Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian's Wall 'felled overnight'

Not even like it was students drunk on their way home from a night out, they had to walk with a chainsaw in the dark in the middle of nowhere to do this

I know right? Where's the profit in this? It's not even like it was a protest for a cause - which I'd still condemn, but at least there would be some kind of reason behind it.

It seems like it was just wanton vandalism by a pair of morons. If found guilty, I hope they get the book thrown at them.
 
Sometimes I think we should bring back a few punishments from medieval times.
i was chatting about this one last night with some friends.

It is a tough one because it is criminal damage and an icon so surely the guilty need to be punished.. but given we are in a world where actual nasty criminals are being let out early due to no space, then prison isnt really an option, and given these people are often skint a fine may not work either.

I suggested as well as a fine and some community service (at least try and get some money / public service out of them)....... maybe bring back the stocks (they thought i was joking but am serious).

3 weekendss of being in the stocks for 8 hrs over a weekend at the felled tree site, and possibly charging people £2 to throw wet sponges at them could possibly act as a deterrent (am sure it would be uncomfortable and humiliating) and also generate a bit of cash to the trust. - i actually suggested rotten eggs and tomatoes but that probably would not get much support.
 
I suggested as well as a fine and some community service (at least try and get some money / public service out of them)....... maybe bring back the stocks (they thought i was joking but am serious).
don't they already have unpaid work.

No idea what it actually entails, seems the go to is suspended sentence, then another and another, then one day they get a judge in a bad mood and finally get a small sentence of a few months.

let me check the local crime section of my local news to see how lenient the recent sentences are.

Stick your arm up a horse, 12 months conditional discharge

probably should be on the sex offenders register and re-educated or something


10k fine for dumping 25,000 tonnes of waste at unknown locations without a waste carriers registration

15months suspended for 2 years and a 1200 fine for smashing someone over the head with a bottle. (24 previous convictions..... probably half of them for violence)

probably fine no one who aggress with these sentences, no deterrent at all.


I bet a lot of mob justice happens but doesn't get reported, like that guy in london a few years ago who lost his hand, seemed to be easy to miss in the news and barely reported.
 
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Mob justice should not be a thing........... but the problem is, when the normal law abiding person sees repeat offenders getting off lightly or scot free even continually, they lose faith in the system.

Once that happens i fear a downward spiral. Whilst i dont condone it i do sympathise when people cross the line getting their own justice after society has failed them. (24 previous convictions then suspended sentence for bottling someone being a perfect example.... where is the justice there?)
 
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I think it's already breaking down. I know of a few incidents over the past few years where the victims have "dealt with the problem" (e.g. people caught trying to break in to their house or car) and not bothered to call the police, because they know they won't do a lot.
 
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I think it's already breaking down. I know of a few incidents over the past few years where the victims have "dealt with the problem" (e.g. people caught trying to break in to their house or car) and not bothered to call the police, because they know they won't do a lot.
There have already been several stories in the news where members of the public have had to go and retrieve their stolen vehicles or phones despite providing GPS location to the police who couldn't be bothered. These could have been dangerous situations that ended badly.

Wonder how long it is until we have private security firms offering services to go and "have a word" to get your stuff back for you.
 
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I know right? Where's the profit in this? It's not even like it was a protest for a cause - which I'd still condemn, but at least there would be some kind of reason behind it.

It seems like it was just wanton vandalism by a pair of morons. If found guilty, I hope they get the book thrown at them.
If any damage caused is valued at less than £5,000 a fine of £2,500 can be granted, or a sentence of three months’ imprisonment.
 
I read the damage was estimated at something like 600k, probably because they also damaged the wall. So if they get off lightly that is a joke. That's like burning a building down and walking.
 
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Sometimes I think we should bring back a few punishments from medieval times.

I think we have become to invested in the idea of "punishment" when we should consider "deterrent". We think about what to do to people who break the law but not how to stop them breaking the law in the first place. Prison is a punishment but in many cases it's not a deterrent.
 
Deterrence isn't effective, nor is it particularly morally justifiable: by definition you're treating one person badly in an attempt to influence the behaviour of another.

In practice, what makes an effective deterrent isn't perceived severity of punishment but perceived likelihood of being caught.
 
I think we have become to invested in the idea of "punishment" when we should consider "deterrent". We think about what to do to people who break the law but not how to stop them breaking the law in the first place. Prison is a punishment but in many cases it's not a deterrent.
That makes the world worse for everyone else as you have to design everything down to the lowest common denominator.
 
First time reading about this, shocked!

As others have said, the punishment will never match the crime. I don’t know the area but assume there will be longer lasting damage to local income if there’s no longer anything to go and see?
 
Deterrence isn't effective, nor is it particularly morally justifiable: by definition you're treating one person badly in an attempt to influence the behaviour of another.

In practice, what makes an effective deterrent isn't perceived severity of punishment but perceived likelihood of being caught.

Yes it is. People didn't do this sort of **** in medieval times because anyone who vandalised a national asset would have had their head removed.
 
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