To think that only 3 and a half years for this is beyond belief

[SherbetVodka]

I just read this news article [WARNING FROM MNHQ: upsetting content] and cannot BELIEVE that the evil little shit that did this has only got 3 1/2 years. Some people get more than this for ABH for fucks sake

Even if it was genuinely manslaughter as opposed to murder, surely he could serve a few more years for what was clearly a sadistic, disgusting crime. He will probably not even have to serve the whole of his sentence and the message he and people like him will have got from the courts is that you can terrorise and torture someone with learning disabilities, even kill them and you'll only have to do a couple of years inside at most :(

I just can't believe this. It's such a sad story, the poor young man who was killed had autism and a speech impediment and had already been forced to move home because of bullying and was very vulnerable by the sound of it. All he wanted to do was celebrate his birthday like any other 18 year old. He was doing no harm to anyone. How can people be this cruel?

I am slightly speechless about this. I am not in favour in any sense of punishment being a part of the way we deal with criminals but I cannot imagine this person will be safe to release into the community within 3.5 years and I absolutely cannot believe the downgrading of the deterrent for killing a person with a disability with respect to one without. Hate crimes are different because there is a lot more work to do to rehabilitate the criminal. That surely necessitates a longer sentence.

I've just emailed the AG asking for a review as an Unduly Lenient sentence.

I'm from the local area and I think I might have known Steven. Well I think I might, there was a lad who looked very like him who used to chat to a lot of people locally and I haven't seen him for a while. But I hadn't heard this has happened until it was reported in the mail today. It's incredibly sad.

And to the person who said he has the 'life sentence' of everyone in his home town knowing he's a homophobe. It's Barnsley, not Islington you fool. He's hardly going to be tarred and feathered for that in a pit town. I would say it is, if not the norm a view held by a sizeable minority.

Ive posted the thread below in chat also in SNs.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/a1714403-Please-can-people-consider-writing-emailing-the-attorney-general-and-asking-him-to-review-the-sentence-for-the-man-that-killed-Steven-Simpson#37989466

I posted a direct plea for people to request a review as it may be missed within another thread IYSWIM?

Hope you don't mind me linking it Sherbet?

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UPDATE
I've had a reply from the AG's office. They are requesting more information from the CPS so the Law Officers can decide if it should be referred to the Court of Appeal as being unduly lenient.

Its still worth emailing / writing even though the process has now been started and will be asssessed on legal grounds. Its important that aggrevating factors that are indicative of a hate crime are taken seriously.

www.gov.uk/complain-about-low-crown-court-sentence

I got that reply too Chaz, but yes, the more requests the better, if they see huge public outrage, it has to help surely?

Definately worth emailing because I think it might focus minds on issues wider than this case i.e. how are these types of hate crimes dealt with. Perhaps the guidence to Judges needs to be looked at.

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Amber, of course I don't mind. The more people who know about this and hopefully contact the attorney general about it the better.

I'm surprised there's been so little about what happened to Steven Simpson in the media, it only seems to be the tabloids who are covering it at all :(

Thanks Sherbet.

I don't watch TV, has it not been covered on national or regional news reports? does anyone know?

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Presumably it's been on the BBC news as it was on their website but I'm really surprised that there's been nothing about it in the guardian or independent or telegraph.

I have written to the attorney general about this.

As the sister of a gay man and the mother of a daughter with SN this makes me sad and angry in equal measure.

www.gov.uk/complain-about-low-crown-court-sentence

bumping up for the evening crowd

I saw this on BBC website yesterday and after reading what happened to Steven I was really shocked that the sentence was only 3 and a half years. I've just emailed the attorney general and have particularly mentioned that there are features suggestive of a hate crime. I hope he will ask for a review of the sentence.

For murder there has to be intent to kill or cause Gbh. I am very surprised that setting fire to someone was not held to be intention to cause Gbh. But even for manslaughter there can be a life sentence, it just isn't mandatory. I agree, way too low.

I agree! It is utterly incredible that such a horrific crime brought him less time in jail than if he had burgled a house or stolen a car.

I do not know what that judge was thinking!!!!

:(

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There's a short paragraph in The Metro (Friday's edition) on p7.
Selective quotation:
' ....Mr Simpson was bullied and taunted about his disability and his sexuality, and made to dance naked at the party, jurors heard. He suffered serious burns....and died two days later.
His disability and sexuality were used as weapons against him'

No mention of horseplay or pranks, the Metro has been more analytical and honest than the judge.

That's disgusting. Just finished reading the comments, Amber if you want to promote what about using change.org to make a petition?

That Metro article is good.

I will look into that Mia, thanks.