Rape decriminalised in Scotland

Yes and something about 'high jinks' probably.

I agree with what you have written and certainly think that several cases of sexual assault, including against an under 16 should warrant prison.

Especially with the sheriff's comments about him not taking it seriously.

There is a presumption against short sentences for ALL offences (anything under 12 months).
If the accused does not have an extensive record, then often they do not get sent to prison

Prison is as much about rehabilitation as it is punishment.
But as I say, neither you, nor I have all the facts in this case, so it is not for us to be deciding what is an appropriate sentence.
all I am saying is that, in general terms don't think supervision is not a punishment.

But not as much of a punishment as, say, being in prison.

I'm not saying I necessarily agree with the sentence, but people don't seem to realise that supervision is still a punishment.

Supervision seems a woefully inadequate punishment for a repeat sex offender. Whose victim this time is a child.

Maybe to those of us who don't have access to full facts.

None of us heard the case and sheriff will likely have had a social work report ordered which will have informed his sentencing.

If the Crown feels it's unduly lenient they can appeal

It’s hard to tell.

but yes. ‘Theys will be theys’. Can be imposing our boring ‘cis-het norms’ on poor sex offenders.

Supervision seems a woefully inadequate punishment for a repeat sex offender. Whose victim this time is a child.

Do the sentencing guidelines just say ‘well boys will be boys’?

In this case the perpetrator is non-binary. So maybe "theys will be theys".
I'm not entirely certain what sex the 15 year old victim is, a girl identifying as male, I assume, but I can't really be certain given the way it is reported.

What I think a lot of people don't understand, even those in Scotland, is that supervision IS a punishment.

And as a sex offender he'll no doubt have conditions attached to that such as not being allowed unsupervised contact with under 16s or conditions on internet usage.

Any breach of those can see the sentence converted to one of imprisonment- especially where it's been a "direct alternative to imprisonment", as in this case.

Quite.

Surely not imposing a custodial sentence is only going to undermine any perception of the seriousness of the matter.

Do the sentencing guidelines just say ‘well boys will be boys’?

You were convicted by the jury of all three charges. You just don’t get the seriousness of this matter.

And still the judge didn't think that prison was appropriate? If he can come out with that and still not lock him up, the judge seems unfit for purpose. I wonder if this can be appealed, as an unduly lenient sentence?

We women need to seriously copy the Icelandic sex strike until this shit is sorted.

What the hell is going on in Scotland? This is outrageous

Jesus Christ what the fuck?!

women and girls are in no way safe in Scotland.

When he does it again in the US will they cover it up then too?

Another sex offender in Scotland avoiding jail:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fab9866c-218d-11ee-9b6f-7186ba87ded7?shareToken=48239dc7084d93afcc42a96bae816525

"The sheriff said: “With some hesitation I am going to allow you to remain at liberty. You were convicted by the jury of all three charges. You just don’t get the seriousness of this matter.”"

No explanation why he was not send to prison despite the Sheriff's hesitation.

He's on a 12.5 year extended licence, running concurrently with the prison sentence. That means that he'll have to be very careful on release, on threat of recall to prison.

I heard about this on the radio yesterday, I thought they'd said that he has to serve a minimum of 2/3 of the custodial - has anyone seen / heard anything about that?

9.5 years for each rape, served one after the other

He won't even serve that, if he behaves and makes tthe right noises he'll be out in less than five. At least his name and face are out there and he's got a criminal conviction.

9,5yrs is piss poor for four rapes, that should have been a 7 for each at least.

I don't know if this has previously been added to the thread. At least this one got some jail time. He's a serial rapist though.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12286097/Graduate-23-raped-four-women-jailed-just-nine-half-years.html

Doesn't matter if he makes it as a sports star, he will always be a rapist first and foremost.

How can they mis-use a legal provision intended for petty crimes in this way?

How dare they simply change the law on a whim?

Is raping now expected and protected as part of a coming of age ( up to 25)?

I thought there was supposed to be a campaign on to teach boys and young men the opposite.

(I can’t remember who ‘they’ are who are doing this law twisting. To whom can we object who has more power than they do?)

I notice one of the alleged rapists is a sports student. People like him seem much admired, including in America.