16 Months For Charlie Gilmour (Student Fees Demo)

[LemonDifficult]

I wasn't very sympathetic to the rioters but 16 months seems a long time to put someone this young away for. Ridiculous. He'll get the fright of his life in the first few weeks and then what? What's the point of all those extra months - at tax payers expense.

I guess he won't do the full term, but still. It seems crazy.

[lachesis]

Good. He's a ridiculous buffoon. Too bad they never caught all the others.

It would be even better if he could be chucked out of the country forever.

[Pedallleur]

it won't be a hard jail he's in and I'm sure dad's money will help. had he finished at cambridge or is this going to be a 'gap year'? Still a bit of 'jailhouse rock' yah?

[noddyholder]

I think its too long. Why would he be thrown out of the country? Where do you suggest he goes

[LemonDifficult]

C'mon - he's a 21 year old softy student, hardly a hardened criminal we need taken off our streets. I really don't think he'll see it as 'jailhouse rock, yah'. I think it will be horrific for him - and disproportionate to his crime.

Pedalleur, it sounds like you want him punished extra for being posh!

[Riveninside]

Bit harsh for first ogfence i though. Thugs who beat people up dont even get that after many offences.
Guess he will have to take a year off then finish his last year at uni.

[Ponders]

Very harsh for 1st offence & apparently the Cenotaph thing wasn't part of the judgement, just C&C's car - would it have been the same if it was some other bod's car?

Riven, Cambridge have not said if they will let him back in.

[Ponders]

oh, no, it wouldn't have - the judge said "it would be 'wrong to ignore who the occupants of the three cars were' and that this was an aggravating feature in the case."

I would have thought community service a much more sensible & effective punishment.

[2shoes]

serves him right, don't see why people are all sympathetic, he is a thug

[lachesis]

People who behave like thugs should spend time in jail, no matter who they are. No one puts a gun to someone's head and forces them to take a cocktail of drugs and wash it down with alcohol, then act like a thug.

[Ponders]

yes he was thuggish, but so were plenty of others - they are making an example of him.

The one who threw the fire extinguisher off the roof got 32 months - was that really only twice as bad as sitting on a car bonnet & throwing a dustbin?

[lachesis]

They should make more an example of all people who behave like thugs.

Tough shit! Maybe next time he'll think twice about acting like a lout.

[arazmataz]

I should think the arson will have drawn a harsher sentence. You can kill a lot of people with arson, if the fire you start gets out of control.

[Ponders]

there were 100s of them, lachesis. Supposing they'd caught them all & banged them all up for 16 months? we would be paying their board & lodging, & there's be less space in prison for proper villains.

[lachesis]

I'd put them to work, Ponders. I'd be far harder on them and rip up the EU human rights crock.

Can't say I really care this hooligan was locked up.

So what?

I save my sympathy for people who aren't criminals.

[starmucks]

It is harsh but his behaviour detracted from a really important demonstration. The point of the protests was completely eclipsed by his, and others, stupid actions. I do feel bad that this is going to follow him for the rest of his life but, if he has any sense, he will learn a powerful lesson in humility and not let it define him.

[noddyholder]

Young people and demos is a heat of the moment thing. He is probably no more likely to commit another offence than any of the others on the march who didn't get arrested and so it is a complete waste of time locking him up. What will he learn? Probably nothing as he is intelligent and as he matures will know what he did wrong himself That is the way most people learn. He is not a danger to anyone and the cost of this is ridiculous when there are many people who are committing offences and nothing happens to them!

[DandyGilver]

Ridiculous when repeat drink drivers can get off with a fine and points on their license.

[aliceliddell]

Has anyone mentioned the 6 footballers and the 12yr old girls?
Maybe a teensy bit out of proportion?

[SardineQueen]

Agree with Noddy.

[arazmataz]

It might stop him setting fire to things in future. Once you've got a criminal record it's best not to compound it with further offences.

[Riveninside]

Community service would have been a better idea. Serving others daily.

[catinthehat2]

But his daddy is a famous rich musician
And he's at Cambridge

Prison is only for poor thickos

Don't you people understand anything?

[LtEveDallas]

Maybe our views are screwed? I don't think this sentence is harsh, I think it's just right. It's the other sentences that aren't harsh enough. Drink drivers for example should also get custodial sentences.

[allegrageller]

catinthehat it seems to me this is the reverse issue- e.g. he's been imprisoned for a very extensive term entirely because Daddy is rich and famous. Which doesn't seem fair either.

[allegrageller]

I don't hold with 'example sentences' as a general rule. Not on to make one person take more than the usual amount of punishment just to satisfy the tabloids, or make a point against violent protest, or whatever the judge is doin.