How different types of murder are regarded by law.

political analyst

According to the new law under which the Parole Board is being put on a statutory footing, prisoners serving life sentences for murder under common law will have to serve 12 years in prison before being considered for parole.

On Saturday 24 February 2018, RTÉ News reporter Dyane Connor said:

The Department of Justice says there is a serious question as to whether the model of sentencing used in England would be consistent with our Constitution.

https://www.rte.ie/news/player/nine-news-web/2018/0224/#page=1

I don't see how the Constitution would prevent legislation permitting judges to impose higher minimum tariffs in cases where children have been murdered or where murders are sexually-motivated or committed by a serial killer than in cases where the murder victims were dangerous criminals, e.g. dissident Republican terrorist Peter Butterly.

The idea that Butterly deserves to be posthumously treated the same as an innocent person who was murdered is absurd.

One can tell from his widow's victim-impact statement that she thought that her husband was a lovely guy. It makes my blood run cold.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/new-ira-leader-jailed-for-life-over-murder-of-peter-butterly-37795697.html

Victor

While certain people need to expect that they may come to serious harm, nobody deserves to be murdered.

There are **no** mitigating circumstances for **murder**, but there can be exacerbating ones. There **might** be mitigating circumstances for other killings.

Note that murder and exacerbating circumstances threaten everyone, not just the actual victim.

I use to have a job a few years ago in a rough neighbourhood. Several months in advance, I was able to tell the Garda the exact day (out of two) someone would be murdered (but not the who, where, when, etc.). One of the women at work heard the shots that killed someone else. The two of us weren't murdered, but in a small to medium way, we were victims. As were everyone else in that neighbourhood.

political analyst

Victor wrote: »

While certain people need to expect that they may come to serious harm, nobody deserves to be murdered.

There are **no** mitigating circumstances for **murder**, but there can be exacerbating ones. There **might** be mitigating circumstances for other killings.

Note that murder and exacerbating circumstances threaten everyone, not just the actual victim.

I use to have a job a few years ago in a rough neighbourhood. Several months in advance, I was able to tell the Garda the exact day (out of two) someone would be murdered (but not the who, where, when, etc.). One of the women at work heard the shots that killed someone else. The two of us weren't murdered, but in a small to medium way, we were victims. As were everyone else in that neighbourhood.

I certainly don't disagree with you.

The problem is that Irish law permits even a Peter Sutcliffe-type multiple-murderer to apply for parole after only the first 8 years (or 12 years when the new law takes effect) of the life sentence. Obviously, such a murderer would not be granted parole here after 8 or 12 years (and may never be granted parole - Geoffrey Evans passed away in custody and John Shaw will, in all likelihood, die in prison) but that murderer shouldn't even be considered for parole at all.

However, I acknowledge that the recent granting of parole to Colin Pitchfork proves that the English system is not exactly flawless.

Potential-Monke

I would have hoped they would have changed the legislation so that life means life. Ah well.

political analyst

Potential-Monke wrote: »

I would have hoped they would have changed the legislation so that life means life. Ah well.

Even when life-sentence prisoners are released, it's not without conditions. If they breach conditions, they will be returned to prison - and that has happened in some cases.