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Throw the book at this lad

  • 21-11-2008 06:17PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭


    Absolute scumbag got "life" which probably means about 8 years but still so glad he got the book thrown at him.

    Man jailed for life for murder of Google employee
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    21/11/2008 - 16:11:34
    A 22-year-old man has been jailed for life by the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a Google employee.

    Dane Pearse stabbed 26 year-old Mark Spellman in the street following a confrontation and was found guilty of murder by a jury of six men and six women following an eight-day trial.

    Members of the jury wept as Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory sentence. He heard that Pearse, of Londonbridge Drive, Irishtown, Dublin, had six previous offences for public order, criminal damage and drugs offences.

    Mr Spellman's sister, Emma, read a statement to the court on behalf of her family. She said Mark had always been a smiling, caring, happy and amazing person who would do anything for anyone. She said he had had high hopes and ambitions and was her inspiration.

    Diarmaid McGuinness SC, defending, read a letter of apology from Pearse in which he accepted responsibility for causing Mr Spellman's death. He said words could not describe how sorry he was and he would gladly change places with the deceased.

    Detective Sergeant Barry Walsh agreed with Mr McGuinness that Pearse, a father of one, had attempted suicide following the killing and had to be stopped from injuring himself at the top of a building in October last year.

    Pearse denied murdering Mr Spellman, from Dalkey, at Londonbridge Road, Irishtown on August 4, 2007. The jury spent just over two and a half hours deliberating before convicting him.

    It had heard that Mr Spellman and two male friends were walking home after a work night out when Mr Spellman became involved with the accused who was heading home from the pub with his girlfriend. A confrontation took place and Pearse ran into his house and armed himself with a knife and baton as Mr Spellman continued his walk home.

    Evidence was given that Pearse then ran around a corner waving the weapons and attacked Mr Spellman who was fatally stabbed in the chest and abdomen. Pearse told gardaí that he had meant only to frighten the deceased.


«134

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,967 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    He said words could not describe how sorry he was and he would gladly change places with the deceased.

    I guess he'll gladly take his life sentence now and won't ever appeal or look for parole or a reduced sentence.
    As if! :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,600 ✭✭✭00112984


    Why is there so much emphasis in that article on the fact that the victim worked for Google?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    I think we should give generational sentences for these crimes, say 1000 years. When the miscreant dies, successive next-of-kin go to jail until the sentence is completed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 588 ✭✭✭anti-venom


    You're probably right, 8 - 10 years maybe. Doesn't sound much like justice for taking a life but at least the cnut is behind bars.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,836 ✭✭✭Sir Gallagher


    00112984 wrote: »
    Why is there so much emphasis in that article on the fact that the victim worked for Google?

    Yeah i've always thought that too, they seemed to have mentioned it in every peice i've read about it. It doesn't make sense.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Yeah i've always thought that too, they seemed to have mentioned it in every peice i've read about it. It doesn't make sense.

    The media are emphasizing that he had a 'good job' to amplify outrage emphasize the terrible loss. The garden-variety scobe-on-scobe stabbings just don't get the rabble going, or shift as many units.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,351 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Throwing books at him probably won't accomplish much, you'd be better off sticking him in jail for the rest of his life.


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,948 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    Throwing books at him probably won't accomplish much, you'd be better off sticking him in jail for the rest of his life.

    Some of them books have real pointy edges though...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,600 ✭✭✭00112984


    Throwing books at him probably won't accomplish much, you'd be better off sticking him in jail for the rest of his life.

    Atomic papercut, anyone?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,013 ✭✭✭✭eirebhoy


    We really need to sort out prison terms for killings.

    This is the 2nd killing in Dublin 4 in a couple of years. Another happened in Ringsend. I know both the guys that committed the murders/manslaughter (same thing for me) and know a lot about what happened in both incidents (also know well the 1st young guy that was murdered).

    tbh, both are similar. Both guys went back to their houses after a row and got a knife. In both cases the victim didn't run away from the person with the knife so they had a tussle and in the end stabbed.

    One got 8 years, one got 25.

    To be honest I think the 8 year sentence the fairer. It's not going to mean we'll have more murders. People aren't going to start carrying knives around with them because they know if they kill in a row they'll only have to stay in a cell for 8 years. I just know that both these guys don't even need a prison sentence to knock sense into them.

    Stabbing someone, a stranger, during a drunken fight is nothing compared to some of the murders people go down for. Most of the people that go down for murder deserve their 25 years, if not a lot more (sick people, people that will never learn and people that might commit again). This case is no different to the dozens of manslaughter sentences people have gone down for though.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭RugbyFanatic


    eirebhoy wrote: »
    We really need to sort out prison terms for killings.

    This is the 2nd killing in Dublin 4 in a couple of years. Another happened in Ringsend. I know both the guys that committed the murders/manslaughter (same thing for me) and know a lot about what happened in both incidents.

    tbh, both are similar. Both guys went back to their houses after a row and got a knife. In both cases the victim didn't run away from the person with the knife so they had a tussle and in the end stabbed.

    One got 8 years, one got 25.

    To be honest I think the 8 year sentence the fairer. It's not going to mean we'll have more murders. People aren't going to start carrying knives around with them because they know if they kill in a row they'll only have to stay in a cell for 8 years. I just know that both these guys don't even need a prison sentence to knock sense into them.

    Stabbing someone, a stranger, during a drunken fight is nothing compared to some of the murders people go down for. Most of the people that go down for murder deserve their 25 years, if not a lot more (sick people, people that will never learn and people that might commit again). This case is no different to the dozens of manslaughter sentences people have gone down for though.

    third if you include the one in Ballsbridge involving the 17 year old. Coincidently enough same story as the other 2 the offender went back to the house to get a knife and stabbed the victim


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,971 ✭✭✭Holsten


    Straight up murder.

    Punishment should fit the crime: Death.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭R.D. aka MR.D


    When i hear stories like this I always think that this man will be able to walk around the park and have a pint and do everything else involved in a normal life when he is still in his 40's but the victim won't ever be 40.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,013 ✭✭✭✭eirebhoy


    third if you include the one in Ballsbridge involving the 17 year old. Coincidently enough same story as the other 2 the offender went back to the house to get a knife and stabbed the victim
    And he was convicted of manslaughter too.

    I think the big difference here is that Dane Pearse had quite a few arrests on his record. He was a thug and scumbag growing up but there was also hundreds of other thugs and scumbags in Ringsend and Pearse at 15, 16, 17 and most of them grow out of it when they start drinking in pubs. He had a trade. He was with his girlfriend that night in the pub and their child was being minded.

    I just don't see why he should get 25 years while the other 2 get a 1/3 of that. I genuinely believe it's his background. The other 2 guys had clean records and were probably pretty good kids. No they can't go down as murderers. You have to be a thug to down as a murderer don't you know? :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,260 ✭✭✭jdivision


    eirebhoy wrote: »
    I just know that both these guys don't even need a prison sentence to knock sense into them.
    .

    Sorry, but he has previous convictions? So they obviously didn't knock sense into him.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 155 ✭✭dennistuam


    i friend of mine is a prison officer in the prison in castlerea
    he told me that they put the so called hard chaws in the old section if they get bolshy ,basically this building is riddled with mice runing along the radiator pipes from one cell to the next ,it is great gas hearing the thugs screaming as the mickey mouses runing up there legs


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,948 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    dennistuam wrote: »
    it is great gas hearing the thugs screaming as the mickey mouses runing up there legs

    Ah they love a bit of mickey in prison.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 155 ✭✭dennistuam


    [that the stuff for the mala toola tool bag murdurer a mickey from a peado


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,235 ✭✭✭Dave147


    Throwing books at him probably won't accomplish much, you'd be better off sticking him in jail for the rest of his life.

    AC, you've achieved yet again to have me laughing hysterically.. Someone put this in the quotes project, quality!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,013 ✭✭✭✭eirebhoy


    jdivision wrote: »
    Sorry, but he has previous convictions? So they obviously didn't knock sense into him.
    I don't get you. There's a big difference between getting charged with breach of the peace and getting charged with murder...


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 559 ✭✭✭danger mouse


    Holsten wrote: »
    Straight up murder.

    Punishment should fit the crime: Death.

    Yeah i usually feel this is right, but anytime i hear of people actually getting executed i feel sick, and think it's so wrong.. Anyway I think life should probably mean life and death penalties are just the easy way out. More life with out release for the win....


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,566 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    third if you include the one in Ballsbridge involving the 17 year old. Coincidently enough same story as the other 2 the offender went back to the house to get a knife and stabbed the victim

    That's how they do in that neighbourhood.


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,566 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    anti-venom wrote: »
    You're probably right, 8 - 10 years maybe. Doesn't sound much like justice for taking a life but at least the cnut is behind bars.

    Life in Ireland means that the Minister for Justice can detain you for the rest of your natural life. It's up to him. The average is about 14 years, the stated minimum under McDowell was 12 years, the range from shortest to longest is 9 years to 40 years.

    I don't know where people get the figure of 8-10 years, but it seems to be a figure plucked out of thin air.

    The most important thing about life sentences is that even if someone is released on parole, the Minister for Justice can have them put back in jail on a whim, if there is a rumour about them misbehaving.

    Read more here: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Life_sentences


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19 MondaysSuck


    lock him up and throw away the key


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,636 ✭✭✭dotsman


    eirebhoy wrote: »
    I don't get you. There's a big difference between getting charged with breach of the peace and getting charged with murder...


    Actually there's not a big difference. There's a difference, but it ain't big. By having a previous criminal record, the murderer is proving that he has broken the law before, and still continues to do so. He has, no doubt, been before the courts before, giving a similar speech about how sorry he was and that he wouldn't do it again.

    The result of the crime might be drastically different, but his contempt for society/the law in each crime was the same.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,351 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Dave147 wrote: »
    AC, you've achieved yet again to have me laughing hysterically.. Someone put this in the quotes project, quality!
    Glad to hear it. Feel free to send me a donation. Just send the money to:

    AlmightyCushion,
    Server 7B,
    The Internet.

    Also just to let you know anyone can add to the quotes project. I'd do it myself but it would be equivalent to rigging an election which I would never do.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭Heckler


    eirebhoy wrote: »
    We really need to sort out prison terms for killings.

    This is the 2nd killing in Dublin 4 in a couple of years. Another happened in Ringsend. I know both the guys that committed the murders/manslaughter (same thing for me) and know a lot about what happened in both incidents (also know well the 1st young guy that was murdered).

    tbh, both are similar. Both guys went back to their houses after a row and got a knife. In both cases the victim didn't run away from the person with the knife so they had a tussle and in the end stabbed.

    One got 8 years, one got 25.

    To be honest I think the 8 year sentence the fairer. It's not going to mean we'll have more murders. People aren't going to start carrying knives around with them because they know if they kill in a row they'll only have to stay in a cell for 8 years. I just know that both these guys don't even need a prison sentence to knock sense into them.

    Stabbing someone, a stranger, during a drunken fight is nothing compared to some of the murders people go down for. Most of the people that go down for murder deserve their 25 years, if not a lot more (sick people, people that will never learn and people that might commit again). This case is no different to the dozens of manslaughter sentences people have gone down for though.

    Anyone who goes away, has a chance to cool down but still pulls a knife from a kitchen drawer and goes back to kill someone should go down for murder. Manslaughter my hole. As for this "I was only trying to scare him defence", go on away and **** off. You brought a knife to a minor confrontation. 20 years minimum. No parole. Maybe with sentences like that people might think twice before flashing a blade around. Cowardly ****ers !


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    I usally reserve terms like Throw the Book At Them for the really sick ****. Like the kind of guy that might rape a 12 year old and then gut them with a fork or something.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,193 ✭✭✭Turd Ferguson


    Overheal wrote: »
    Like the kind of guy that might rape a 12 year old and then gut them with a fork or something.

    Exactly, throw the book at them


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,789 ✭✭✭Caoimhín


    stovelid wrote: »
    The media are emphasizing that he had a 'good job' to amplify outrage emphasize the terrible loss. The garden-variety scobe-on-scobe stabbings just don't get the rabble going, or shift as many units.

    Probably, however it doesnt take away from the fact that it was a heinous crime and a terrible loss. I am indeed outraged and disgusted and i think it is an illustration of everything that is wrong with society.

    Are you suggesting that to be outraged by this suggests that one is "rabble"?


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