Actor gets two years after stun gun 'sting'

S.I.R · 15-12-2008 11:05AM

if the fella was so smart the atmosphere must of been Electric when he was been given his sentence. :rolleyes:

Dyr · 15-12-2008 11:13AM

An interesting piece of history (which may or may not actually be true :pac:) is that the blunt table knife that we all use nowadays originated from a british law which banned the use of sharpened knives in inn's etc to try to curb an outbreak of stabbings back in ye olde days

Victor · 16-12-2009 06:27AM

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1216/1224260762833.html

Actor's two-year sentence quashed

The Court of Criminal Appeal has quashed a two-year prison sentence imposed on an actor for having 10 stun guns without a firearms certificate, and replaced it with a three-year suspended sentence. Robert Scales (38), Waterloo Road, Dublin, had pleaded guilty to the offence and was on bail pending appeal. He has appeared in films including King Arthur and Braveheart and in the RTÉ soap Fair City.

mayordenis · 16-12-2009 06:39AM

Glad to hear it, been stunned myself with stun guns and it's not a massively big deal, "semi-lethal" as someone here said, well that term includes anything really, and tbh I'm surprised it's classed as a fire arm.

OutlawPete · 16-12-2009 07:15AM

mayordenis wrote: »

Glad to hear it, been stunned myself with stun guns and it's not a massively big deal, "semi-lethal" as someone here said, well that term includes anything really, and tbh I'm surprised it's classed as a fire arm.

If he bought them and they could prove he knew they were illegal, that he intended to use them in a violent way (such as armed robbery) and he had a criminal record for similar offences - then I'd say, 'lock him up for two years'.

But an actor with no history of breaking the laws who believed stun guns to be legal here?

It's a joke considering the scum that are out on the street and getting away with dealing, theiving, violent robberies etc etc.

CreepingDeath · 16-12-2009 10:24AM

Bambi wrote: »

the customs officer noticed a "suspicious" package? that sounds like a load of bollix, unless it said "tazers x20" on it or something

Not necessarily.
I ordered a perfectly legal airsoft gun ( basically plastic gun that fires 6mm plastic pellets ).

It got stopped and opened by customs, then let through.

So customs are scanning packages.

But even I checked the legality of it before ordering.
Ignorance/stupidity is no defense for that actor guy.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-12-2009 10:40AM

Biggins wrote: »

I'm just sticking up for taxi drivers in the meanwhile.
Ordinary decent passengers have nothing to worry about.

Its rare that I find something to disagree with you about, but this is one.

Ordinary decent passengers have EVERYTHING to be worried about re. taxi driver's carrying weapons, seriously are you for real?.

We're up in arm's at the thoughts of members of AGS being armed with tazer's, but its ok for a taxi driver to carry them!.

Regarding the sentence passed on this chap, I'm in agreement with Nodin - its an overly harsh sentence for stupidity.

Mossy Monk · 16-12-2009 10:44AM

ronbyrne2005 wrote: »

Good to see the police are getting the real criminals.

He imported illegal weapons. He should get away scot free should he?

aDeener · 16-12-2009 11:18AM

The_Minister wrote: »

Murder carries a mandatory life sentence which is normally about 14 years.
Manslaughter carries a lesser sentence.
So murderers don't, by and large, get two years.

And, btw, those weapons can kill, so the Gardaí just jailed someone for illegally importing semi-lethal weapons.
He is a real criminal.

which is just not good enough. life ought to mean life. but sure it is no surprise you are defending those useless sentences considering your sig :rolleyes:

CrazyRabbit · 16-12-2009 12:42PM

There is going to be a lot more similar cases shortly when they bring in the new changes preventing important of Replica Imitation Firearms (which includes Airsoft guns).

The government will forget to widely publicise this of course, leading to lots of arrests and prosecutions.

Currently, thousands of airsoft guns are legally imported each year, but changes to the Criminal Justice Act are about to put a stop to this. The really messed up part, is that you can still legally buy airsoft guns in Ireland, you just can't import them (unless you are a business and have a licence to do so).

So we'll be seeing cases where a person is given a 2 years prison sentence for importing an item that they can legal buy locally....crazy.

antodeco · 16-12-2009 01:53PM

He has appeared in films including King Arthur and Braveheart and in the RTÉ soap Fair City

They really should have kept him in for that alone.

Ulysses Gaze · 16-12-2009 02:06PM

You cannot run a consistent legal system if you allow Judicial Discretion in sentencing.

That is why sentences fluctuate wildly in cases in this country even if facts mirror each other.

OutlawPete · 16-12-2009 03:33PM

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

You cannot run a consistent legal system if you allow Judicial Discretion in sentencing.

That is why sentences fluctuate wildly in cases in this country even if facts mirror each other.

A person's circumstances are crucial to what sentence someone should receive.

Two people could get into different fights where a person dies accidently as a result in each fight.

Both are guilty of manslaughter but to what degree?

Judges have to be able to apply sentences based on level of intention, I feel.

I'd like to see younger Judges. They are too damn old.

Also, Judges should all have to meet once a month to discuss sentencing in an effort to bring more consistency to the arena in general.

Ebbs · 16-12-2009 03:48PM

The court heard that a customs and excise officer noticed a suspicious package at a sorting office addressed to Scales.

I always wondered what a "suspicious" package looked like. Unless it has pictures of guns on the paper I honestly think they are giving the customs officer a little bit too much credit. Surely they just check packages from countries outside europe, and then its something like 1 in 5 packages from within europe, chosen at random.

Another glamorised story where RTE make it out our forces are doing a wonderful job, and yet again failing ro mention our ever crumbling judicial system.

Capt'n Midnight · 16-12-2009 06:13PM

Biggins wrote: »

I'm just sticking up for taxi drivers in the meanwhile.
Ordinary decent passengers have nothing to worry about.

30% of the people who applied in when taxi's were deregulated had criminal records.

Some criminals without convictions are driving taxis and limos

There are cases of fake taxis and dodgy drivers.

Actor gets two years after stun gun 'sting'

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