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.

YABU

His actions could have killed someone, clearly. They were beyond stupid.

YANBU to suggest that other crimes are not suitably punished though.

Yabu. he'll be in for half that.

He threw the extinguisher with no regard for whether someone was killed. The outcome is irrelevant IMO

No sympathy whatsoever.

We don't need such people to 'improve' themselves through university - hopefully he can reflect on how he has royally f*cked his life up, both now in jail and later on, when he's flipping burgers...

Exactly how/why was throwing an extremely heavy object into a crowd a crucial part of "sticking up for his rights"??

"He tried to stick up for his rights and future and it is a further insult that they will do this to him"

right.. so throwing a lethal weapon at innocent people is a good way to go about sticking up for your rights is it? sheesh...[hmmm]

If this had happened in Brixton during the riots with the police would you have had the same view?

I do feel sorry for him. I'm sure it was a moment of madness. I still think 16 months is appropriate.

Of course it was stupid, reckless, dangerous - all the things you have pointed out.

but nothing actually happened.

On tiny moment in this boys life and it seems pretty much ruined.

"He tried to stick up for his rights and future and it is a further insult that they will do this to him."

Oh FFS, since when does throwing a heavy object from a tall building into a crowded area equal "sticking up for your rights"??

Walking along with a placard, chanting, is sticking up for your rights, what he did is thuggery fucking stupid.

18 is cooked enough to know heavy objects thrown from roofs kill!

The fact he got lucky and didn't harm someone is irrelevant he knew he could have. If I throw a baby from a roof and it lands on an awning unscathed- lucky me but I still deserve to go to jail for being a cunt.

If he had shot a gun in to the air knowing the bullet could land anywhere would that be OK too?

"He didn't kill anyone though did he?

How about we sentence everyone on the basis of what "could have happened", instead of what actually happened. Doesn't really make sense does it?!"

But that's not what's happening here. If they were sentencing him on the basis of what could have happened then he'd have received a sentence for murder.
He's been sentenced on the basis of what did happen. In that he intentionally threw a potentially deadly missile at police officers either with the intention of seriously injuring or killing one of the officers or civillians below or being reckless to the fact that he may do so.

Spot on. Seems to me that just because they're students fighting for a 'cause', we should let them do anything in the name of demonstration. AS others have said, put any other person in their place and suddenly the punishment fits. Strange that.

And I am never convinced by the argument that X is too long because so and so only got 6 months for Y. Then the penalty for Y needs to be looked at.

I think its about right - it was sheer dumb luck that no one was killed. On the point about drink drivers killing someone and getting less, you are absolutely right and it is utterly insane. They should never see the light of day again.

In relative terms, when sentences for violent criminals who have actually hurt someone seem ridiculously lenient, then yes I think his sentence is harsh. He was an idiot, but people have had lesser jail time for much more violent offences.

"He didn't kill anyone though did he?

How about we sentence everyone on the basis of what "could have happened", instead of what actually happened. Doesn't really make sense does it?!"

Nancy - so by your reckoning we could legalise drink driving unless you ACTUALLY kill someone right? Laws exist to protect people as well as punish those who do ACTUALLY injure someone.

i dont so much think HIS sentence is too long. its more that other peoples sentences are too short! so yeah i do think its too long but only im compariosn to what people get for other crimes.

He was stupid could have easily killed people with his actions, it could have easily ended with him on a manslaughter charge.

I think we need to see more proper sentences like this being given out, like pp said it's the case others seem to get of lightly rather than this being harsh imo

I know this was one moment of his life... but its one moment a normal person would never have.

Has anyone on this thread ever been annoyed enough about something to risk killing people? I know I haven't. I would have to be pretty fuckign scared or hate someone for a very fucking good reason to suddenly feel homicidal. Not annoyed I have to pay more for uni!

I don't feel sorry for him, he was an idiot.

What sort of message does it send if the judge says 'oh he is only 18 and it was a moment of madness'?

There is a right to peaceful protest in this country, not the right to behave as you wish under the banner of 'sticking up for your rights'.

It is sad that it will mark him for life, but he's bloody lucky not to have to live with the fact that he killed someone.

If I fired a bullet into a crowd would I be less reckless if it managed, through sheer fluke, not to hit anyone?

I've decided it's low-level cuintishness that bothers me - you know those little shits going around putting dog poo through people's letter box, intimidating elderly people and stealing phones from young children, destroying phone boxes/graffiting.

there's INTENT behind all that asbo stuff, nasty,sneaky intent.

There seems no intent behind this, just seems like one very stupid thing he did with (thankfully) no one hurt.

Attacking an officer in the course of their duty will always get you a higher penalty.

He threw a fire extinguisher at a bunch of people- dads uncles sons husbands-police men. He didn't care if he hit them-and why else would you lob something like that at them.

That is how this youth decided that the elected governments policies should be defeated, through violence and missiles.
He may not like it but it was voted in by the majority of MPs who had been voted in by the majority of people.
I didn't like the three terms of Labour Government I didn't take to attacking officers of the law to get my point across.

Apologies if it is mentioned somewhere else, but has it been reported anywhere WHY he says he threw it from the roof?

If it wasn't to cause serious injury or harm to someone below (which could still very easily have happened even were that not his intention) then what other even vaguely likely reason has he offered?

And bear in mind it DID land only a few feet from some of the people below.

Yanbu

It was a very very stupid thing to do but he confessed and noone was actually killed. He should be punished but really that seems excessive.

At the risk of being jumped on I wonder whether he would have got such a stiff sentence if it hadn't been Conservative Party headquarters he'd thrown it off?

I agree with you about the ridiculously low level sentences handed out for lots of nasty anti social behaviour, and the way drunk drivers who kill/seriously injure are dealt with is pathetic.

I disagree that there was no intent. You don't lob a fire extinguisher into a crowd thinking "well, what's the harm?" He knew it could have exploded or hit someone - that's intent.