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Original poster

Gary Glitter freed “automatically”!!

93 replies

Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 12:38

What is this all about, now?

BBC article about Gary Glitter being released from prison today.

It states in the article that he was sentenced to 16 years, but has now been freed “automatically” after serving half that?!?

What on earth is the point of the sentence if it is “automatically” halved?!?!

I don’t understand this, and I’m also wondering how many other child sex offenders this applies to that maybe don’t get the same level of publicity as Gary Glitter.

Gary Glitter freed “automatically”!!
OP posts:
Greydogs123 · 03/02/2023 12:41

I just read that and thought the same. What’s the point of a sentence of a certain length?

TeaStory · 03/02/2023 12:42

Yes that’s how it works. The first half of the sentence is served inside a prison, the second half is served on probation.

www.gov.uk/leaving-prison

TeaStory · 03/02/2023 12:42

He’s not “free”, he’s still serving his sentence, he’s just not inside a prison any more.

Lockheart · 03/02/2023 12:43

He is still serving the sentence. He is on licence. A sentence doesn't necessarily end once you leave prison.

TallulahBetty · 03/02/2023 12:44

This is standard, sadly, if they 'behave'. Half served in prison, half on probation.

Quveas · 03/02/2023 12:44

It had nothing to do with him or sex offences. Unless there is bad behaviour in prison or life sentences, all prisoners are automatically released on to parole part way through their sentence. The remaining time is served on parole and subject to recall immediately if they break the terms or reoffend.

Mrsjayy · 03/02/2023 12:45

TeaStory · 03/02/2023 12:42

Yes that’s how it works. The first half of the sentence is served inside a prison, the second half is served on probation.

www.gov.uk/leaving-prison

I was just about to say this, he will be on probation maybe on a tag with all restrictions on him.

JennyDarlingRIP · 03/02/2023 12:46

You really don't even know the basics of the criminal justice system? He will be on licence under supervision and restrictions for the rest of his sentence, if he breaks any of those conditions he will be returned to custody until the parole board decides to release him again. He will also be subject to sex offender registration with further restrictions and police monitoring/supervision

ApolloandDaphne · 03/02/2023 12:47

That is how it is for most prisoners. We only know about Glitter as he is a high profile prisoner. There are many, arguably more dangerous, prisoners released on this basis every day.

SirChenjins · 03/02/2023 12:49

Yes it’s the way it works - and it means that only after another victim is subjected to whatever prisoners decide to do on licence (as we all know happens) are they put back in prison. The safest thing for the rest of the population would be to keep them inside for their whole term but of course, money and rights.

MajorCarolDanvers · 03/02/2023 12:51

That is how sentencing works.

Original poster
Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 12:59

So all sentences are automatically half what we hear the judge quote? Without even a parole hearing?

Jesus

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 03/02/2023 13:01

I don't think it's automatic either nobody said that .

EmmaEmerald · 03/02/2023 13:02

Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 12:59

So all sentences are automatically half what we hear the judge quote? Without even a parole hearing?

Jesus

Sort of, yes. It’s mad.

FuckabethFuckor · 03/02/2023 13:06

Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 12:59

So all sentences are automatically half what we hear the judge quote? Without even a parole hearing?

Jesus

Well not exactly. Being in prison is only part of the sentence; being on licence is another part of it.

Look; am I delighted that Gadd is out again? No, not really. But as regards the broader principles of the justice system in the UK, it's working the way it was set up.

Part of the rehabilitative aspect of imprisonment is a kind of 'deal'; if you behave and fulfil certain other criteria, you get let out partway through your sentence and serve the rest of it in the community. There are sound psychological principles behind this; it gives prisoners something to lose (or something to gain) which helps with rehab programmes.

It also — and this is important — is safer for prison staff because when you've got inmates working with the system they're less likely to go 'fuck it' and assault prison officers (or each other) because they feel like they've got nothing to lose.

adulthumanfemalemum · 03/02/2023 13:10

Yes, absolutely standard, unfortunately. In fact the judges I hear giving sentences frequently say "you will be released after serving UP TO half" so I think they can get out even earlier for good behaviour. Prisons are overcrowded and judges are under pressure to not send too many away for too long. In a lot of cases of career criminals it's obvious they will go back to offending as soon as they are released and a lot couldn't give a shit about their licence conditions. If they get caught again the extra added onto the sentence for having been on licence is minimal. And presumably most criminals are risk-takers who assume (often correctly) they will get away with it.

We have a local paedophile who is out on licence. He lives next door to a scout hut but presumably the authorities don't have any power to make him move house even though his crimes were against young boys. People keep chucking bricks through his windows, obviously in the hope they'll make him move away.

TeaStory · 03/02/2023 13:11

Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 12:59

So all sentences are automatically half what we hear the judge quote? Without even a parole hearing?

Jesus

No. The sentence is not halved. The whole sentence is served - half inside prison and half outside.

plumduck · 03/02/2023 13:12

At least they warned us he was out I guess

plumduck · 03/02/2023 13:13

adulthumanfemalemum · 03/02/2023 13:10

Yes, absolutely standard, unfortunately. In fact the judges I hear giving sentences frequently say "you will be released after serving UP TO half" so I think they can get out even earlier for good behaviour. Prisons are overcrowded and judges are under pressure to not send too many away for too long. In a lot of cases of career criminals it's obvious they will go back to offending as soon as they are released and a lot couldn't give a shit about their licence conditions. If they get caught again the extra added onto the sentence for having been on licence is minimal. And presumably most criminals are risk-takers who assume (often correctly) they will get away with it.

We have a local paedophile who is out on licence. He lives next door to a scout hut but presumably the authorities don't have any power to make him move house even though his crimes were against young boys. People keep chucking bricks through his windows, obviously in the hope they'll make him move away.

He lives next to a scout hut?! How is that allowed?

Survey99 · 03/02/2023 13:16

Surprised it has taken Gary Glitters to make anyone aware of probation..

Have you never heard of tags, curfews, sex offenders register and restrictions?? These obviously don't happen after the sentence is fully served and they are free to go, they are part of the sentence.

Original poster
Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 13:19

FuckabethFuckor · 03/02/2023 13:06

Well not exactly. Being in prison is only part of the sentence; being on licence is another part of it.

Look; am I delighted that Gadd is out again? No, not really. But as regards the broader principles of the justice system in the UK, it's working the way it was set up.

Part of the rehabilitative aspect of imprisonment is a kind of 'deal'; if you behave and fulfil certain other criteria, you get let out partway through your sentence and serve the rest of it in the community. There are sound psychological principles behind this; it gives prisoners something to lose (or something to gain) which helps with rehab programmes.

It also — and this is important — is safer for prison staff because when you've got inmates working with the system they're less likely to go 'fuck it' and assault prison officers (or each other) because they feel like they've got nothing to lose.

Show quote history

I see.

I appreciated the rehabilitation element, but silly me thought that being released on licence came after the sentence was served, and that being released early was subject to parole.

Obviously not.

And to think that some of the woefully inadequate sentences we hear of in the press are not even what we hear quoted 😞

OP posts:
Ppq · 03/02/2023 13:20

Sexual offenders should serve all of their sentence. End.

Theunamedcat · 03/02/2023 13:21

plumduck · 03/02/2023 13:13

He lives next to a scout hut?! How is that allowed?

Show quote history

Honestly it shouldn't be but in my area we have paedophiles housed in flats (which is fine) however to the left of the flats is a park to the right is a primary school round the corner are two more schools and at the back there are some handy scrubland and fields one if his friends had previously used to offend so yeah not good plus obviously there were parents with young children in those flats but as they said where else can they house them?

stayathomegardener · 03/02/2023 13:21

I thought he was dead.

Original poster
Sep200024 · 03/02/2023 13:22

And anyway, fucking 8 years for multiple rapes and attacks of such young children.

Makes me cry.

OP posts: