To feel sorry for (and think the punishment is too long) for the 18 year old who threw the fire extinguisher in the protests

[LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake]

2 years, 8 months in jail

here

That's a looooong time. Is the reasoning supposed to be that it's a deterrent?

There are people with asbo's who cause no end of trouble and don't get sentences like this.

upahill, so you must think that the 2 years and 3 months was an appropriate sentence then?

And thats why the prick with fire extinguisher should get less right?

Because otherwise you aren't making any sense.

Really Boffin? I think he's a bit of a twat and a stupid one.. I don't see him coming out of a young offenders prision as a master criminal. Giving him a bit too much credit there.

Generally I think that our imprisonment system is flawed; sentences are too light and don't seem to prevent reoffending but I agree that the sentence for this 18 year old is too harsh.

I wouldn't have given him a prison sentence; if ever there was a genuine 'moment of madness' it was this. He got caught up in the moment, his first trip and he was probably egged on - either by his peers or his own silly attempt to be a 'hero' to the protest.

He was extremely lucky that he didn't kill somebody with that missile, but he didn't intend to do that.

I feel sorry for him actually, apart from his fabulous Mum who made him turn himself in and has stood by him ever since, he has spectacularly screwed up his life and any future job potential that he had. :(

boffin So he shouldn't be locked up for attempting to hurt/kill people just in case he learns things in prison?

"He was extremely lucky that he didn't kill somebody with that missile, but he didn't intend to do that."

So what was he doing when he threw it directly at a crowd?

KalokiMallow... he was being a complete Arse. There's no defense for his stupid and reckless behaviour. I don't think he intended to kill somebody, in the same way that somebody who drinks and drives doesn't intend to kill somebody, I suppose - if and when it happens they're completely dumbfounded and broken, but up to that point - no cognitive responsibility taken.

I just saw a first time visitor to the city, first time protester and wondered how popular he was in school... not just because of his looks but in the way his school fellows were talking about him. Those are just my gut feelings, it doesn't take away that what he did was completely wrong - and he's being punished for it.

themildmanneredjanitor If he had aimed a gun at the crowd, but missed by sheer luck, would you have said the sentence was too harsh?

What is the difference between a bullet and a heavy object aimed at someone, they are both weapons.

What do you think he intended when he threw the extinguisher at peoples heads?

Theevildeed
What I think is that the lad with the fire extinguisher got what was coming to him.

However the thug that attacks his partner while she is breastfeeding with a screw driver and brain damages his baby who as a result will die before he gets to be an adult gets less than an idiot who potential could have hurt someone but didn't gets a longer sentence.

I don't get it
That is what I was trying to say albeit not very well.

themildmanneredjanitor

Everyone in the world and their mum saw him on the telly. He was going down, he is fairly "unique" looking. He helped himself by making it look like he turned himself in.

OK sorry, there have been many people on this thread who have said because other people have shorter sentences that this guy should have got less sorry for misunderstanding,

I would also like to see stiffer penalties for bastards.

imagining a wonderworld where TheEvilDead2 rules with an iron fist

upahill - you're right, the man who attacked his partner should have gotten longer. That doesn't mean this guy shouldn't have gotten the sentance he did though.

the sentence is OTT IMO

light sentences are a constant source of the public disgust and quite rightly too.My son was randomly attacked last yr and had his jaw broken.The bloke was army and was arrested but as there were no independent witness and no cctv the guy got off.My ds has cp and kidney failure btw.
The fact is we should be campainging for stiffer sentences not defending yobs who get their come uppance,have you actually see the footage and how close he came to ending a few lives?It shocks me everytime i see it.

"He helped himself by making it look like he turned himself in."

Exactly.
Even the interview with his mum, in her own words, says that he only owned up once he'd been recognised by a family member off the footage and then was convinced by his mum to hand himself in.
But we're expected to feel sorry because he spent a few sleepless nights racked with guilt before he turned himself in because his mum raised him to do the right thing?
Bollox.he had a few sleepless nights shitting himself cause he knew he was fucked and caught on tv and then turned himself in because he and his mum knew that it would help his case if he did so rather than being arrested on warrant.

Why macmama?

Yes, you are being unreasonable. The thugs who 'demonstrated' deserve severe punishment.

[holds onto Eldritchcleavage and weeps in gratitude for sensible, articulate post]

Same reasons as others ? he was an idiot caught up in the heat of the moment but he has been made an example of by the courts and the media, he was/is young and was riled up, many people who do far more vile things get more lenient sentences etc etc etc.

I suspect he is not a menace to society and a shorter sentence would have achieved the same but the powers that be wanted to send a message to future demonstraters.

I know others disagree but that?s my view.

I work in a university and many of my students were on that march. By and large they are furious with this lad and the general air has been "Well, what did he expect?"

They are, rightly, very annoyed that their legitimate protest has been overshadowed by the destruction and violence and especially the truly dangerous fire extinguisher throwing event. They feel his actions allowed the police to justify their increasingly provocative tactics and more than a few who were caught in the Westminster Bridge kettle when trying to peacefully leave the second protest were quite happy with the sentence.

"They feel his actions allowed the police to justify their increasingly provocative tactics"

if it wasn't this guy it would just be somebody else.

But sure he was obviously going to get a sentence he was an idiot.

From a BBC news report "The maximum sentence that can be given for the offence is five years in prison."

macmama : "sentence is OTT IMO"

He's lucky he didn't get 3 or 4 years. Would you like to have been anywhere near the landing site of that fire extinguisher ? Do you think you'd still believe it was OTT if you had been 7 floors down and it was within 15 feet of you ?

He was an idiot I agree with that just think the sentence was long. Sorry for disagreeing!

I guess he will only do half anyway.