London Riots

[Q.]

4 years. A ridiculous sentence that sets a scary precedent for punishing all forms of online mobilisation of dissent.

What would be an appropriate sentence in your view then?

Suspended sentence.

So effectively no punishment you mean? Let off with a warning?

A suspended sentence could have been a part of the overall punishment, but they courts really need to send a message with these people. In the same way that just going to jail will do little for this guy, a suspended sentence will do less. Punishment needs to be a deterrent to others, and to him to do anything so stupid again in future.

You don't make examples of a kid who has no priors and whose actions had no consequences. Send him to jail and you ensure he lives the life of a criminal when he gets out. Doesn't make the streets safer.

It's like saying we should jail those who have posted on websites that Gillard should be assassinated. Off-the-cuff, tasteless, but jail-worthy?

[JAS]

You don't make examples of a kid who has no priors and whose actions had no consequences. Send him to jail and you ensure he lives the life of a criminal when he gets out. Doesn't make the streets safer.

It's like saying we should jail those who have posted on websites that Gillard should be assassinated. Off-the-cuff, tasteless, but jail-worthy?

I think technically that could still be classed as treason...even in Australia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason#Australia
see para (h)

I reckon there'll probably be a fair few appeals and reductions or even quashing of sentances over the coming weeks.

Remember we're in the 'post-apocolypse' phase now so every man and his dog from the Jerry Springer tv/radio types to so called celeb psychologists to politicians to senior police chiefs to social workers to foreign politicians is indulging in full-on political point scoring and credit stealing and the blame game....they all have an agenda of some sort.

Regards
JAS

[RustyCage]

They were 21 and 22, so hardly just kids. Their actions definitely were not harmless. I agree 4 years is way over the top, but some time behind bars is definitely warranted.

[JAS]

They were 21 and 22, so hardly just kids. Their actions definitely were not harmless. I agree 4 years is way over the top, but some time behind bars is definitely warranted.

Wasn't as if it was an 'off-the-cuff' comment on their status either. They created an event page with place, date and time. Condsidering how impressionable a lot of those who did riot seem to be it's probably a miracle nobody turned-up for it...the consequences could have been horrendous for those living there...

The prosecution said Blackshaw had created a Facebook event called "Smash d[o]wn in Northwich Town", intended for the receipt of the "Mob Hill Massive Northwich Lootin".

The page said people should meet on 9 August, between 13:00 and 16:00 BST, "behind maccies" - thought to be McDonald's in Northwich town centre.

Regards
JAS

[Q.]

Sending someone to jail for writing something on facebook is dictatorial (never mind that nothing resulted from the comments). It's an ugly, but very deliberate precedent.

Democracy enters dangerous territory when we start jailing people for things they write, however, much some may disagree with what is written.

[The Sleeping Giant]

So trying to incite people to escalate a unlawful situation for pathetic reasons is ok by you Q.

Love the hypocrisy. Your a moderator.

[Q.]

I'm saying incarcerating someone for writing something is not okay.

What does being a Mod have to do with it?

[The Sleeping Giant]

So while police were battling to contain these dropkicks, It's ok for other dropkicks sending messages out on Facebook encouraging others to escalate the riots? Also remember these weren't some political or social injustice caused riots.

Hope you have never deleted or given the okay to delete a forum users post Q. Seeing as though you are all for free speech no matter what the consequences.

[Q.]

I'm suggesting that we enter dangerous territory by jailing people for the things they write.

SAFooty is not a democracy. If you don't like it, don't log on.

[The Sleeping Giant]

We aren't. It's happening in the UK.

I never mistook SAFooty as a democracy Q. More like 80's Communism.

[GWW]

I'm saying incarcerating someone for writing something is not okay.

Should Fredrick Toben have been jailed?

[Q.]

I'm saying incarcerating someone for writing something is not okay.

Should Fredrick Toben have been jailed?

No.

[Q.]

We aren't. It's happening in the UK.

I never mistook SAFooty as a democracy Q. More like 80's Communism.

'We' as in democratic states.

[JAS]

One woman has now had her sentence reduced from jail to community service on appeal. Reckon this will be the first of many. Definitely think these people should have a day in court but some of the sentences have seemed a bit heavy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14591221

A judge has released a woman who was jailed for accepting looted shorts in what is thought to be the first appeal against a sentence over the unrest.

Ursula Nevin, 24, was jailed for five months in Manchester, but has now been ordered to do voluntary work...

Regards
JAS

[Psyber]

There is a subtle, but substantial, difference between some loose cannon saying someone should be assassinated, or suggesting the riots are in general good thing, and someone actually proposing a site and times for such an event and attempting to induce others to turn up and take part.

[once_were_warriors]

Any gaol time for the UK politicians that stole from the public purse last year with their abuse of electoral allowances?

[JAS]

Any gaol time for the UK politicians that stole from the public purse last year with their abuse of electoral allowances?

Do you mean the expenses scandal???

If so then yeh a few got gaol time for it...not many though...only about 4 from the House of Lords iirc.

Regards
JAS

[JAS]

This is quite a scary revelation by the police...especially considering the number of people seen on tv throughout the riots who 'came to watch' and treated the whole thing like some sort of sport. Could easily have been many more fatalities.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-14601228

New CCTV of the riots in Birmingham shows police officers being shot at, the West Midlands force has said.

The footage, which has been released by the police to encourage members of the public to come forward, shows a group in the Newtown area late on 9 August.

The group, all masked and all wearing black clothing, caused extensive damage at the Barton Arms pub.

Shots were also fired at the police helicopter and petrol bombs thrown at a marked police car, the force said.

Not sure if the cctv clip on there will work outside the UK so here's a copy that was on YouTube...


Regards
JAS

[JAS]

The Justice Dept has published some statistics for those arrested during the riots.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/pub ... lletin.pdf

Gives details of age, gender, previous convictions etc such as a total of 52% were under 20yo and 21% were aged between 10 and 17 and 1 in 4 had at least 10 previous convictions.

Regards
JAS