Three and a half years for the horrific murder of boy with autism? Seriously? [Warning, distressing content]

[kweggie]

''Yob killed gay teenager by setting him on fire at his 18th birthday party

During the party Steven Simpson was doused in tanning oil before he was set alight by Jordan Sheard
A paramedic who treated the young victim reported seeing the words 'Gay Boy' written on his forehead
Steven suffered 60 per cent burns and died in June last year
Sheard was jailed for three years and six months after pleading guilty to manslaughter
''
as reported in the Mail online....the whole article is deeply shocking.

IMO this boy was TORTURED and it beggars belief that the judge that described it as' horseplay that got out of hand'. Is this acceptable?

[AmberLeaf]

Maybe TheNebulous, but I don't think that is why MNHQ censored it.

[KatieMiddleton]

I wouldn't click on it as it is. I would click on a title that was something like "Just 3 and a half years for torture and killing, seriously?"

I think you have made the wrong call on this HQ.

[hackmum]

This is the most distressing thing I've read in a long time. If you pour oil on someone, and set fire to them, you know what the consequences will be. I can't believe that someone doing that could get 3 1/2 years. I don't understand why the other people who egged him on should get away scot-free. I've got no idea what the judge was thinking. Just unbelievable.

[KateSMumsnet]

@AmberLeaf

Why make it less graphic?

It was an awful things that happened, but it happened, I don't understand editing this title?

Who are you worried about upsetting?

Sorry but the reason 3 and a half years is a disgrace, is because it was for a horrific murder, so of course the title should reflect that!

Good point AmberLeaf - sorry, our first edit probably wasn't the best. We've now edited the title to accurately reflect what happened.

[cocolepew]

Horrific, I'm speechless.

[AmberLeaf]

Thanks KateS.

[KatieMiddleton]

Thanks KateS but you may want to revise the word murder, because although that's exactly what it is to my mind and many others, it has been found to be manslaughter, not murder.

[AmberLeaf]

That's maybe my fault, 'horrific murder' were the words I used.

IMO it was murder, but yes the charge was manslaughter.

[changeforthebetter]

This is truly atrocious. The poor man. I am incredulous at the sentence. 'Horseplay' is like something out of the 1950s

[SarahHillWheeler]

Agree. It looks as if sentence reduced to reflect guilty plea and the fact that (apparently) there was no intention to kill or to cause serious harm (although personally I find that hard to believe).

I don't know the ins-and-outs of the case (no transcript and sentence details sketchy). However, am surprised that account was not taken of the "disability hate" element of the crime which surely should have justified a higher sentence. The fact that it was perpetrated by a so-called "friend" on a vulnerable person (and a person known to be vulnerable) is part of what makes it so horrific.

Agree should make case to Attorney General, but also more attention needs to be given to these types of hate crime.

There is an excellent piece by Katherine Quarmby in Disability Now www.disabilitynow.org.uk/article/unequal-law and a report on Disability Hate Crime by Scope, www.scope.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/Campaigns_policy/Scope_Hate_Crime_Report.pdf

Both make really harrowing reading, and show how much has yet to be done - there is a suggestion that crimes involving disability hate are not treated with the same seriousness by the judiciary (and others) as those motiviated by racial hatred. Whilst not wanting to downplay the latter, it is time we played much more attention to attacks on those who are "different" because of a disability (visual or not).

[edam]

quite Sarah. I don't understand why it is so hard for the authorities to realise that discrimination is wrong, whether the discrimination is to do with race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age... whatever the protected characteristic, discrimination is WRONG and should be taken seriously. It's almost as if the white male upper classes think 'ooh, race is a serious matter, better be careful about that one, but other forms of hatred and discrimination aren't as bad'.

[alexpolismum]

Bump.

Please take the time to complain to the Attorney General about this low sentence

[TheNebulousBoojum]

bump

[fromparistoberlin]

that sentance is awfully low

terrible story, may that poor boy rest in peace

[Icedcakeandflower]

Bump

[SarahHillWheeler]

Just written.

Here's a reminder of the link about how to complain about a crown court sentence.

www.gov.uk/complain-about-low-crown-court-sentence

[DwellsUndertheSink]

"Having carefully reviewed this case, the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has decided to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as a possibly unduly lenient sentence.

"The case will in due course be heard by three Court of Appeal judges who will decide whether or not to increase the sentence. "

[KristinaM]

Thanks for that update

[timtam23]

Dwells I got that email this evening too. Hopefully the Court of Appeal judges will give a more proportionate sentence.