Wayne Couzens to appeal whole life tariff

[mbosnz]

Has this piece of filth no shame? Deities rot him.

*appealed

[quote LadyCampanulaTottington]@Aqua55 someone will create their own brand of justice on him if he’s free. Eye for an eye comes to mind.[/quote]
Just as likely if not more likely to happen inside the prison imo. I'm a little surprised it hasn't happened already

It might be part of a legal process which is open to him, but instead of being self serving and exploiting it, he could have chosen not to persue it.

I know it's a part of due process. I guess I find the utter lack of shame, remorse, or guilt, for some reason, beyond understanding, in this instance.

Like a PP, I guess I'm surprised that I was momentarily surprised.

The worst of a human. No shame to inflict further pain on Sarahs family. Not unexpected but just horrific.

@Sparklesocks

Admittedly better informed MNers will know more than me, but isn’t that standard process? I assume his lawyer has to show they’re doing everything they’re can as part of the job.

It won’t get overturned though.

Appeals can be brought if there are grounds to believe a sentence might have been improperly passed / excessive / the wrong sentence was handed down.

www.defence-barrister.co.uk/appealing-against-a-crown-court-sentence

There is no automatic right to have an appeal but you can request one. Note that WC has applied for an appeal, he has not yet been given one.

It will be reviewed and if there are sufficient grounds to believe that the sentence might be incorrect, then an appeal will be allowed.

This is why it's important that criminals have access to good defence barristers, despite the howls of outrage on MN and other social media that he had any defence at all.

Contrary to simple popular opinion, a defence barristers job is not to get their client off the charges and get them the minimum possible sentence. A defence barrister is there to ensure that the sentence passed is appropriate in law. The stronger their defence, the better, because it means that when it comes to appeals there is much less room for doubt.

He is doing it because he can, and because he is a total shit who probably doesn't even see what he has done wrong.

Hopefully he won't succeed. I like to think it unlikely anyway.

@Lockheart

Everyone has the right to request an appeal, it's a fairly basic part of our legal system. We can't withhold it just because we don't like someone.

I doubt he will be successful, but appealing is pretty par for the course.

I agree. And the whole life tariff is so rarely used I think it's only right that it is challenged, I hope it stands in this case though.

He was bound to because whole-life sentences are usually used for terrorists or serial killers. The trial judge did set out exactly why it was appropriate in this case but I think most lawyers could see this coming. Leave to appeal could be denied but I think it will be allowed, simply to test &, hopefully, reinforce the precedent that has been set.

I know it feels disgusting but it's just the legal system double-checking itself.

Who would pay for this appeal - presumably it involves lawyers?

It's standard practice, though it does make you wonder how delusional he must be to agree with the lawyers when they suggest it's worth a shot.

I'd hope that if it were me in that situation, I'd have enough respect for others to just leave it, to not put myself out there again. I'd want to be forgotten.

The man has shown zero remorse. The only reason he didn’t plead not guilty is because the evidence had him bang to rights. Never has he given any details about what he did, nor shown any remorse beyond getting caught. To appeal he will have to show that the judge erred in some way. It seems unlikely.

As the court said, they expected this. Seems de rigueur.

I bet he regrets pleading guilty I bet the only reason he did was in the hope of getting a life sentence.

@Westfacing

Who would pay for this appeal - presumably it involves lawyers?

The crown will pay for its own prosecution and to defend the sentence passed, as it should do, and from the defence side either WC will pay for it or it will be paid for through legal aid, as it should be.

If you're trying to imply that the state shouldn't fund these cases then I'd remind you that our justice system should not only be for those that can afford to instruct barristers privately, and whether you like it or not WC is still a citizen of this country and is entitled to proper legal representation regardless of his private financial position.

One thing worth remembering is that even if he gets permission to appeal (he may not) and even if he were to be successful on appeal (I’d be absolutely gobsmacked if he was) then he’d still end up with the longest minimum tariff they could possibly impose and he’d still likely die in prison.

@LubaLuca

It's standard practice, though it does make you wonder how delusional he must be to agree with the lawyers when they suggest it's worth a shot.

I'd hope that if it were me in that situation, I'd have enough respect for others to just leave it, to not put myself out there again. I'd want to be forgotten.

But he has nothing to lose ,I really don't think he will win his appeal ,and he probably doesn't either ,but he may as well no matter how abhorrent we feel it is .

I wish that Colin Pitchfork was still inside. He should have been given whole life for what he did.

@HeartsAndClubs

It’s standard practice.

Sarah’s family will likely have been warned that this is likely.

But even if he appeals it means nothing. He’s entitled to appeal in the same way he’s entitled to a defence, but it still won’t happen. In fact he may not even be granted leave to appeal.

This! They all appeal because they can and I guess in their eyes its worth a try but it 100% will not go anywhere.

@EscapeTheCastle

I wish that Colin Pitchfork was still inside. He should have been given whole life for what he did.

When Colin pitchfork was sentenced in the 80s, the sentencing rules were different and a whole life tariff was simply not an option open to the judge. He was handed the longest possible sentence he could have been given under the law at the time.

@Owlink you may be right, that the application will be granted so that the precedent can be tested and upheld (ie: there case of single non- terrorist-related murder of an adult given a whole life order)

However for the sake of SE's family I really hope the application is turned down. From the reporting it certainly seems the judge made a clear, unequivocal explanation of why a whole life order was justified.

@RedMarauder

appalling man feels entitled.

^This

He's seriously not thought this through. He's safer in prison than out of it.

I don't think he is that safe in prison, criminals don't exactly welcome ex coppers. This is now dawning on him, no doubt.

Whole life tariffs are reserved for the most serious cases of murder. The legislation gives some examples of what these might be, eg terrorism and serial killing but never contemplated a case of this kind where the killer exploited a position of authority. The judge decided that that factor in this case pushed the crime into the "whole life" category, but it was a novel decision in a situation which hadn't happened before so an appeal always seemed likely. The commentators I've read thought that the judge had been very thorough in his reasoning and it will probably stand up to appeal.

If you're trying to imply that the state shouldn't fund these cases then I'd remind you that our justice system should not only be for those that can afford to instruct barristers privately, and whether you like it or not WC is still a citizen of this country and is entitled to proper legal representation regardless of his private financial position.

Not at all Lockheart I was genuinely wondering if he would pay for himself as presumably he owns half his house, or the Police Federation, or from public funds.

I thought to get Legal Aid for an Appeal there had to be new evidence.

I was surprised he went for a guilty plea, there's no real sentencing incentive to do so

I reckon his appeal has some chance, unfortunately

Ahem...Wayne Couzens, I imagine Sarah Everard's lasts pleads to you was for her whole of life too....

Utterly abhorrent man.