Why? Court let's Paedophile and sex pest walk, jails shoplifter :(

[fortknocks]

This is an example of the daily goings on at Dundee Sheriff Court :(

Why? Why is this ok? Why do they keep letting these filthy bastards walk free :(

Jailed for £8 worth of clothes!

I don’t know OP. I just don’t know. I can’t get into the mind of these judges at all to understand their reasoning. I just can’t.

Yep Scotland, where we used to be leaders in justice and law..... Wtf!!!

I'm just speechless. The idea that not only are the judges letting these bastards off with this; but no one is able to do anything about it. I mean it's ludicrous. Someone should be able to say 'well actually, that's not ok'

There is no protection

Is there any attempt at an explanation?

Property is more important than women. That's the message.

People possessing images of child sexual abuse need to be hammered to the fullest extent of the law and publicly shamed. They are the ones financing this horrible shit- if there was no demand, there would be no supply.

@MrsTerryPratchett some of the babies may have been male.

Because sentencing guidelines aren't high enough for sex offences (and in any event don't apply in Scotland).

I can give you the explanation for

1. No previous convictions, early guilty plea, was assessed as suitable for a community order by probation.

[Personally I think people who have indecent images of children should go to prison but the E&W sentencing guideline (which Scotland may have regard to) doesn't. The sentencing guideline is here www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/possession-of-indecent-photograph-of-child/]

2. Was found guilty of three counts of verbal assault (making sexual remarks), and two of bottom touching, so at what would be considered the very bottom (sorry) end of sexual assault. Assuming he was of previous good character, prison would be unlikely.

3. Has numerous previous convictions including for racially aggravated assault, other violence, drugs and theft, and was already on a curfew order at the time of offence: www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/man-told-to-stay-at-home-in-evenings-after-stealing-from-dundee-lidl/

www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-man-40-sent-jail-stealing-5-toiletries-home-bargains/

www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/man-jailed-for-stealing-from-dundee-lidl/

www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-store-manager-says-racist-thug-claimed-he-was-going-to-stab-my-family-while-calling-me-a-black/

www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2015/03/12/dundee-man-jailed-after-boxing-day-row/

Property is more important than women and children then Soola.

The fact is children get lumped into the same shitty category as women until they are old enough to matter.

Really, Soola? That's the comment you felt you had to make?

Pathetic.

@Bezalelle it’s not just women that are victims. Male babies are abused too.

@LauraMipsum

That's the problem though isn't it, why do we let these people walk free because it's their first offence. It almost certainly isn't the only time it's happened. If we jailed them at the first catch we would be protecting so many children. It makes me so sad that the legal system is set to protect the wrong people.

soola that’s the most breathtaking “what about the menz” I’ve ever heard.

You honestly think we only care about female babies? Jesus

I’m seeing a pattern. Maybe if he stole women’s clothes he’d be a free man today

To be fair the shoplifter has a huge history so probably wasn't the best example, it was just the contrast because it all happened today.

Is there any attempt at an explanation?

If you google UK Court Sentencing Reports there are some full sentencing reports which set out why the judge has arrived at the particular sentence. These may be helpful in understanding why some sentence lengths are what they are (or are not!).

You may not agree with them, but to answer that question, these do provide some measure of explanation.

@fortknocks yes, I know, and I agree - particularly by the time someone has 1300 images it seems absurd to say it's a "first offence." I doubt he downloaded all 1300 of them in one evening. I would support a campaign to increase sentencing guidelines for indecent images.

However until that happens, judges have to apply the guideline whether they agree with it or not.

Thank you @Al2O3