Page 15 | 4 yrs for cutting down tree, no jail time for rape

Barnbrack · 2025-07-15T18:45:27+00:00

Why are 2 men being given custodial sentences for cutting down a tree when men convicted of rape regularly get suspended sentences. Is an important tree more important than a random woman! Justice system seems to think so.

TeenagersAngst · 15/07/2025 21:46

Kemblick · 15/07/2025 21:37

YANBU at all. It's a shame about the tree and it was totally unnecessary but sycamores are like weeds (I detest the bloody things) and it was ultimately just a tree.

My husband and I are bloody livid. Someone is handed a 4 year sentence for chopping down a tree and rapists and killer dangerous drivers get away with pathetic sentences.

This country is a joke. A total joke.

You and your husband should be more livid about your lack of critical thinking.

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:45

ZamaZama · 15/07/2025 21:37

I don't think the Sycamore Gap sentence is excessive. If we don't want to live in a society where inadequates like these two can destroy things that are important to the rest of us for mindless fun with impunity, then there needs to be hard consequences. 'It's just a tree' is a recipe for not valuing or protecting anything - not a world I want to live in.

Clearly the same applies to sexual violence and we haven't got it right there. It's mind-blowing that convictions don't always lead to custodial sentences.

This is spot on

TeenagersAngst · 15/07/2025 21:44

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:34

Yes it is

That's essentially my point
.the level of disproportion is mind boggling.

What does it say about how society views the suffering of rape victims?

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It says literally nothing. Comparing rape with trees is like comparing shit with apples.

Cheese55 · 15/07/2025 21:42

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:12

Dont feel sorry for them. One of them has previous for battery.
They committed a deliberate act of vandalism on a tree that really meant a lot to a lot of people. A landmark. A place where people proposed, scattered ashes. It wasn’t ’just a tree’ it was a protected tree on Hadrians Wall and two idiots went out in the night and chopped it down with a chainsaw.
Yes there are worse crimes. There are ALWAYS worse crimes.
They disgust me. Pair of fkn brainless stupid morons.

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4 years means 2 years, 2 years means early release. They'll be out in less than 12 months. Even the judge said only 40% should be in actual prison. A low tariff crime like this means they won't be subject to many restrictions when out. So it's not long at all.

CorbyTrouserPress · 15/07/2025 21:41

Kemblick · 15/07/2025 21:37

YANBU at all. It's a shame about the tree and it was totally unnecessary but sycamores are like weeds (I detest the bloody things) and it was ultimately just a tree.

My husband and I are bloody livid. Someone is handed a 4 year sentence for chopping down a tree and rapists and killer dangerous drivers get away with pathetic sentences.

This country is a joke. A total joke.

The average sentence for an adult convicted rapist in the UK is 10 years. The minimum sentence is 4 years.

Emotionalsupporthamster · 15/07/2025 21:41

Thingyfanding · 15/07/2025 21:37

missing the point - there wouldn’t be any women without trees

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By this logic no tree should ever be cut down, and by that measure of value that tree wouldn’t be any more special than a street sycamore that was planted 150 years ago. In fact it’d be less valuable. Nonsense.

Namechangedtocomment · 15/07/2025 21:40

Thingyfanding · 15/07/2025 21:37

missing the point - there wouldn’t be any women without trees

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Are you a man then?

Kemblick · 15/07/2025 21:37

YANBU at all. It's a shame about the tree and it was totally unnecessary but sycamores are like weeds (I detest the bloody things) and it was ultimately just a tree.

My husband and I are bloody livid. Someone is handed a 4 year sentence for chopping down a tree and rapists and killer dangerous drivers get away with pathetic sentences.

This country is a joke. A total joke.

Thingyfanding · 15/07/2025 21:37

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:35

Nah. This wasn't about that trees ability to give oxygen

Women are fairly important, as a group, to the continuation of the human race.

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missing the point - there wouldn’t be any women without trees

ZamaZama · 15/07/2025 21:37

I don't think the Sycamore Gap sentence is excessive. If we don't want to live in a society where inadequates like these two can destroy things that are important to the rest of us for mindless fun with impunity, then there needs to be hard consequences. 'It's just a tree' is a recipe for not valuing or protecting anything - not a world I want to live in.

Clearly the same applies to sexual violence and we haven't got it right there. It's mind-blowing that convictions don't always lead to custodial sentences.

YouWillFindMeInTheGarden · 15/07/2025 21:37

grumpygrape · 15/07/2025 21:33

Apologies, can you tell me which prisons please? Genuine question.

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From a quick google
*Specialized Prisons:
HMP Whatton: This prison is dedicated to men convicted of sexual offenses.

HMP Rye Hill: This private prison has exclusively housed sex offenders since 2014.

HMP Stafford: This prison focuses on rehabilitating sex offenders and has a population of around 750 inmates.*

but there’s more

Messycoo · 15/07/2025 21:36

It’s about evidence !!! I don’t know how you can even compare the two crimes?

Original poster

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:35

Thingyfanding · 15/07/2025 21:34

@Barnbrack Trees are essential to the human existence - like bees. If all Trees and bees were killed, the human race would die shortly afterwards.
You cannot really compare the crimes, it’s too complex.
One could argue that a very old tree is more important than a human life, as humans produce CO2, where as an average tree can absorb one tonne in a year. The argument is too subjective.

Separately, I still believe rape should carry a heavier sentence than it currently does.

Nah. This wasn't about that trees ability to give oxygen

Women are fairly important, as a group, to the continuation of the human race.

OP posts:

Original poster

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:34

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:33

I think this has been pointed out a few times to you now but if of course it’s not comparable.
But they got what they deserved.
Its disgusting that sex offenders don’t.

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Yes it is

That's essentially my point
.the level of disproportion is mind boggling.

What does it say about how society views the suffering of rape victims?

OP posts:

Thingyfanding · 15/07/2025 21:34

@Barnbrack Trees are essential to the human existence - like bees. If all Trees and bees were killed, the human race would die shortly afterwards.
You cannot really compare the crimes, it’s too complex.
One could argue that a very old tree is more important than a human life, as humans produce CO2, where as an average tree can absorb one tonne in a year. The argument is too subjective.

Separately, I still believe rape should carry a heavier sentence than it currently does.

TeenagersAngst · 15/07/2025 21:33

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:31

More than the pain caused to those who know and love women and children who are secually assaulted?

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Why are you even comparing the two? Prison sentences are not drawn from a huge pot of ‘years’ to
be handed out.

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:33

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:31

More than the pain caused to those who know and love women and children who are secually assaulted?

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I think this has been pointed out a few times to you now but if of course it’s not comparable.
But they got what they deserved.
Its disgusting that sex offenders don’t.

grumpygrape · 15/07/2025 21:33

YouWillFindMeInTheGarden · 15/07/2025 21:00

there are seperate prisons for sex offenders. No other crime. Just sex offenders. And there are many prisons dedicated to them.

any on wings are usually on remand.

I was on the wings today.

Edited

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Apologies, can you tell me which prisons please? Genuine question.

Original poster

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:32

SharkBaitOooHaha · 15/07/2025 21:30

So What would you like sentencing to change too? Let’s say we lived in the world of make believe and men got life in prison for rape, would two years for sawing down a tree be okay then, or do you think they deserved zero prison time because it’s only a tree?

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I think it's a long sentence, I think if all sentences for violent crimes were long and harsh it would make more sense. I think it's disproportionate in the current system

Yes I think if harsh sentences were handed down for violent crimes regularly then handing down a custodial sentences for cutting down a tree would be reasonable.

OP posts:

YouWillFindMeInTheGarden · 15/07/2025 21:32

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:30

Well id like to see more ‘punishment fits the crime’ sentences dealt out too. I mean, controversial, but I’m for the death penalty in many cases.
If they’d got any less it would have been uproar I think judge had to do it (I watched the live sentencing).
But they’ll be in a soft prison, released early. All fine with me as they’re not dangerous criminals they’re just idiots. Awful stupid idiots.
If only more judges applied the maximum penalty for crimes against humans.

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What’s a ‘soft prison’?

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:31

mindutopia · 15/07/2025 21:30

I have a family member who sexually abused his niece. He got 3 years, 18 months actually in prison. Another family member SA his own daughter. He pled guilty and served no time at all, just a 3 year community based rehabilitation programme for sexual offenders. Mind boggling. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s not that they deserve less than 4 years. It’s that people who commit heinous violent crimes that leave others with lifelong trauma deserve more.

Edited

He should be cut in half with a chainsaw. Not the tree.

Original poster

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:31

BIossomtoes · 15/07/2025 21:26

And how does that make it a victimless crime? It caused a lot of pain to all the people around the world who loved it.

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More than the pain caused to those who know and love women and children who are secually assaulted?

OP posts:

SharkBaitOooHaha · 15/07/2025 21:30

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:19

I'm very sorry you've gone through that, however I believe there should be a benefit in drawing parallels.

To highlight how ridiculously short sentences for rapea are by comparison to sentences for criminal damage and other victimless crimes

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So What would you like sentencing to change too? Let’s say we lived in the world of make believe and men got life in prison for rape, would two years for sawing down a tree be okay then, or do you think they deserved zero prison time because it’s only a tree?

TeenagersAngst · 15/07/2025 21:30

Barnbrack · 15/07/2025 21:24

It was a tree.

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It’s clear you just cannot see what others are seeing OP. Do you actually believe that the Sycamore Gap tree is directly comparable with a random tree at the end of your street?

KaleQueen · 15/07/2025 21:30

CoralOP · 15/07/2025 21:24

don't disagree with you, I live in the North East too. Ridiculous thing to do, just trying to understand where is sits within all the horrible crimes that happen daily.
There's so much vandalism that goes on I don't know how they can explain why this particular act of vandalism deserves a punishment 100 x worse than other acts of vandalism.
But I love people getting their cumupence (can't spell 😆) so would love to of seen their faces when they got handed the sentence. Wish fly tippers got the same kind of sentences!

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Well id like to see more ‘punishment fits the crime’ sentences dealt out too. I mean, controversial, but I’m for the death penalty in many cases.
If they’d got any less it would have been uproar I think judge had to do it (I watched the live sentencing).
But they’ll be in a soft prison, released early. All fine with me as they’re not dangerous criminals they’re just idiots. Awful stupid idiots.
If only more judges applied the maximum penalty for crimes against humans.