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Thursday, September 06, 2012

“Justice” in the UK (UPDATED)


I love the U. K.   I really do.  Heck, I’ve studied there twice, toured there more often, and from time to time plot on traveling there again.  And going to Choral Evensong and then a good pub in England is about as close as I get to heaven in this life. 

But even I, along with many Americans, have utter contempt for the U. K. legal system.  These two stories explain why better than any enraged erudite essay of mine ever could . . .

Judge Peter Bowers lets serial burglar walk free.

Couple arrested for shooting at home invasion gang.
UPDATE: It took a while, but the couple has been cleared.
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3 comments:

  1. Gareth9:17 AM

    Both of these events were exceptional and you have posted without full understanding.

    After any shooting, the 'shooter' gets arrested while an investigation takes place. Evidence is collected, statements taken. It was rightly deemed this couple acted reasonably and were not charged with any crime. This is standard UK practice.

    In the second case, this is not the standard term for a serial burglar in the UK. The Judge has had a complaint made about him and the sentence will probably be revisited.

    Using exceptional one-off instances out of context is naive or mischievous. I'm not sure which.

    As you will know from living here in the UK, gun crime in the UK is practically non-existent compared to the States. So when a gun is fired it is taken very seriously indeed.

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  2. Mark10:13 AM

    You can drop the condescension. I am well aware that such outrages are not nearly as exceptional as you claim.

    And arresting someone for defending their home is wrong, period.

    wannabe

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  3. Gareth11:59 AM

    The rate of private gun ownership in England & Wales is 6.2 firearms per 100 people.

    Compare that to the USA with 88 per 100 people.

    There is no automatic right to bear arms here and as a result we have some of the lowest gun crime figures in the world.

    So when the Police arrested these people, it was because the use of a firearm in a domestic setting is incredibly rare and they needed to determine the facts.

    Arresting is not charging. Without arrest, Mr and Mrs X could speak to one another to create a false story, or just walk out of the station without giving a statement. How would the Police know what the truth is?.

    And as for story two....

    We currently have more people in prison than we have ever had. The judge was too lenient but was probably influenced by the lack of spaces available. If I wished to cherry-pick like you I could mention the woman who was given six-months for stealing a pair of shorts.

    If you wish to talk about really bonkers legal systems then I suggest you google the case of Gary McKinnon.

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