Roy Whiting appealing his sentence

[borderslass]

Sara Payne furious and who can blame her

Hmm, can't help thinking the Sun is undermining her campaign just a teensy bit by using that photo of him. This one looks more normal.

surely the coa is only deciding on whether or not David Blunkett as HS had the power to decide that Whiting serve 50yrs in prison for his crimes

even the guilty should be afforded rights to fair trial and sentencing procedures

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10273421.stm

Sentence reduced by 10 years. What a slap in the face for the Payne family.

I wish I was in charge of sentencing.

His sentence wouldn't be reduced.

poor sara payne
he should never be allowed out

Just to be clear, his sentence hasn't been reduced, it is still a whole life term.

The reduction from 50 years to 40 years is in regard to when he is eligible to be considered for parole (when he's in his early 80s versus early 90s).

To be fair to the judicial process, the 50 years was an entirely arbitrary sentence handed out by a departing Home Secretary. Other "people" (e.g. Ian Huntley) have exactly the same sentence that Whiting now has, i.e. life term with consideration for parole of 40 years.

I would think, and certainly hope, however, it is very likely that he will die in prison.

As emotive as this is the issue at hand is whether or not politicians, in this case Blunkett who was an incompetent idiot, should be allowed to meddle with sentencing with the associated risk that they will use their powers to score political points.

My opinion is that this judge is wrong but that it's right that the law rather than the politicians make this decision.

I rather hope that he runs into another psychopathic murderer who has a predilection for dismembering paedophiles while they're still alive.

Or would that be wrong of me?