PC Harper killers sentenced

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

16 year and 13 year sentences.

I doubt they would have got much more if the murder charge had been successful.

I am glad to see the judge wasn’t convinced by their arguments.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46544144

@LakieLady

Tbh, I expected life, at least for the driver.

However, I've just looked up the sentencing guidelines www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/crown-court/item/gross-negligence-manslaughter/

and it's only 2 years below the maximum for the driver.

So, even if he'd got a life sentence, the tariff would probably only have been 16 years anyway.

Just glancing at the sentencing remarks, it wasn't gross negligence manslaughter but the (more standard unlawful act) manslaughter.

Here are the guidelines for that too

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Manslaughter-definitive-guideline-Web.pdf

I don't think they were good sentences. No where long enough. If that is the toughest sentence the Judge could give then the law is a joke.

If they served the whole amount of time that would not be so bad but they will likely be out in 8 years. Thats an insult to the PC and his family.

I really hope they have a tough time in prison but doubt they will as more than likely by killing a policeman they will be heroes in many of the prisoners' eyes

Well it wasn’t murder and that’s the point. Special needs and age were taken into consideration. Sentences are never enough for the bereaved which is understandable.

The court of public opinion always favours life sentences. Fortunately our sentencing has to follow laid down rules. We cannot have justice based on what relatives want or even what posters want. Some sentences are reduced when they are too long.

But they were not convicted of murder.

The Crown Prosecution Service could not meet the threshold for murder. This is what happened. It was not the jury.

@diggadoo
The whole life starting point only applies if the offender was over 21.

I have to confess that being the cynical old fucker that I am I rarely get riled by bad news stories but the manslaughter verdict genuinely angered me. Reading the fact that PC Harper was found by his colleagues with nothing but his socks on and pretty much skinned alive and unrecognisable after being dragged for a mile down a country lane has repulsed me. Watching these knackers smirk and play up to the cameras makes me wish an unpleasant ending in prison for them.

Utter utter c*nts

They'll come out bigger, nastier and more adept at being criminals.

And only in their 30's.

Also they'll have the kudos of being cop killers.

Not really great justice is it.

@DillonPanthersTexas I'd like them to be beaten to a pulp in prison and experience just a little of the pain and fear the PC must have felt. Doubt it will happen but I live in hope.

Why should their violence result in more violence. That’s abhorrent.

There wasn’t a manslaughter verdict as opposed to a murder verdict. The CPS couldn’t go to court with a murder prosecution because the minimum thresholds were not met. Why don’t you all read up about the case before posting! The jury was never asked to consider it murder. The CPS couldn’t go to court with it as a murder case.

They were acquitted of murder. It was only one party where the CPS didn’t pursue it.

It doesn’t feel enough. If that is the maximum that the judge was able to give(bearing in mind they might appeal if he went for longer sentences) then perhaps that needs looking at. They dragged a police offer to death, he was so badly injured that another officer thought his body was a deer carcass.
Those animals have shown no remorse for their crime and it is quite frightening to think they will be out of prison as young men, ready to offend again(because we all know they will). They are not people who made a mistake, they are career criminals and in my mind murderers.

Do US sentences work? Is the murder rate lower there? The answer is clearly no.

This is such a weak argument.

The person locked up can't kill anyone unless it's another prisoner, nor can a burglar screw over any more houses.

Why do people put such emphasis on rehabilitation or deterrent?
Who cares?

As soon as a person proves time and time again they're a habitual criminal they should just be lifed off, not released to make more people's lives a misery.
Fuck em.

They are absolute scum! I hope they mess with the wrong person inside and get taught a harsh lesson! The awful thing is that they will probably be treated like hero's in prison!

@My0My

You are wasting your time asking folk to act rationally when they've already got the pitchforks and torches out. It happens on every single one of these threads.

They could have been found guilty of murder, sent to the chair, and their corpses strung from lamp posts, and still half of Mumsnet would be gurning about it not being severe enough, the justice system being a 'joke' etc. It's the default position of unthinking, baying mobs the internet over.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX so how do you justify this as not being murder? They KNEW he was attached to the car and they still drove for over a mile at speeds of up to 60mph! That is intentional and therefore in most right thinking peoples minds it is murder!

Poor lady, how truly devastating for her and their families. There was never going to be a satisfactory outcome, it was too horrific for any sentence to be acceptable. She also has the added pressure that the community involved are very intimidating and she has that to worry about too.

@wewillmeetagain
The jury heard the evidence, they had the law explained to them and the acquitted them of murder.

They will be out of prison, ready to offend again with absolute impunity, with the added 'kudos' of being cop killers. I can't actually read what they have done in full as I don't think l would sleep at night with the worry for the emergency service workers in mine and others families.

@My0My the charge WAS murder but the jury found them not guilty of that only manslaughter.

Maybe you should read up on the case properly!

@XDownwiththissortofthingX can you honesty blame people for being angry with such short sentences. If your husband or son had been murdered (and yes it was murder) in such a brutal and shocking way would you think the sentences were fair?

They are likely to be out in 8 years time. That is disgusting. They will still be young with their lives ahead of them. Lives no doubt that will be filled with more stealing and total disregard for the law.

They are total scum as are their families. People that live near them know of the trouble the families cause and, on the whole, they get away with it.

The driver has to serve 10 years 8 months before being considered for parole.

They all have to serve a minimum of 2/3s

The two passengers have learning difficulties, they are all poorly educated and the judge described them as unintelligent. I doubt they will come out as model citizens but they won’t be master criminals either.