4 yrs for cutting down tree, no jail time for rape

It didn't prior to the film.

Only given WH status in 1987.

Its a dry stone wall, much of which has been removed over the centuries to build houses etc, then replaced, esp from the 19thC onwards.

To compare it to the Pyramids or the Mona Lisa etc is ridiculous, there wasn't even a continuous path, so whilst known about, it was little visited or a tourist attraction, the path was completed until the early 2000s.

Absolutely thinks Hadrian’s Wall is of a type found all over the country.

Safe to say they aren’t talking with sense.

This.

Someone with sense at last!

Prisons should indeed be for serious offences, not tree loppers and grey stone wall damagers

Got some figures for that?

The wall suffered minimal damage, its a very small dry stone wall, the type of which is found all over many landscapes around the UK.

Is the part of the wall in question just a bog-standard dry wall replacement? I don’t remember reading this and photos of the damage show what looks like typical section of the Roman wall.

If you’re talking about Hadrian’s Wall more generally, this is categorically wrong.

You keep minimising the damage. It wasn’t just a ‘dry stone wall’, it is a UNESCO world heritage site which is over 1900 years old and attracts over 100,000 visitors every year. It is not the same as someone knocking down a garden wall just as someone throwing soup on the Mona Lisa is not the same as someone throwing soup on my lovely hallway picture bought at Ikea.

I think it’s sad that you consider your historical monuments to be lesser than those in other countries. I think they’re exactly comparable. Also, I am from the area and can assure you it was important to us long before Robin Hood was filmed there. It is and always was an important local icon- please don’t minimise the impact it’s had on the community.

Meanwhile, the teenage boy near me who killed an old man in a park only got a couple more years and the disgusting girl who egged him on filming basically got nothing.

It's a fucking joke

The film was shot in 1991, prior to that, it wasn't anything like as popular, it only became a World Heritage site in 1987.

"Had Robin Hood not been filmed there, no one would have even heard of the place.
Its hardly the Pyramids is it? The wall suffered minimal damage, its a very small dry stone wall, the type of which is found all over many landscapes around the UK."
As I walked this section last year, I can tell you that Hadrian's Wall, of which the tree was part of, is a very well known historical site. (and A Unesco World Heritage Site). There is a footpath alongside, and hundreds must walk the entire path each year; it seemed to me to be hundreds on the day I was there.
The tree was situated in a dip, and yes, a gap in the wall, known as Sycamore Gap for a reason.

Another poster up thread has advised there are also exclusively sex offender prisons so it's a mixture.

You are correct. I did prison medical for 7 years. They have their own wings in normal prisons.

Given the lack of prison places, they'll go wherever there is space.

Well, thats where we differ, i don't think Criminal damage to a tree & a dry stone wall is at the "highest level" and certainly not deserving of a 4 year sentence.

It is at the highest level of stupidity though, especially if you go boasting about it on FB and send text messages to each other - maybe jail them for that?

Can’t believe we’re now at the point where posters are suggesting sentencing guidelines ought to be revised downwards to align with society’s values. Some values and some society where we’re arguing for leniency for destroying values things.

There are quite a lot of us who make up society who are more than happy that there are penalties and deterrents against this kind of thing, actually. This wasn’t a bit of minor damage committed spur of the moment - it was the carefully planned destruction of something known to be important to many people. Maybe the fact they didn’t just get a slap on the wrist will tell future vandals that actually you can’t just go around unilaterally deciding to make everyone’s environment worse and get away with it.

Had Robin Hood not been filmed there, no one would have even heard of the place.

It was world famous long before the film was made and beloved by thousands of people who have never seen it. I’m one of them.

Why criminal damage is a serious crime and should at the highest level carry a prison sentence

as I said earlier we have 4 categories of prisons they are unlikely to be taking the place of a violent offender

Had Robin Hood not been filmed there, no one would have even heard of the place.
Its hardly the Pyramids is it? The wall suffered minimal damage, its a very small dry stone wall, the type of which is found all over many landscapes around the UK.

No one is saying they shouldn't be punished either.

But imho prison should only be for the most serious of offences, in itself, felling a tree, with a TPO, is a finable offence, up to £15k.

I think a 2 year community order with a large fine, working for the NT would have been a better punishment, done them a lot of good and saved the tax payer too, these men are apparently skilled tree surgeons, their skill set should be used for the benefit of the NT and the countryside, whilst also providing a suitable punishment.

BTW if the sentencing guidelines prevent this, maybe they need to be changed?

@Gloriia because the news is biased, the sentencing sets it out clearly and based on this very few actually know how the legislature/parliament/government/judiciary works and statute and common law interaction - which is why I don’t have issue with 16 years old voting

'Yeah but I doubt most people, who take the time to inform themselves a little, really think that doing tens of thousands worth of property damage, purely because they revel in pissing people off, should get community service'

We're all informed, it's been reported on the news. We don't have to read court transcripts to have an opinion.

People get suspended sentences, fines and community hours for far worse than property damage. We all know this. I've no idea why some are being so disingenuous.

But what can the judge do but follow the statutory guidelines? Criminal Damage was common law but was set out in legislation in 1971?

There is an argument maybe that the damage level of £5000 between summary and indictable offence should be raised (not sure when it last was) but even so the damage here would always be an indictable offence.

Judges have to follow legislation - the rules of interpretation of the law which allows some flexibility

Yeah but I doubt most people, who take the time to inform themselves a little, really think that doing tens of thousands worth of property damage, purely because they revel in pissing people off, should get community service.

Personally, given the amount of "pranksters" who revel at the prospect of "internet fame", I think there's a lot to be said for a harsher sentence than if it were damage to somebody's house. Give scumbags like these a slap on the wrist and you'll end up with all sorts of landmarks getting trashed.

Nope, not convicted, nor prosecuted. He was successfully sued for damages. Also, it was in Ireland, so different legal system.

Conor McGregor. Convicted rapi&t. 0 prison time.

Informed by discussion such as this

the point being that not knowing the details of the sentencing guidelines doesn’t really matter in terms of looking at people’s views on what they should be

Yes by Parliamentp