AIBU to think this man should have got a prison sentence for assault with a knife against someone who offended his religion?

You do that.

Meanwhile I continue to maintain this is a joke sentence, from a joke justice system and will do nothing to deter the next person whose feelz have been damaged.

Broadly, if you accept that the justice system is all about justice (and that is obviously probably not true, but we have to play the game) then sentencing should serve 3 aims.

1. A demonstration of societies disapproval of the crime. Retribution

In this case, not jailing a person for waving a weapon around clearly signals that this is "no biggle" in the scale of things.

2. An opportunity fore offender to realise they have transgressed, and guide their future behaviour - Rehabilitation

Well in this case the offender has been told "it's no biggie" so has no incentive not to repeat the crime.

3. Protection of the public from those individuals who have clearly demonstrated they are dangerous. Protection

The only reason I am protected here, is geographical separation. If I lived in London I would be less comfortable.

The sum of those three principles then server to deliver individual justice to the victims as the only power within the states gift.

If "sentencing guidelines" allow someone who waves a weapon around in public to walk the streets, then they are fucked up and need immediate correction.

Everyone is a saint, right up till the moment they aren't. And I am not prepared to gamble with the lives of innocent men, women and children in the name of some namby-pamby pseudo liberal idea of "fairness".

You may well be right, but the question is (for the legal beagles here) was a charge of common asssault appropriate given what we saw on CCTV?

You needed to compare how other similar cases are sentenced before assuming that this case was unfairly decided. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that cases of common assault don’t get a custodial sentence for a first offence.

Its hypocrisy as well. The Quaran says not to murder. I know the guy isnt dead but someone doesnt stab someone else if they want them to live.

He seriously injured the man's hand. It should have been attempted murder.

We need to build more prisons I think.

It's maybe worth reading the sentencing remarks.(I've tried to post a link but failed, Googling :Rex v Kadri sentencing remarks" or similar should find it.

Sentenced for possession of a bladed article in a public place, and common assault ( why those charges, well CPS decision I guess).

Lots of comments from the judge about potential seriousness of the crime and an observation that Kadri sought to mislead investigators (incorrect info provided about the knife) but also lots of glowing comments about his "hitherto exemplary chatacter" and his good works, especially with regard to charities....

Does sound someone or several someones put in a good word for Mr Kadri.

Actually that's a point. I wonder if the judge didn't dare impose prison. I bet the knife wielding lunatic is now a hero in parts of his community. This 'religion of peace' has got a terrible record of murder, violence and intimidation.

Burning a Quran is something that all good people (including all good muslims) should do every single day of their lives until anti-free speech / anti-freedom of expression authoritarians and extremists finally learn that in this country we love free speech and free expression.

Then once the message is fully understood I would advocate for showing respect and stopping the daily burning of the Quran.

He pulled a knife and walked free? That’s terrifying.

i do hope the judge wasn’t feeling intimidated.

To some a book is more important that a person, so hurt the book means hurt the person.

Yes but also some are fucking idiots.

YANBU at all. It's disgusting that he's free to go smugly about his business, when there's clear video evidence that he went after someone with a knife. What a pathetic system to let him get away with it. I don't give a shit if someone hasn't had a history of violent behaviour until now. So what?

You'd think so.

To some a book is more important that a person, so hurt the book means hurt the person.

It’s grotesque he didn’t get a custodial sentence.

Two tier justice.

Rubbish!
I reserve the right to burn (assuming in a legally allowed fire) rip up, piss on draw cock and balls on the pages or do whatever I want to any book I own. I should also be free to ridicule any religion I want. And I am free to do all this without (very well founded) fear for my life, to every religion except one.

Like some MNettes who are terrified of being invited to a religious service to the extent of "being offended".

Let's use him then. He's a twat. He's one of those atheists who makes atheism into a religion, which is spectacularly missing the point.

Dawkins seems to get quite offended as an atheist.

If you want to get philosophical about it, the fundamental difference between Islam and Christianity, is that Christianity itself acknowledges there is such a thing as a secular world.

Admittedly the various churches did their best to hide that, but it's there in the Bible. "Give unto Caesar that which is Caesers".

Islam has no such concept. It isn't a religion. It's the beginning and the end (sound familiar).

So we in the christian framed west can separate religion and law.

This is probably a gross oversimplification, but as far as my small mind can go.

But whilst we can discuss this all day, I still say people waving knives around in public should be locked up so the rest of us who don't carry knives can go about our lawful business in peace.

It's getting to the stage where pictures of Allah need to be plastered absolutely every where and burning the Quran is done regularly. Not for the sake of provocation, but to normalise it so that crimes like this don't happen

That would be fine if we then also plastered images that were blasphemous to all other faiths and burned their holy books. Normalisation has to be across all faiths and preferably also none. I'm sure some clever person can come up with something that would offend all atheists - I'm willing to be a guineapig.

It’s baffling and worrying

burning your own property shouldnt be a crime regardless of who it offends. Threatening someone with a knife IS a crime and he should have done time. Islamist nutters are a danger to society.

and the government are still pushing ahead with their Islamophobia definition which will only drive more wedges

Criticising Islam, burning the Quran is becoming something people are terrified to do.

It is completely at odds with Western society and western social and cultural norms.

You wouldn't expect to parade around Mecca in a bikini whilst eating a bacon sarnie.

If immigration in this country is to work, then immigrants need to integrate and adopt British liberal ideals.

It's getting to the stage where pictures of Allah need to be plastered absolutely every where and burning the Quran is done regularly. Not for the sake of provocation, but to normalise it so that crimes like this don't happen

But what does respect mean in practice? Not allowed to criticise or parody?

I give no fucks about what a person may have been lawfully doing.

And, to be honest, I still have few fucks to give if they were not physically attacking someone.

The bottom line has to be that no one. Not you, Not me. Not little Amy down the road. None of us has any right to wave weapons around in public. There our freedoms end.

And anyone who does wave weapons around goes to jail with no excuse.

It's hard to believe, given current news stories that this view seems in any way controversial.

OK. so that's how things are.

I still want anyone who waves a weapon around in public behind bars. I don't think we should be waiting until someone is injured or killed to do it.

If that makes me a bit odd then fucking bring it on. I'll be as odd as I fucking like with my irrational dislike of weaponry in public. Lah-di-dah as it may seem.