The child who confessed should get a reduced sentence?

[ElatedShark]

Two young men were killed in Bristol in a case of mistaken identity. 5 killers caught, only one, the youngest child, confessed.

I think he should be given less time than the others due to this and age and the fact prison rarely works to rehabilitate young offenders. It must be terrifying for him.

My heart also goes out to the victims families.
Partner thinks I'm being unreasonable. That's it really.

Here is the story for those wanting more info:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ym7g5dx50o

The child in question here is 15, so no I don't think confessing should get him a shorter sentence on moral grounds. He still committed the crime, still went out with the intent to commit murder. It wasn't a crime of passion or accident. He isn't any less dangerous just because he couldn't lie in an interview. We have no idea what the evidence against him was, it might be that he only confessed because he knew he was done for anyway.

I think in adult court there are sentence reductions for admitting guilt and saving the expense of a trial. He should be eligible for that if appropriate. But only because he should get whatever the law entitles him to. Not because I personally believe he's done anything particularly moral.

There was a whole piece on this on BBC breakfast this week. Online is the answer.

I watched that. The fact that zombie knives and machetes are still easily available online, when they are supposed to have been banned from being sold is horrific. As is the thought that anyone can get their hands on one for very little money.

Yes, £19.99.

And companies are describing their wares as decorative.

Absolutely scandalous. There needs to be a massive crackdown. But they will always be available if you know where to go. And the people that go there, are usually the ones who buy them for nefarious purposes.

They all deserve the longest, harshest sentences possible. They should never be allowed out again.

Unfortunately they won't be kept in forever.

I would throw the book at the 45 year old who took them along - he knew they had machetes, and encouraged them. As far as the fifteen year old is concerned, he was the only one to out his hands up, and was also the youngest, so yes, I think that should be taken into consideration. What a tragic loss of young life, and a waste of the lives of the perpetrators. My heart goes out to the poor parents of the two innocent boys whose lives were so tragically cut short.

We don't know the manner in which he admitted it either.

He might have been contrite or he might have said yes, I macheted him and I don't regret it.

Nah.

If the child was that age and confessed to stealing a couple of lipsticks from Boots* admitted it, was remorseful and would have been scared out of their wits in prison, then yes a custodial sentence is OTT. Murder.... if you're not scared of deliberately murdering someone (as opposed to self defence or severe provocation) then no, they need to go down.

It's the families of the 2 murdered boys I feel for.

*nb this was me. I was a stupid kid who made a stupid mistake and learnt from it.

For those who think there should be no reduction, the point of offering a reduced sentence for a guilty plea is to encourage people to plead guilty at the earliest possible opportunity. Doing so reduces the impact of the crime on the victims (or, in this case, the families of the victims), saves victims and witnesses from having to testify and saves public time and money on investigations and trials. In this case, the 15-year-old's guilty plea will not have had that much effect since the other defendants pleaded guilty.

Currently, roughly two-thirds of those facing criminal charges plead guilty. If we take away the reduction for guilty pleas, we can expect far more defendants to take their chances with the jury.

Good point @prh47bridge

Yep unfortunately I tend to think you are right.

He isn’t going to be “terrified” in prison either. He’s a thug in a gang, who is about to be placed with other thugs from gangs. He’s going to have a whale of a time.

Hasn't gone the way they hoped has it!

Exactly, probably proud of himself and believes he's justified in his violence.

I mean, the child helped slaughter two human beings, using a machete, then went to McDonalds after.

Was he led by others? Possibly. But if he doesn't know that these actions are horrific and unacceptable, I'm not sure we want him out on the streets again anytime soon.

Sorry OP, he should have the book thrown at him, I agree with your DH, you are being unreasonable.

This case is fucking abhorrent what a fucking waste for all of them.
what Was that 45 year old doing

You know what is terrifying is being attacked and murdered. He is old enough to murder someone he is old enough for the consequences

"It must be terrifying for him.". Not as terrifying as four people stood around you with machetes knowing you are probably going to die.
I'm anything but a hang 'em high , some people have called me a snowflake. But on this occasion I'm not accepting what you say, jail or youth centres are not supposed to be a pleasure.

So teen mums a d dads are poor parents are they?

I'm not with the poster at all, but what do base your hypothesis on?

But the two younger lads were also children. That's a sad fact too I'm afraid. At that age they could be rehabilitated, if the resources were there they probably all could be. Stupid irreversible decision that has ruined lives.
I'm not a fan of incarceration because it simply doesn't work, it's expensive & doesn't work.

We should be looking towards countries such as Sweden for guidance they have a much more successful criminal justice outlook.

They say girls/women aren't safe on the street at night. This proves it boys are not safe either.

I do find it odd that the 15 and 16 year old went out at 11.15 at night to get a pizza, but I fully understand that they should be able too and that the fault lies with the scrotes who killed them.

Sorry OP, I agree with your partner. Victims were roughly same age as the youngest killer. I think at 15 you’re old enough to know that taking the life of another has very serious consequences. The adult out of the five killers basically just let the group of teenagers have at the victims (who were outnumbered) and they were all active participants.

All for revenge because someone had bricked their house?! I mean wtf just call the police. Horrifically disproportionate reaction.

The reduction for accepting guilt is standard, plus the youth of the offender must be taken into account. I agree that prison has little effect in rehabilitating offenders, but prsion does have a benefical effect on the community where the offender commits their offences. The knowledge that you won't have to encounter a local thug or have your home ransacked yet again by recidivist burglars for a few years is a comfort for many. This is often overlooked in a system which places the offender at centre of its concern.