Can't stand this attitude re prison attacks

[BySnappyUmberFish]

After the murder of Ian Watkins and the assault and (very possible) death of Ian Huntley, social media and news articles have been flooded with comments such as 'Give that man a medal!!' 'Not all heroes wear capes!!'.
These people seem to forget that the killers are in prison for as equally heinous and despicable crimes as the aforementioned two. They have also most probably not attacked them over what they did, but over debts, drugs or just to gain some notoriety.

I am fed up of hearing comments like this.

A few years back through my work I came across a case of a man who was in prison for raping and murdering a young child. He served 15 years and then the real perpetrator was found. The man in prison was innocent.

That's just one example. There will be more. It's why I dont support the death penalty and one of the reasons I dont condone prison attacks (the other reason being staff safety).

Sure we all know Watkins and Huntley were guilty and I won't be shedding any tears for them. But we shouldnt be encouraging/applauding this kind of behaviour.

The man who attacked Huntley raped and murdered a pregnant woman (along with killing 2 others). He is just as much of a "monster". I read an interview with Huntleys daughter where she said she wanted to shake the man's hand and it sickened me. Because he will be loving that and how does it make his victims families feel? They must feel sick at all the attention he's getting.

I speak as a woman whose child was attacked by a young man now serving five life sentences in addition to seven other sentences. These sentences are all served concurrently and he could be put by the time he is in his early forties... He will remain on the SO Reg for life but he was on it when he did what he did to her. I do not believe in the death sentence but I would like him to stay in prison all his life because he is dangerous but apparently doesn't have any illness that can be treated. My daughter will be in her early forties at this time, will have children I hope and she has to live with that. There is an order banning him from contact forever but he will come out one day. If someone dropped him the day before he was due to be released I would be happy but otherwise I would be happy for him to be incarcerated forever. Killing Huntley is a pointless thing because he was there for life but I suppose it is kudos for a prisoner who has nothing to lose. So I have mixed feelings about this. Yes prisoners should be safe as should guards and I have an opinion about these things which I entirely abandon when it comes to my daughter's attacker. Personally, I think death is an easy way out for someone who should have sat in what he's done forever. Bur if someone killed my daughter's attacker I would be relieved.
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I don't think the man who attacked Huntley deserves a medal or any praise as he's also a monster
However I couldn't care less if Huntley dies or that Watkins was killed. They are both a waste of oxygen.

No I don’t particularly care about the families of psychopaths in prison, I never mentioned them at all. (I never actually thought about them.) I was only thinking about the victims’ families, who would probably be happier if their loved ones’ killers weren’t in the news at all.

It would be better if Huntley were to die quickly now, so he wouldn’t be in the news again. (I remember a family member of one of Peter Sutcliffe saying this very thing after he died.)

As a victim of CSA myself, I don’t really want to give a thought to paedophiles suffering fear like I did. I don’t want to give them this kind of headspace. As long as they’re safely in prison and not in a position to hurt another child again, unlike far too many others who haven’t even been caught.

I hope I'm never in a situation to find out for certain but I can't imagine being able to love a murderer or rapist even if I was related to them. I would also cut off any friend or family member who supported them in any way.

You could have someone watched constantly. It will not stop opportunities for others to cause damage to another person.

When you put yourself into an environment like prison it’s not safe. It’s tough. It is dangerous. I wouldn’t be offering medals but I certainly wouldn’t stop my day and feel regret for his life. He killed. Buried and left two little girls to rot. He actually spoke for the community when they were missing. I feel every story about his death should include a picture of the two little girls who died at his hands.

The man who attacked Huntley though... people saying he deserves a medal etc.
How do you think the the family of his victims feel? He is now in the press, with people saying he is a hero etc.

I’ve criticised that in the strongest possible terms. Completely disgraceful. That evil man killed a pregnant woman after raping her (he knew she was pregnant too), and then made her family endure a trial by denying rape.

I really can’t understand how anyone would praise that scum online. (I don’t mostly use such language but it’s apt here.)

I really feel for the families of his victims.

I'd be happy if they pulled the life support now, from what I've read in news reports his death seems imminent and even if he does pull through he won't be in any fit state mentally to contemplate anything. There must be people more deserving of that hospital bed than him.

I did ODP training, and one of my mentors looked after one the the Kray twins back back in the day.
Staff had to go all out out to look after him, and they found that difficult.

I don’t feel for Huntley but the joy and glee I’ve seen online about his attack really disgusts me. It makes me believe that these people would just adore a public hanging and be there with bells on cheering in the c and having a grand day out. It’s really abhorrent to me.

It’s mob rule.

Well, you do you. But I dont think its something you can know if you have never been in that situation, and its wrong to judge people who are in such a terrible situation through no fault of their own.

I met a lovely lady years ago via a MH support group. It was years into our friendship that I found out her DH was accused of being part of a paedophile ring. There were several men and he was the only one who walked off after it all went to court. But the comments on the news articles about it suggested he was not innocent at all.

What would I have achieved by suddenly cutting her off? Her head was in a mess (and still is).

And I would not judge them either. Its one of those situations where I truly dont think you could know in advance how you would cope.

I quite agree although the people who want to think the world is black and white will no doubt not. I bet she really appreciated your friendship.

I wouldn't worry so much about the living conditions of those monsters in prison op.
Perhaps their 'rough time'.will be a deterrent to other would be offenders. Stop being such a do gooder

I can never relate to this- regardless of what you’d do in reality, being so confident you would cut off your own children boggles me. I’m the opposite- I can’t imagine them doing anything that would as me walk away from them and stop caring about them. I would stand by them through anything

I think the mother of IH has given a (presumably paid) newspaper interview at least once, so they probably think it's fair game. Not sure I agree but I suspect it's how newspapers operate.

I know it won't happen but the one thing I would really hope is that if/when he dies that none of the papers report on it and it gets only a fleeting mention on the news without his photo being shown. Partly because I think any kind of coverage glorifies him and partly because I can't imagine how it must feel for the Wells & Chapman families to have to see his face on the front pages yet again.

It’s been reported that he’s been taken off life support now.

I do know what you mean, but the counter argument is that savage cruelty breeds savage cruelty. For example, I was watching a documentary on Fred and Rose West the other day. Vile, foul degenerates the pair of them. Some would argue that they should have been publicly hung. The problem is that then coarsens and brutalises us. It lowers our level of humanity and civilization.

You know what's sick? Their graves are well tended and cared for, they always have flowers and candles on them. Whereas the nearby graves of all the commonwealth soldiers who fought for our country are ignored.

How is op a ‘do gooder’?

If any relative of mine had done what that monster did he wouldn’t be a relative any more and I’d be of the opinion that he deserves everything he gets.

Wouldn’t be hero worshipping the perpetrator though, they’ll he rapists etc themselves.

It's usually scum attacking scum. If both died, neither would be a loss to society.