9 years for "peadophilia" - too harsh?

[SenoraPostrophe]

here ...am I the only person to think this is a bit harsh? he's only 21. I know a couple of girls who had 20 yr old boyfriends when 13 or 14. and I'm pretty sure there wouldn't have been a prison sentence at all then (remember Bill Wyman and Mandy thing?). have we gone over the top?

[zippitippitoes]

I think the implication is that he was a predatory paedophile, so it as much the way that he went about grooming the girls rather than an equal sexual relationship

[bundle]

he had sex with a 13 yr old. how long do you think he should get for that then? or perhaps you only don't get jailed if you are famous.

and doesn't it mean he'll serve 4?

[LadyTambaOfTambaTown]

It seems like he was specifically looking for under-age girls though, rather than just happening to meet someone and not realise there age type thing.

I do think 9 years is harsh but only in comparason to sentances handed out for much worse crimes iyswim. He wasnt violent and didnt force those girls but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth kind of thing.

When I was 15 I had a 29 year old boyfriend, I alson went out with a 25 year old and a 24 year old.

[Ledodgyherring]

No I don't think so in this case. He's groomed these children and possesed images of children.

"The court heard that one of the images was of the most serious levels of abuse of a young girl."

"The judge told Costi he had seen images on Costi's computer that showed a depraved interest in girls very much younger than 13."

Very differnt IMO to meeting a teenage girl and going out with her or even having sex with her with her consent.

[Kathlean]

Not harsh in the slightest.

I heard this on the news. He also was grooming up to another 100 children for his perversion.

By the time he serves a half or less of his sentance some of these girls will only just be over the legal age to be having sex.

[zippitippitoes]

there is a big difference between 13 and 15 too I think, and even between 19 and 21

[Piffle]

This case is local to me. He did seek out these girls specifically because of their age.
No question
What baffles me is the man who got released, then abducted and assaulted that 5 yr old girl, was only found on a police chase and given 5 yrs
This man will only be 30 when he gets out.

[SenoraPostrophe]

I think how long he'll serve is beside the point because it depends on how he behaves in prison.

But do you see what I mean though? what if he'd been "grooming" 16 yr olds? I presume the sentence for that is nowt but it would still be unequal. 3 years isn't worth 9 years.

[zippitippitoes]

that is if he had been 19, obviously 19 and 21 year olds can have sex

[Piffle]

and consensual sex with one girl in other contexts, yes sometimes it is possible that it is not paedophilia

[SenoraPostrophe]

OK, but by grooming here you mean "chatting to ont'internet" that isn't a crime last I heard.

[JoolsToo]

No

[saadia]

I don't think it's too harsh, in fact I think most sentences given to criminals are too lenient.

[Mytwopenceworth]

it wasnt a relationship though was it? it was 'girls', plural, that he approached via the internet and manipulated into meeting him with the intention of (forcing them into??) sexual activity.

i remember one girl in my school who got pregnant at 14 by her boyfriend who was then about 23. big fuss i recall, but they were together for years.

same headline - man in his 20's with young teenage girl, but 2 completely different situations. first is abuse, second is not (just unwise!) imo.

[Piffle]

not by chance, girls were not pretending to be older, he pretended to be younger.
Not just with one girl but with 100's it was his career.
Predator. Judge was in possession of all the facts

[jangly]

He's obviously an out and out peadophile and should be locked away for a long time. But I think there should be separate institutions for people like him to get proper treatment, and then eventually they could be released under very close supervision.

[marthamoo]

If he was a 21 year old who had 'met' a 13/14 year old on the internet, met her IRL and had sex - while I wouldn't exactly approve (I would say things like "Dear God, girls these days - I was still playing with my Sindies when I was 13...") I would think a prison sentence was harsh. But this isn't that - he's clearly displaying a pattern of behaviour which involves grooming many very underage girls for sex and an unhealthy interest in child pornography. As, sadly, I doubt very much that he will be rehabilitated when inside and - once released - may very well take over where he left off, then no, I don't think 9 years is too harsh - I suspect that the longer he's away from the internet the better.

As piffle points out there seems to be little consistency with cases of this nature - the length of sentence often doesn't seem to correlate with the severity of the crime - to the average layperson anyway.

[NomDePlume]

"The judge told Costi he had seen images on Costi's computer that showed a depraved interest in girls very much younger than 13."

TBH, given the reported facts of this case, 9 years is NOT too harsh. He is a predatory paedophile, regardless of whether he is 21 or 61.

I was one of those girls who had very much older boyfriends, and IMO there is a REAL difference between those and this guy.

[Next]

Not too harsh at all. His age dosn't come into it.

[JoolsToo]

I don't think you can rehabilitate a paedophile. Children are their sexual preference.

[bundle]

JT, there's a difference between preference (in their head) and behaviour.

[Next]

they should be castrated

[Skribble]

21 falling for a local 14/15 yr old, OK that happens. But a 21 yr old "chatting" online with 3 girls possibly more and meeting up for sex, sorry but that is abuse.

[oinker]

FACT:::::

If someone approaches and gives you a kiss /gropes any part of body without permission.

They can be charged and will be put on sex offenders register....

[trinityrhino]

he admitted to sexual grooming, that isn't chatting on t'internet