AIBU to feel outraged that Kyle Clifford is able to refuse to attend court today?

[HappySonHappyMum]

I am absolutely outraged that Kyle Clifford can choose not to attend court to hear his sentence and be forced to listen to the impact statements being read out by John and Amy Hunt. I'm literally sitting here crying with rage and sadness right now listening to their words. He should be dragged there and forced to listen, he lost all rights when he committed rape and then murdered three women in cold blood. Why does he even have a choice?

Not being flippant but fail to see how he could refuse. Surely he could just be wheeled in to the court?

It just doesn’t seem right does it??

I thought this was being changed?

It doesn't bother me. I've already categorised him as scum (not a term I use lightly). I'd have preferred that his suicide attempt had been successful (again, not something I say lightly) so that we don't have to fund his lifelong care.

Cheryl Korbel has been campaigning for a law which would allow reasonable force to be used to bring defendants into court for sentencing.

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2025-01-28/reasonable-force-will-be-used-to-make-offenders-attend-court-for-sentencing

It shouldn't be allowed at all.

As the judge pointed out - nobody benefits from a disruptive unwilling defendant being dragged into court. He said it would be undignified and would impact negatively on the family.

I don’t see what good it would do.

Axel Rudakabana shouted all the way through the victims’ statements; it must have been awful for them.

The last thing I want is to be flippant about such a serious and horrible act but do you imagine he didn’t know the pain he inflicted, mental as well as physical? That’s why he did it in the first place. I hate the change to that law, it’s an easy win for politicians wanting popularity.

The judge has said there's too much risk of disrupted proceedings, especially victim statements.

Ideally they should have wheeled him into a room and done it bye Skype teams ir whatever and be forced to listen to it with laptop and TV high enough he couldn't reach .he may have chosen not to watch but he couldn't shut of his hearing .not ideal but best if he wouldn't go to court

I am hoping that someone puts him in a cell and plays those words to him so he has no choice but to listen. He can't disrupt then but has to hear the damage he's done.

He shouldn't have a say, he has taken precious lives away so should have forfeited his right to make the decision. And if disruptive he should be restrained. He doesn't act like a human and shouldn't be treated as one.

He could refuse to be put into his wheelchair. The judge said it wouldn’t be right to use restraints on someone in a wheelchair, which implies it was hoped they could put him in his wheelchair against his will and strap him in so he couldn’t try to throw himself out.

Yes, he should be in Court, but he’s clearly a snivelling coward. I doubt he’d shout, unlike AR, but even if the guilty person did, they could be placed in a soundproofed Perspex box to hear the statements and verdict so that any shouts wouldn’t interrupt the proceedings.

Another wonderful Andrew Tate legacy.

His behaviour is highly suggestive of sociopathy or psychopathy. So the capacity for empathy and remorse imo of him, is zero.

If he sat there and listened to their statement it would do nothing. It would move him in absolutely no way whatsoever. He would believe in his personality disordered way of thinking that they're all wrong and they all deserved it.

It's the same with Dahmer. He ate people FFS. He didn't give a shit what the families said.

They need their voices heard and statements are important for them to read. That part is so important.

What I want to see is focus on education and anywhere imaginable on teaching women what a sociopathic and psychopathic individual looks like. Flags, behaviour and how to keep as safe as possible if you can from these beasts that walk among us.

I think Tate is like the fuel for someone who is already an absolute wrongun in the making.

I don't believe Tate creates a sociopathic state ( or psychopath potentially here). He feeds it and emboldens it, which is scary.

He has absolutely nothing left to lose. I would dread what he might do or more likely say in court. He doesn't sound like the sort of person to let the statements proceed with dignity.

There should be no choice or it should be the choice of the victims family. Evil scum should not be in charge of this. He should hear the families words first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

I was thinking the same

BreatheAndFocus

He could refuse to be put into his wheelchair. The judge said it wouldn’t be right to use restraints on someone in a wheelchair, which implies it was hoped they could put him in his wheelchair against his will and strap him in so he couldn’t try to throw himself out.
Yes, he should be in Court, but he’s clearly a snivelling coward. I doubt he’d shout, unlike AR, but even if the guilty person did, they could be placed in a soundproofed Perspex box to hear the statements and verdict so that any shouts wouldn’t interrupt the proceedings

He could. Not much he could do about it if two prison officers picked him up and put him in it. I think the judge is wrong.
Personally, I wouldn’t be averse to a gag, either.

Human rights? Sorry, you gave those up when you adopted inhuman behaviour.

Isn't his brother also a convicted murderer? I feel like he knows the score.

What do you think you'd achieve from this?

This is my view too

Agree fully that criminals should be compelled to face the court whenever they’re called.

I actually thought that they now had to attend, based on the campaign by Cheryl Korbel. Though I know him being in a wheelchair might muddy the waters as no doubt we have to maintain his human rights.

I think (as someone else said) he already know the impact he’s had. Nothing that the family might say in court will trigger some kind of remorse or guilt from him. I don’t think people like him are capable of it.

I can’t imagine what Amy and John Hunt must be feeling after such an horrendous crime. What I believe though is that if a convicted criminal refuses to attend the sentencing hearing, then they should not forcibly be made. Because this just pouts the spotlight on them when in reality the spotlight should be on the victims of his crime. Amy and John should not be placed in a position whereby Clifford could disrupt their impact statements as happened with Rudakabana. His refusal to attend speaks volumes about him - he's not worth the energy to even think about.
My thoughts are very firmly with Amy and John Hunt.