Suspended sentence? That's all?

[isabellerossignol]

This man has a string of victims, so he can't even claim the usual tripe about a 'moment of madness' or whatever. So why does he get a suspended sentence? Why is the legal system so reluctant to punish sex offences?

I just find myself getting angrier with each passing day.

Yes I saw that earlier what utter shite.

I liked the way they put the contact offences as a bit of a footnote as well.

Urgh

Northern Ireland going easy on sex offenders when they have a public profile? Shocker.

Its because they are far less likely to reoffend than violent offenders are.

@wizzywig

Its because they are far less likely to reoffend than violent offenders are.

I can't believe I have to ask this, but can I just check that this is definitely sarcasm?

I don't believe it is sarcasm.... it's true violent offenders are more likely to reoffend than sec offenders.

"The defendant admitted sexually assaulting one of his victims in 2012, and assaulting another woman, occasioning actual bodily harm, in 2015."

I see from the BBC news report he recorded women included recording women going to the toilet. Anyone know where and how he recorded the women going to the toilet?

Rape kits in the US revealed many rapists are multiple offenders.

phys.org/news/2020-01-rape-kit-rapists-commit-invasive-crimes.html

@NotAGirl

I see from the BBC news report he recorded women included recording women going to the toilet. Anyone know where and how he recorded the women going to the toilet?

I saw some of the victims interviewed on TV and it gave the impression (although didn't specifically say) that it might have been his own home. One of them said that even if she is in someone's home who she thinks she trusts, she is wary of cameras, because she had trusted him too.

'The defendant admitted sexually assaulting one of his victims in 2012, and assaulting another woman, occasioning actual bodily harm, in 2015'

I flagged in my answer to op that there were contact offences.

ABH doesn't count as violence any more if it's against a woman and related to a sex offence.

2 posters support this view. WTAF X 10000.

TheInebriati when they can be bothered to treat them

Oh sorry I misunderstood.

The point was that sexual violence is not 'real' violence.

And men who commit sex offences should get light sentences because other men do worse things.

Yep that makes perfect sense.

Yes, I was just horrified at the sentence. And honestly, I don't really care how likely or unlikely he is to reoffend, what about the things he has already done?

It's just so depressing that his victims are impacted for life and yet right there in the report it is making mention of how it's not even expected to affect his ability to earn a living. So where is his deterrent?

@ShinyFootball

Oh sorry I misunderstood.

The point was that sexual violence is not 'real' violence.

And men who commit sex offences should get light sentences because other men do worse things.

Yep that makes perfect sense.

No it doesn't make sense I agree but that's how the court and the criminal justice see it.

There was a Dr a week or so ago who was caught in a sting operation attempting to groom a 12 yr old girl. He didn't even lose his medical licence.

No longer surprised by any of this. But men don’t do this do they?

I don't understand the judge in this case, the question before deciding whether or not to sentence should always be, 'what More could they have done to warrant a custodial sentence? I think this mans actions warrant being locked up

ABH doesn't count as violence any more if it's against a woman and related to a sex offence.

Rape, unless there's non-sexual violence doesn't count either.

Apparently shoving a penis into someone isn't violent if he doesn't punch them too. I bet they'd change their tune if someone was shoving something into them!

@madcow88

I don't believe it is sarcasm.... it's true violent offenders are more likely to reoffend than sec offenders.

this man re-offended at least 13 times before he was caught.

Could you show where your figures to compare violent offenders against sex reoffending are from please?

Way too soft, but I doubt it's a sex offenders issue. There are lots of cases where sentences seem ridiculously soft. Liberals don't like to punish people basically.

Liberals don't like to punish people basically.

Well, N Ireland is in no way a liberal society and plenty of other offenders go to prison. It's sexual offenders who consistently seem to go unpunished.

Well we are not in full possession of the facts so I’d like to think the judge made the right call.
On sexual assault that can range from a pat on the bum to attempted rape. Obviously should not carry a custodial sentence for the former, but should for the latter.
Assault causing actual bodily harm, well I’ve done that when I slapped a man. It’s a step down from grevious bodily harm in that no lasting marks or damage to skin when it is ABH instead of GBH. Again, should someone go to prison for one instance of minor assault? No.
The recording was an invasion of privacy, similar to upskirting, but his offences there predate the upskirting law and so cannot technically result in a prison sentence because laws cannot be applied retroactively.
So, in the absence of the court documents, I am leaning towards supporting the judge’s decision as they had way more information than the media has put in the article. The media also has a long history of misreporting court cases specifically to whip up outrage and controversy.

I'm almost certain that there is no law against upskirting in N Ireland.