Student protester jailed

gambitt · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:02

scorza said:
Yesterday I watched Traffic Cops, featuring a horrific, near-fatal accident caused by a woman driving while talking on a mobile phone. She was given a 1 year suspended prison sentence for a crime that resulted in two innocent people suffering life-changing injuries. Today a rather stupid youth, who got carried away in a protest that turned violent but didn't actually hurt anyone gets jailed for 16 months. Guess that's what happens if you threaten the establishment, another life ruined.

I watched that episode as well, it was absolutely pathetic. They said she even tried to hide the fact that she was using her phone.

There is very little consistency in sentences, it's all down to the judge's discretion. Your life could be ruined just because he's having a bad day.

Glaucus · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:11

gambitt said:
I watched that episode as well, it was absolutely pathetic. They said she even tried to hide the fact that she was using her phone.

There is very little consistency in sentences, it's all down to the judge's discretion. Your life could be ruined just because he's having a bad day.

They have guidelines, but guidelines are different for different crimes.
Whole system needs an overhaul.

But they like the Bristol rooters are getting what they deserve and maybe, just maybe it'll make people think twice.

Yosiah · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:13

Rotty said:
Harsh ? could easily have killed someone

But it didn't... So a short sentence should be enough to make someone think more carefully in the future.

Nitefly · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:15

I still think the extent of the sentence is dubious. Was pretty damn harsh IMO.

Cosimo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:19

Nice sentence and serves him right.

MumboJumbo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:24

Have no sympathy for anyone who gets them selves locked up for something like this. The punishment system should be harder because then people wouldn't do stupid things like this in the first place. You can easily pick out these peoples at young age in school. The education system failed them there and their parents never bothered to bring them into line and they think they can do what they want. Next step is self correction or prison. Can see which he chose.

99% of people are never going to do anything which could put them in the position of facing jail time. Anyone who does is most likely already a total **** so why feel sorry for them when they get a heavy sentence? Likely chance he's being a **** to many other people that will go uncounted for anyway.

steve-h · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:25

8igdave said:
The punishment system should be harder because then people wouldn't do stupid things like this in the first place.

Well... do you think he considered how long he'd get before throwing the fire extinguisher?

Skii · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:27

Sadly I can see this being the beginning of a Z-list celeb career for Gilmour jnr ...

MumboJumbo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:29

steve-h said:
Well... do you think he considered how long he'd get before throwing the fire extinguisher?

Do you think he considered the peoples lives he put in danger? Do you think this is the first time he's done something reckless and dangerous?

If he got a slap on the wrist do you think it would have stopped him ever considering doing this again? He's clearly a total "rebel".

I believe people should pay harshly for doing things that are wrong because I never intend to nor likely ever will do anything wrong so why should they? Why should they think it's ok? Clearly the risk to reward ratio is wrong and it needs to be uped. Quite frankly I think rapists should be hung. Why bother try and correct them. Cheaper and it's no less than these deserve for probably ruining someone else's life and giving them serious mental scaring they will carry far longer than a jail sentence.

Nitefly · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:30

8igdave said:
The punishment system should be harder because then people wouldn't do stupid things like this in the first place.

As above, I doubt it was on his mind at the time and he even turned himself in.

It was a very stupid thing to do with a potentially dangerous consequence - so is stealing a traffic cone or a road sign, and how many people have done such a silly thing? Not that it's excusable of course, but no one was harmed either.

Jail time for a year and half?! Really?! And this is coming from someone who is rarely offended by sentencing levels.

8igdave said:
Do you think he considered the peoples lives he put in danger? Do you think this is the first time he's done something reckless and dangerous?

If he got a slap on the wrist do you think it would have stopped him ever considering doing this again? He's clearly a total "rebel".

That's a total stereotype :confused:

Whackeygrunt · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:31

He should get 16 months for doing what he did to the Cenotaph alone. When I saw that image I wanted him dead!

weringo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:31

Great decision for once. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who throws a fire extinguisher off a building into a huge crowd has the complete intention of doing serious harm to someone.

If that wasn't his intention he should be sectioned anyway for mental incapacity.

steve-h · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:31

8igdave said:
Do you think he considered the peoples lives he put in danger?

nope

8igdave said:
Do you think this is the first time he's done something reckless and dangerous?

I have no clue?

8igdave said:
If he got a slap on the wrist do you think it would have stopped him ever considering doing this again? He's clearly a total "rebel".

I can't see him wanting to do something similar again... but I don't know the guy, so who knows?

So...

steve-h said:
Well... do you think he considered how long he'd get before throwing the fire extinguisher?

Uther · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:32

Just shows how rattled the establishment were with the rioters, and are handing down draconian sentences to deter people in future.
Peaceful protests that they can ignore are what is wanted.

In other news, a driver who killed a pensioner walking down the road is severely punished with 9 penalty points and ...well nothing else.

Biohazard · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:38

Uther said:
Just shows how rattled the establishment were with the rioters, and are handing down draconian sentences to deter people in future.
Peaceful protests that they can ignore are what is wanted.

In other news, a driver who killed a pensioner walking down the road is severely punished with 9 penalty points and ...well nothing else.

And a small fine I believe.

A police officer, off duty, knocked a man down on New Years day in Edinburgh and killed him. He left the scene of the crime immediately and handed himself in later.

No charge.

Quality.

Robbo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:38

Glad to see some justice being done when it comes to the student protester scumbags. Wasters.

MumboJumbo · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:39

steve-h said:
nope

I have no clue?

I can't see him wanting to do something similar again... but I don't know the guy, so who knows?

So...

Completely missing the point. Point is he thought it was ok. Sure he might never throw a fire extinguisher again. But his mentality needs to change and he needs to be brought into line harshly because clearly he's a total moron without any regard for the people he could have injured or killed.

Nitefly said:
As above, I doubt it was on his mind at the time and he even turned himself in.

It was a very stupid thing to do with a potentially dangerous consequence - so is stealing a traffic cone or a road sign, and how many people have done such a silly thing? Not that it's excusable of course, but no one was harmed either.

Jail time for a year and half?! Really?! And this is coming from someone who is rarely offended by sentencing levels.

That's a total stereotype

Maybe I'm too harsh, probably am. But I'm of the opinion that if these people weren't such pricks they wouldn't even be in this position. It's more of a personal dislike towards their attitude than the specific crime. Then again, throwing a heavy object from a tall building into a crowd full of people isn't really something to just go "oh well, he didn't mean to hurt anyone so it's fine".

As for traffic cones.....really?

You consider it a stereotype to think that someone who goes protesting smashing things (one would imagine to get the fire extinguisher and get on the roof) and then endangering people to make a point doesn't consider them selves a rebel? I'd think it likely quite accurate.

Nitefly · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:40

Robbo said:
Glad to see some justice being done when it comes to the student protestor scumbags. Wasters.

You seem to have more against the stereotype of those supporting the cause than the actual offence...!

Tefal · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:42

Nitefly said:
That's a total stereotype

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14150800

he fits it

"basically we've been trashing stuff cause we're very angry"

He was filmed shouting: "They broke the moral law, we're going to break all the laws."

edit wait sorry which one are you talking about here the one the thread was bumped for who got 16 months (half in jail) or the fire extinguisher one from ages ago?

Nitefly · 15 Jul 2011 at 19:42

8igdave said:
It's more of a personal dislike towards their attitude than the specific crime.

Well, at least you admit it

You consider it a stereotype to think that someone who goes protesting smashing things (one would imagine to get the fire extinguisher and get on the roof) and then endangering people to make a point doesn't consider them selves a rebel? I'd think it likely quite accurate.

He was clearly rebellious, but I think it's a bit of a leap to imply that this surely isn't the first time he's done anything and that he'll jump at the chance to do it again.