Crime and criminals

[born2run]

How on earth did these two avoid prison?

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/rhyl-pair-attacked-man-outside-7274181

e said they had both pleaded guilty and made immediate admissions, both expressed remorse from the outset, and both accepted how disgusting their behaviour had been. Mercifully the injuries were not as bad as they could have been and both were in employment.

What the hell has being in employment got to do with the thing they did?
So if they had been on benefits or suffering a drug addiction they might have been sentenced to prison? 

[Hugo]

How on earth did these two avoid prison?

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/rhyl-pair-attacked-man-outside-7274181

e said they had both pleaded guilty and made immediate admissions, both expressed remorse from the outset, and both accepted how disgusting their behaviour had been. Mercifully the injuries were not as bad as they could have been and both were in employment.

What the hell has being in employment got to do with the thing they did?
So if they had been on benefits or suffering a drug addiction they might have been sentenced to prison? 

What the pair did was disgusting and inexcusable and shouldn't be tolerated in society but you are misguided in your opinion.     It is the defence Lawyers responsibility to provide the full facts to the Court and this statement will include their employment or otherwise status.    There is nothing in this article or anywhere else that would say that people who are employed will get a lesser or greater sentence than those receiving benefits.
Scum is scum whether they are working or not and are treated the same in Court as any one else.   Whether we like the Court's decision or not is another matter

[born2run]

It was the JUDGE who mentioned their employment status in his sentencing remarks not the defence lawyer. Clearly it had some impact or else why say it, especially when saying he was suspending their sentence.

[Hugo]

It was the JUDGE who mentioned their employment status in his sentencing remarks not the defence lawyer. Clearly it had some impact or else why say it, especially when saying he was suspending their sentence.

I can see how you have come to the conclusion that the Judge said that, as I've had a look at the article again but it isn't necessarily correct.   In cases where the Judge has made a comment and the reporter records the Judges word for word comments they are always encased in inverted commas.   
 In this case the statement is not in inverted commas so I suspect that this is merely the reporters interpretation of the proceedings so I
wouldn't worry too much about any persecution complex theory against the unemployed.

[Fester]

Nowhere does it mention any injuries as such to the victim, and without wanting to trivialize the incident, I think that he was very lucky and THEY were very lucky that more serious sentences were not forthcoming.

In my time I have been on the receiving end of several such attacks,  once being hospitalised for 3 days.
But, no one was ever jailed or even prosecuted for any of them.... and life goes on.

[born2run]

Nowhere does it mention any injuries as such to the victim, and without wanting to trivialize the incident, I think that he was very lucky and THEY were very lucky that more serious sentences were not forthcoming.

In my time I have been on the receiving end of several such attacks,  once being hospitalised for 3 days.
But, no one was ever jailed or even prosecuted for any of them.... and life goes on.

Me too, doesn't mean it's right. There are countless rapes and child abuse that haven't been prosecuted either, does life go on for them?
The racial remarks alone should have been enough to put these idiots in jail.

[Hugo]

I agree with the comments of Fester and BTR and unfortunately justice is not always seen to be done.  Nothing was mentioned about any previous convictions either, so should one presume that the pair have an unblemished record with the Courts to have received such a lenient sentence?
Their employment status or otherwise though is irrelevant to the outcome of the Court proceedings

[born2run]

'Roberts had a previous conviction for assault and only custody could be justified, he said.'

[Hugo]

Thanks for pointing that out BTR.  I had missed that bit.   There is no excuse then for the Judge suspending the sentence, especially with the racial remarks on top.

[Ian]

There is no excuse then for the Judge suspending the sentence, especially with the racial remarks on top.

Except that it costs £40000 a year to keep someone in prison, there is ample proof that prison doesn't work and the UK government imprisons a higher percentage of its population than any other European country. Racially aggravated ABH is deplorable but perhaps properly supervised and demanding community service would have been more appropriate. Just think of the difference they might have made to the flower beds in Haulfre Gardens.

[DaveR]

I'm sure the name of the alleged perpetrator will be well known to most people in Llandudno:

Man accused of robbing pensioner appears in Llandudno special court

Published date: 12 August 2014 |


A 40-year-old man appeared at a weekend special court at Llandudno accused of robbing an 82-year-old pensioner of £400 in the street.

Austin Bellew of Parc Bodnant, Llandudno, was sent in custody to Caernarfon crown court where he will appear next Monday.

His alleged victim, Mr Roy Brown, had been in Gloddaeth Avenue, Llandudno, when his cash was grabbed on Friday, said David Mainstone, prosecuting.

http://northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/136786/man-accused-of-robbing-pensioner-appears-in-llandudno-special-court.aspx

[norman08]

And no doubt the court will feel very sorry for him ,lock  it up and throw away the key he,s a complete waste of space .

[Hugo]

47th offence for theft and that was in 2009!      What happened to the 3 strikes and you're out proposal?


www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/47th-theft-conviction-2784573

[norman08]

That's the same guy as above ,diff age and address,still the same crap would rob off himself if he could .

[Hugo]

That's the same guy as above ,diff age and address,still the same crap would rob off himself if he could .

A lot may have happened  in the intervening 5 years so I wonder what number he's up to now?   It's not the first time he's stolen from an OAP either!