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AIBU?

AIBU to think that a mum of two should not be jailed for

320 replies

Mitmoo · 13/08/2011 11:37

taking a pair of shorts that her friend stole in the riots.

She's got six months.

A young man who took £3.50 worth of water from a ransacked shop got six months.

I want justice, I want those who terrified my family even though we were fortunate enough to only view it through the television screen to be punished but I want some kind of proportionality.

Do we remove mum's from their children for six months because she took a pair of shorts from a friend who had been in the riots?

It was wrong of course, she should have shopped the "friend" but six months????

menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1455638_mum-jailed-for-six-months-for-wearing-pair-of-looted-shorts-

OP posts:

Report

peppapighastakenovermylife · 13/08/2011 11:39

I guess they are trying to send out a message / warning.

We don't know the rest of her background...was it her first offence?

But no, if this is the only thing I would think the consquences of this will be far far worse in the long term than whatever justice they feel is brought

belledechocchipcookie · 13/08/2011 11:40

She'll be out in three if she behaves. It's handling stolen goods, they did say that they would punish all of those involved. I think it's excessive though, they don't appear to be taking anyone's circumstances into account.

TidyDancer · 13/08/2011 11:40

YABU. She handled stolen goods knowing that they were stolen goods, and did not (as she should've done) reported her friend for being the scumbag she is.

I am surprised she got six months, but it was not wrong she was jailed.

HappyMummyOfOne · 13/08/2011 11:42

The riots could have injured and killed many more people. Whilst she may not have taken them from the store herself she was perfectly willing to share the stolen goods. The sentance may be harsh but everyone involved in any way needs a harsh sentance to stop it happening again.

If she was a law abiding citizen she would have ordered the friend out of her house with the goods and shopped her.

Mitmoo · 13/08/2011 11:42

They are just hitting out with maximum sentences regardless. I know we were all terrified but in a way this is scaring me more. The rioters lost all sense of reality, but I don't want our justice system doing the same thing.

She wasn't out there, took a pair of shorts, wrong I know but 6 months?

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 13/08/2011 11:44

Was it a first offence?

belledechocchipcookie · 13/08/2011 11:45

It's making her children suffer. She was stupid, accepting them was the wrong thing to do but I don't think that her children should lose their mother for 6/3 months.

TidyDancer · 13/08/2011 11:47

The way I look at this is that while some people may consider this a harsh punishment, do you really think she will be such a fucking moron again?!

The sentences really need to be deterents, not just punishments. Consequently, I think our justice system is fully in touch with reality.

didyouseewhatshedid · 13/08/2011 11:47

So are you saying people with children should get lighter sentences belled?

scurryfunge · 13/08/2011 11:48

She is making her children suffer, no one else.

EdithWeston · 13/08/2011 11:49

The glib answer is "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime".

No-one was forcing her to commit this criminal act, and it is she who was reckless as to the impact on her family.

ll31 · 13/08/2011 11:49

would wonder about whether there was history of offences.. agree it seems severe but.. on other hand.. if people didn't take / buy stuff that was looted then there'd be less point to looting....

What about their father - cant he mind children - if it was him imprisoned what would people have thought - would it have been wrong - or is it just cos she's a woman that it seems harsh? I don't think that being a mother per se should automatically entitle you to less sentencing

WorzselMummage · 13/08/2011 11:50

Poor fucking diddums.

[couldn't give a fuck emoticon]

belledechocchipcookie · 13/08/2011 11:50

It was a disgusting crime and I have nothing but contempt for those involved but giving everyone the same sentence, regardless, comes across as an abuse of the judicial systems powers.

TurkeyBurgerThing · 13/08/2011 11:51

They're taking no shit are they? Even I'm pretty shocked. But I guess something has to be done NOW. All this needs to be chapped on the head before i happens again. So many of the looters assumed they wouldn't be touched and hopefully this will mean an end to anything like this happening again.

I hope these people are given help in prison though, some kind o educating or training in something, anything to give them more hope. I think that those on the dole should be made to work hours doing things that equate to what they get from the state. I don't understand why this isn't done already? I don't mean skanky jobs that no one else does but things that involve volunteering type things. Even mixing the jobs around so that they get to do a bit of everything. Give the people something to get out of bed for in the mornings.

troisgarcons · 13/08/2011 11:51

Call me a cynic - but where are all these prison cells coming from? I thought HMPS was overloaded.

ding I know - they'll let out a load to make room ....

LuceyLasstic · 13/08/2011 11:51

maybe she should have thought of the kids before committing the crime

shrugs. no sympathy

HappyMummyOfOne · 13/08/2011 11:52

Turkey, I agree with you on giving them something to do but you'll get a backlash from people who will say its their right not to work and they are entitled to their benefits and why should they have to give something back in return, quote NMW etc.

Nancy66 · 13/08/2011 11:52

Her flatmate came home with a huge booty which she intended to enjoy too - the flatmate has been referred to crown court and is likely to end up with a more severe sentence.

This woman will be out in 10-12 weeks most likely. Sound fair enough to me

Salmotrutta · 13/08/2011 11:53

Agree with the previous 3 posters - she did it to herself.
And would you argue the same for fathers?

They have to be seen to be coming down hard on this and with the way parole seems to work she'll probably only serve a fraction of that anyway.

GypsyMoth · 13/08/2011 11:53

So what? She's a 'mum'..... It's not the ultimate status is it! She should be, and rightfully has, been punished

What's being a bloody mother got to do with it!?

ImperialBlether · 13/08/2011 11:53

I doubt if that was her first offence, really.

But I am glad they're coming down hard (or harder than I thought they would) otherwise next summer, what's the chance of it happening again?

Mitmoo · 13/08/2011 11:53

ll31 What is wrong for me is that the sentence is completely disproportionate. One man got 20 weeks for attempting to gouge out a policeman's eye, looters are getting six months, she took one pair of shorts from a looter.

It's disproportionate sentencing.

OP posts:

belledechocchipcookie · 13/08/2011 11:53

They are squeezing them in trois, Cameron has said three in a room if necessary.

GypsyMoth · 13/08/2011 11:53

Christ mitmoo, you have some odd views!!

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