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Please can people consider writing/emailing the attorney general and asking him to review the sentence for the man that killed Steven Simpson?

51 replies

AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 12:06

You may have read about the case in yesterday/todays press about 18 yr old Steven Simpson, he was killed in his own home by being set alight after being humiliated by several other young men on his 18th birthday.

His killer Jordan Sheard, 20 was sentenced to only 3 yrs 6 months, he will obviously not serve that long.

The judge Roger Keen appeared not to have taken Stevens disabilities into account in his summing up or sentence.

Please consider contacting the attorney general Dominic Grieve QC and asking him to review the sentence.

www.gov.uk/complain-about-low-crown-court-sentence

How to complain

Contact the Attorney General?s Office as soon as possible after the sentence is passed. The time limit for making a complaint is 28 days after sentencing.

Provide as much information as you can about the case, eg the:

name of the person who got the sentence Jordan Sheard
date the sentence was given 21st march 2013
court where the case was held sheffield crown court
crime committed Manslaughter

The sentence given sends out a message that it is ok to abuse people with disabilities in this way, that it isn't 'worse', obviously killing anyone is wrong, but if this was done to a 9 yr old child the sentence would be harsher rightly so, abusing someone like Steven is like doing it to a child and should be judged accordingly.

Steven being autistic wouldn't have been aware that these people abusing him weren't really his friends.

Please if you have a spare few minutes, consider contacting the attorney general.

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Icedcakeandflower · 22/03/2013 12:23

Thanks Amberleaf. Done.

The part in the article where it said he threw himself an 18th birthday party and no one came really got me Sad

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wasuup3000 · 22/03/2013 12:27

Done and Shared on fb x

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 12:39

Thank you both.

Yes Icedcake, it is utterly heartbreaking isn't it?

Thanks wasuup for sharing on fb.

Please feel free to share this, it only takes one request to the attorney general for him to review a case, but obviously the more requests, the more weight to it IMO.

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TheNebulousBoojum · 22/03/2013 12:43

Done, and I think we should keep bumping both threads to give everyone the chance to make a difference.

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CwtchesAndCuddles · 22/03/2013 12:47

Done.

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 12:49

Thanks, yes keep them bumped please!

I have just got a reply from the correspondence office of the attorney general;

Dear Ms xxxxx



Thank you for your email below about the sentence given to Jordan Sheard.



This Office has asked for further details of the cases from the Crown Prosecution Service so that the Law Officers can decide whether or not to refer the sentences to the Court of Appeal as being unduly lenient.

We will write to you again once a decision has been made.

Yours sincerely

James Ross

Correspondence Unit

Attorney General's Office

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 12:52

'has asked' hopefully that means many more have already complained and its already being looked into, as I got that only shortly after I sent my email!

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kyz1981 · 22/03/2013 14:17

Done, and shared on FB.

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 17:25

Thanks kyz1981

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sickofsocalledexperts · 22/03/2013 17:33

Done

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sickofsocalledexperts · 22/03/2013 17:39

If anyone wants to cut and paste this note, I just clicked on the email address in Amber's link:




Please review the derisorily low sentence given out to Jordan Sheard for the manslaughter of Steven Simpson, on 21/03/13 at Sheffield Crown Court.

A society should be judged on how it protects its most vulnerable citizens.

As mum to an autistic boy, and seeing more and more disability hate crime, this silly sentence sends out the message - disabled homosexuals don't count.

Thank you.

(Name)




Sent from my iPad

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sickofsocalledexperts · 22/03/2013 17:43

Should we risk the main board, to get numbers up for this?

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 17:48

Thanks sickof, I have actually posted this in chat on the main board.

I and others have added links onto the other threads about this too, I think there are 2 or 3 others I think?

A few posters have responded to my thread in chat, hoping for more this evening when it is busier, am keeping the thread bumped.

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sickofsocalledexperts · 22/03/2013 18:23

Is there any way of changing chat thread title for something more eye-catching- eg


Burned alive at 18 for being gay and autistic, please help petition against 21 month sentence.

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 18:40
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sazale · 22/03/2013 18:48

I hope you don't mind but I've copied and pasted on my local parent carers forum Facebook page

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 18:51

Not at all sazale.

Spread the word!

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Theycallmestacy · 22/03/2013 18:53

As the mother of a child with autism this story fills me with despair.

Will Msg and repost elsewhere.

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sickofsocalledexperts · 22/03/2013 19:11

Maybe THIS should be the basis of the Mumsnet SN campaign


Stop disability hate crime

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 19:18

Good idea sickof.

Certainly something that anyone can stand up against.

I am a great believer in the idea that society must do more to accomodate, rather than it all being on the person with disabilities to 'fit in'

Zero tolerance on disability hate crime is what society should aim for IMO.

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hazeyjane · 22/03/2013 19:32

Have posted a link on how to complain on fb page, with a link to the bbc news report.

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AmberLeaf · 22/03/2013 19:35

Brilliant hazey, thanks.

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osospecial · 22/03/2013 20:19

Done

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sneezecakesmum · 22/03/2013 20:22

Have also emailed complaint. Appalling Sad

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