned judges in Ireland.Today,2 young women were sentenced regarding their parts in assaults on 2 young men.1 woman assaulted a young man with a broken bottle and was given a suspended sentence.I kid you not.The second woman helped pin a young man against railings while he was assaulted.Again,suspended sentence.Apparently,the mother of 1 of the women is "a respectable individual".I wonder how gardai feel about trying to take out of control people off the streets only to have sympathetic,or should it be pathetic,judges frustrate them.I know,I know,the judges are only following guidelines but whoever made up those guidelines should spend some time inside. Surely its past time for just and proper punishment for violent crime.I rest my case.

Maximilian

This sounds like just another tabloid inspired knee-jerk reaction that is better suited to AH than here. Were you in the Court? Did you hear all the circumstances, all the evidence? Were there mitigating circumstances? There obviously were if a suspended sentence was handed down. People don't 'get off' just because there mother is a doctor or whatever.

Opinions founded on ignorance are pretty useless opinions. I think your case is more stillborn than resting if you ask me.

MagicSean

Nothing wrong with a suspended sentence. It often works well at scaring people straight.

TheNog

While I do see your point OP I dont think we can lock up everyone who commits a crime. For those who are at the beginning of what could be a criminal career must be given some sot of chance to turn their life around for the better.

However this may or may not be to the satisfaction of the injured party who may suffer after effects of a crime but which is better, to fear reprisals (which rarely happen) or to fear further greatly increased tax hikes to pay for more prison places?

maninasia

By the time somebody gets to violent assaults with broken bottles surely they need a custodial sentence to protect society and for justice to be served?

AlekSmart

The Nog wrote:

While I do see your point OP I dont think we can lock up everyone who commits a crime. For those who are at the beginning of what could be a criminal career must be given some sot of chance to turn their life around for the better.

Maninasia replied....

By the time somebody gets to violent assaults with broken bottles surely they need a custodial sentence to protect society and for justice to be served?

The problem for the State,and inter alia everybody due it`s protection,is at what point does the State start defining a "criminal career".

Reading back through the late Martin Cahills CV gives a very clear illustration of how the State never really managed to establish a line-in-the-sand after which Mr Cahill`s progress would be halted.

Instead,official Irish judicial policy appears to be skewed towards acceptance of the flimsiest of assurances of repentance without ever really following up on them.

The current Drimnagh/Polish murder case is,even at this stage,flashing warning lights in my mind and may well turn out to be another example of the general thread topic we are discussing.

Its equally interesting to read Maximillian`s opinion of Miseeire`s OP...

Opinions founded on ignorance are pretty useless opinions.

I am loathe to describe the OP`s opinion as based upon Ignorance,as unless we are employed by the Courts Service or the broader Law Enforcement church,we can only base our opinions upon what the Courts actually decide.

The actual means of reportage are irrelevant,it`s the verdict and methodology of the trial that matters ?

Maximilian

AlekSmart wrote: »

Its equally interesting to read Maximillian`s opinion of Miseeire`s OP...



I am loathe to describe the OP`s opinion as based upon Ignorance,as unless we are employed by the Courts Service or the broader Law Enforcement church,we can only base our opinions upon what the Courts actually decide.

The actual means of reportage are irrelevant,it`s the verdict and methodology of the trial that matters ?

I see red when I read stuff like the OP's comments. Probably a little over the top in fairness.

davmol

I understand the OP's point of view and you dont need to know teh intricacies of teh case,plain and simple a girl assaulted a young man with a broken bottle causing injury.Now lets flip this story and make it that a man assaults a young girl with a bottle and I guarantee the penalty would have been alot tougher.

Male and female are not equal in the eyes of the law.