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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Angel kidnapping

171 replies

WorkHardPlayHard1 · 22/02/2022 08:35

AIBU to be sick to the back teeth by this crime and the lenient sentences.

What can we do to change the law, the sentence and what to do with proven controlling members of society?

He is gonna come out and do the same no doubt. How can we stop this before it happens to womenkind again?

news.sky.com/story/amp/angel-lynn-family-of-teenager-who-was-thrown-out-of-van-call-for-tougher-sentences-for-her-kidnappers-12542792

Come on ladies, if this was the judge's daughter would this even happen?? I can't comprehend why the sentences are so lenient??

OP posts:
HeadPain · 22/02/2022 11:46

It should be life. Has there been a big reaction to this story on social media? I saw it on the news like once. Has it been covered enough? I've not been involved in stuff due to my dad's cancer suddenly getting worse, and him dying and having to help plan the funeral and sort things out, so that's why I don't know.

Can we do something about it? Sometimes sentenced get reviewed and changed don't they. But I don't know if they do it in response to public outcry.

CounsellorTroi · 22/02/2022 11:48

Should have been life. He has taken that girl’s life, effectively.

TrashyPanda · 22/02/2022 11:49

That is appalling.

ChuckBerrysBoots · 22/02/2022 11:50

Sometimes sentenced get reviewed

It is being reviewed.

I’d never heard of this case, what an awful thing to happen

WouldIwasShookspeared · 22/02/2022 11:51

"The prosecutor said Angel had been pushed out of the van, but the jury did not convict Bowskill of causing grievous bodily harm"

How the fuck is pushing someone out of a van travelling at 60mph not the crime of attempted murder let alone gbh?

Pyri · 22/02/2022 11:51

It is awful, so upsetting and I can’t imagine what Angel and the family have been through

I think the sentence was more lenient because they couldn’t prove if he pushed her or she jumped from the van? Which is totally wrong because it should be assumed worst case.

Pyri · 22/02/2022 11:54

Wow that video is so sad, her poor mum

picklemewalnuts · 22/02/2022 11:55

The prosecutor said she was pushed. The jury didn't think it was beyond reasonable doubt.

Also, she chose to be in the van with him shortly before, she got out after a row. It's appalling, but it's not the stranger/stalker abduction it initially looked like.

I think ^^ explains why it isn't a higher sentence. I don't agree with it, but I can see why it happened. I agree, he effectively killed her. It's appalling.

EvilPea · 22/02/2022 11:59

Scum. Absolute scum.
Shouldn’t matter if she jumped or pushed she was kidnapped and feared for her life.
What was his plan for kidnapping her? What was he going to do to her?
He’s a danger and shouldn’t be allowed out

justfiveminsofpeace · 22/02/2022 12:02

I am so sick of this shit. Her life over because of the actions of a man. She is so young and yet he'll be out in a few With the ability to do all the things he stole from her. How much lower do things need to get before women are protected and justice served as a deterrent? This poor young girl my heart breaks

Lockheart · 22/02/2022 12:03

What new laws would you introduce and how would they differ from those currently in place?

dottydodah · 22/02/2022 12:03

Bloody hell this is a terrible case truly awful .Such a beautiful girl .As far as I can see this should have been a life sentence ,Her whole life taken from her.Her poor family . Yesterday on BBC Breakfast another woman was talking about how she and her husband, had got into a fight and she had broken her neck after he had thrown her over the back of the sofa FFS! WTF is going on with these men!

Ponoka7 · 22/02/2022 12:03

This can be the issue with a jury. You only need a percentage to not understand how DV/ controlling behaviour effects MH. A few who don't get DV and minimise/excuse and of course outright sexists.
But then our sentence structure is a joke anyway and people, even child killers don't serve much of their sentence.

WouldIwasShookspeared · 22/02/2022 12:06

@picklemewalnuts

The prosecutor said she was pushed. The jury didn't think it was beyond reasonable doubt.

Also, she chose to be in the van with him shortly before, she got out after a row. It's appalling, but it's not the stranger/stalker abduction it initially looked like.

I think ^^ explains why it isn't a higher sentence. I don't agree with it, but I can see why it happened. I agree, he effectively killed her. It's appalling.

I don't understand how they could have argued that

It's like saying a woman chose to have sex with someone so when he had sex with her later against her wishes it's not rape.

If she got out then that should have been the end of it. Grabbing her and forcing her back into the van isn't any less serious because she had previously been in the van.
The court system and arguments are seriously fucked up.

HeadPain · 22/02/2022 12:09

@ChuckBerrysBoots

Sometimes sentenced get reviewed

It is being reviewed.

I’d never heard of this case, what an awful thing to happen

Oh yes, you're right www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/court-of-appeal-solicitor-general-leicestershire-police-leicestershire-angel-b2019897.html

"Kidnapper faces more jail time after sentence is referred to Court of Appeal.
The Solicitor General said the seven-and-a-half year term he received was ‘unduly lenient’. "

Theluggage15 · 22/02/2022 12:10

It is appalling but they couldn’t prove how she came to fall out of the van. His sentence was more for taking her against her will I think. I do hope his sentence is increased, if he hadn’t have grabbed her in the first place she wouldn’t have been hurt. Such a terrible story.

HeadPain · 22/02/2022 12:11

Let's hope the sentence/s increased, significantly. Should get life but doubt it with our country.

Lockheart · 22/02/2022 12:13

He was sentenced for kidnap, perverting the course of justice, and coercive / controlling behaviour. I don't personally doubt that he is guilty of any of these.

He was not sentenced for attempted murder, manslaughter, or grievous bodily harm. As far as I can tell the first two were not brought as charges. The latter I think he was found not guilty as it could not be proved that he threw her from the van.

He cannot be sentenced for crimes he was not convicted of. So the sentence is lower than that which might be expected for attempted murder, for example.

The sentence has been passed for review to see if it was unduly lenient. Unfortunately I suspect he has been given a reasonable sentence based on the crimes he has been convicted of and unless he is re-tried for other crimes such as attempted murder then the sentences will stand without much change.

Lockheart · 22/02/2022 12:14

@HeadPain

Let's hope the sentence/s increased, significantly. Should get life but doubt it with our country.
As far as I am aware, life tariffs are not within the sentencing guidelines for kidnap, coercive behaviour, or perverting the course of justice.
Franklin12 · 22/02/2022 12:14

Saw this on BBC News too. That pretty girl just now lying in bed potentially forever.

That scum with his anger management issues and his view that he decides when realtionships are over - not the other party. He will come out of prison and nothing will have changed.

Why is this happening?

MyCatEatsPrawnCrackers · 22/02/2022 12:15

Her mum and aunt were on BBC Breakfast today and the aunt was saying how other female members of the family are being intimidated by the families of the two scumbags. Absolutely appalling.

Buttercup54321 · 22/02/2022 12:17

Life should mean Life. You die in there.
Much tougher sentences should be brough in for many crimes.
Get rid of soft judges and change the law Government.

HeadPain · 22/02/2022 12:18

@Theluggage15

It is appalling but they couldn’t prove how she came to fall out of the van. His sentence was more for taking her against her will I think. I do hope his sentence is increased, if he hadn’t have grabbed her in the first place she wouldn’t have been hurt. Such a terrible story.
"if he hadn’t have grabbed her in the first place she wouldn’t have been hurt."

Yeh, it's his fault either way. Whether he threw her out of the van himself or if she jumped to escape being kidnapped and whatever fate he had for her (rape, beating, murder, who knows?). He caused it both ways. Is she expected to just remain in the van against her will and wait to see what he might do to her?

Lockheart · 22/02/2022 12:19

@Buttercup54321

Life should mean Life. You die in there. Much tougher sentences should be brough in for many crimes. Get rid of soft judges and change the law Government.
Life does mean life. Your error is assuming that if it is not a custodial sentence then it is not a sentence.
HeadPain · 22/02/2022 12:20

@Lockheart "As far as I am aware, life tariffs are not within the sentencing guidelines for kidnap, coercive behaviour, or perverting the course of justice."

I don't know what it is in the UK. But it should be for kidnap, imo, depending on what that kidnap results in.