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Do judges actually listen to the sob stories?

  • 09-08-2011 4:16pm
    #1
    Corsendonk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭


    Ok everytime I read the court reports in the paper these days it seems that no one actually puts up their hand and says they did the crime and their prepared to take the verdict, there is always a story to why they were forced to commit the crime

    The worst excuse I read was one guy caught speeding claimed he was rushing to the chemists to buy some panadol for his wifes bad headache. No one seems to take responsibility for breaking the law. Do judges actually listen to these sob stories when considering the verdict and penalty to impose?


Comments

  • #2
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,624 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Yes, they do, that's why there's no consistency to sentences, no two cases are the same.

    If someone went into court and pleaded guilty with no excuse it wouldn't be reported in the paper, they only report the cases with 'weird' excuses or where a fight broke out in the public gallery because the family of the victim thought the sentence was too lenient.

    The vast majority of cases never make the paper, what you are fed by the media and hear about on Joe Duffy is the fringe stuff. Go down to the courts some day and if you can stay awake you'll quickly realize that only a tiny fraction of the cases are newsworthy so you cannot make a valid comment on the legal system based on the cases that make it into the papers.


  • #3
    Finnbar01
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,077 ✭✭✭Finnbar01


    Soemtimes sob stories can backfire. Big time.


  • #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,624 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Finnbar01 wrote: »
    Soemtimes sob stories can backfire. Big time.

    Yes it does happen. Like the guy with 101 previous convictions who convinces a solicitor who has never represented him before to tell the judge that he's about to start an apprenticeship next week if only he can be given a chance, only for the Garda to read out his criminal record......

    Doh!

    head-in-hands.jpg


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