4 Comments »

1. If you listen to Lord Stevens comments on the return of capital punishment after the events in Bradford, and act accordingly, this country will be a far safer place.
   If you want public opinion on this matter, hold a referendum.

   Comment by Rick — 20 Nov 2005 on 11:24 am | Link

2. We have been campaigning against unduly lenient sentencing for the past year. Between us, we lost a lovely, innocent couple in a normally safe place, to her evil estanged husband. My wonderful brother was basically in the wrong place at the wrong time.

   I know Lord Stevens has stated that there is something extra about a member of the policeforce being murdered. However, I believe my brother’s innocent life was just as precious.

   I firmly believe that capital punishment is the only way forward for murders which can be proved beyond doubt, especially in this day with DNA testing.

   In our case, my brother and his new girlfriend were lovely, respectable, people and both were parents. Both families have been torn apart and devastated.

   We would welcome a referendum on the punishment of such crimes.

   Our website has attracted a lot of interest, and the comments we received are overwhelmingly for at least life, if not death. 20 years is a joke. Some families have to settle for less. It is totally ridiculas.

   Sandra

   Comment by Sandra Seath — 20 Nov 2005 on 8:17 pm | Link

3. Please visit lawhange.com in the names of Nicola and Kevin.

   Thanks
   Sandra

   Comment by Sandra Seath — 20 Nov 2005 on 9:35 pm | Link

4. I do not believe the life of a Police Officer should be treated any differently from the life of anyone else. All life is precious. To suggest that there is something special about those in public office is ludicrous and, quite frankly, insulting.

   I find it hard to come up with convincing reasons why capital punishment should return. Mistakes are made in all legal systems and innocent people would, at some point, die. Just look at the case of Jean Charles de Menezes. Besides which, ‘an eye for an eye’ is a barbaric motto for a society which considers itself ‘enlightened’ to uphold.

   Even if capital punishment was reinstated, it is not possible to only apply it to those cases where there is incontrovertible DNA evidence, as this would make cases which are proven ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ worthless. This would lead to situations where one mass-murderer would be sentenced to death, while another convicted of equal crimes would get 20 years, simply due to the absence of DNA. The entire system would collapse.

   I do agree, however, that the current leniency of the British legal system is ridiculous. It seems that no account is taken of what effect the crime has on the victims, just the ‘rights’ and ‘freedoms’ of the criminal. Reducing a sentence simply because the criminal pleaded guilty is bizarre and makes absolutely no sense to me. If they admit it, lock them away quick and move on! When convicted, life should mean life. If you are a danger to society you should not return to it.

   One last thing I must say, I do feel that prison is being used in the wrong way. It is there to keep the rest of us safe and it seems that most of the time it is being used as a punishment. Taking away someone’s freedom for a few years while they sit in a comfortable armchair watching Sky TV, being given food considerably better than that offered to our school children is not much of a punishment.

   Comment by Laurence — 21 Nov 2005 on 4:31 pm | Link

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