Judge Nicholas Rowland

[TonTonMacoute]

Must never be allowed to preside over a trial involving rape or sexual assault ever again.

This is an interesting article, and looks at sentencing guidelines and other complexities, but please don't let more victims suffer his complete lack of any empathy towards female victims.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/a653d1ed-e178-41a7-bb03-3d433a704520?shareToken=b714a3cc871c7c657515b6594349108e

petition is at 87k now. hopefully will get over 100k.

Petition at over 97k now.

This judge should be dismissed, preferably have any professional membership revoked, and never preside in any court again.

99,641

101,678

I claim the sweeties!

Yeah it is interesting - I tried to find out more on him and I couldn’t see much at all!

I am not excusing the judge at all but I am wondering do you think he’s been threatened?

Again obviously even if he has this is still no excuse. He’a a judge - should’ve reported threats to police and then given the rapists the sentence they deserve .

I don’t know if this is true but I hear the boys were from traveller backgrounds and the girls who were victims of them are are not.

I remember trying to report some travelers for doing something to me back in 2018 and the message I got was that I should just forget about it. I had a lot going on so I dropped it but it made me wonder if the police/justice system are frightened of them?

When was it announced minority groups will receive lighter sentencing? Can you provide a reference?

IIRC It was a proposal from the Sentencing Council that the government blocked after an uproar.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-introduce-legislation-to-block-new-sentencing-guidelines

Tbh I think it’s the Sentencing Council that needs a bloody good overhaul.

https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/about-us/about-the-sentencing-council/

About the Sentencing Council ^^

When was it announced minority groups will receive lighter sentencing? Can you provide a reference?

This is like Chinese Whispers. What happened was that the Sentencing Council issued guidance that (amongst a whole lot of other circumstances - so it was just one of many minor changes being suggested) when considering sentences on criminals from ethnic minorities (and therefore presumably different from the sentencing judge's own ethnicity), then the Judge should consider ordering a Pre-Sentence Report. Most cases where custody is a real possibility, the judge will order a PSR in any event. A PSR is merely a report that provides the judge with more information about a particular convicted person. Part of the media got wind of a 'difference' in guidelines and a hoo-ha blew up - and cries of 2-Teir justice. Rather than explaining the truth to morons, the Government as usual said "Whatever" and the guidelines were blocked. Morons don't much want to hear anyway - so why bother.

Add to the charge sheet that the attacks were aggravated by being against targets of a 'hated' race, i.e. they were not gypsies, but the boys were.

All those crying two tier, what do they think about the actual existing inequalities?

So let’s say a black man, a black woman, a white man and a white woman all commit the same crime.

The white woman is likely to receive the most lenient sentence, the black woman and white man will get a sentence that is heavier than the sentence the white woman received, and then the black man will receive the most punitive sentence.

For the same crime.

This is what the statistics show. Even when you control for things like previous convictions.

They should have been clear and highlighted there was a racial and gender disparity that actually works against POC and said they needed to address it.

It looks like the way they’re worded the sentencing guidelines sounds as if they’re being benevolent to ethnic minorities when actually that’s never been the case.

Under the age of consent, there is no such thing as "consensual sex".

The petition is now at over 140,000.

An unrelated case, with a woman attacking another woman - the victim lost sight in one eye, and this is the sentence:

30-month suspended sentence,...ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, made to pay £750 in compensation and banned from contacting Miss Davies for seven years

I don't get it. Why do violent crimes with life-changing outcomes for the victims not result in automatic imprisonment?

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2210205/horror-woman-blinds-innocent-victim

As someone in the press commented, those factors that lead to more likelihood of re-offending, are the very ones most in need of rehabilitation (meaning custodial rehab in this case).

Signed and shared

140k+ signed now

Sorry didn't see this already x

No problem - it’s good to keep this thread visible and get more support 😊

Popsnafflerock · Yesterday 23:33
I am not excusing the judge at all but I am wondering do you think he’s been threatened

I wondered that. Maybe his wife and children as well.

The issue certainly is also with the judge, who appears to be oblivious to the direness and gravity of rape as an offence. In the law it is second in seriousness only to murder, and the worst cases should under the law attract life sentences.
The present case is being appealed, but nobody should hold their breath that these boys will receive anything like a lengthy custodial sentence.

Another case by Judge Nicholas Rowland was sent to the Court of Appeal last year. It concerned Joshua Blachford, a violent sex offender who was convicted of rape and this judge sentenced him to 3 years 4 months. Yes! he thought that was an appropriate sentence. Others thought it too lenient, including the appeal judges who said. "It is too low" but they decided not to increase it, reasons unknown.

I am guessing that when the case of the Fordingbridge rapists comes before the Court of Appeal, the appeal judges will decide to increase the sentence, but not by very much - partly so as not to seem to be too influenced by public opinion, and partly to not undermine their fellow judge (can't have that!). Justice might be better served if they did criticise his judgement however.

Glad it’s not just me!

I don't know maybe I’ve been watching too many crime shows lol but it’s possible there’s more to this.

Very horrible outcome either way for those poor girls as I assume the boys are out and about for now, but at least it’s going to be reviewed.

Yes. I see a genuine tension between culpability and public safety, especially with intellectual impairment and mental illness.

But we need to have options that remove dangerous people from circulation. If long spells in prison are deemed unjust then we need a different, closed, institution. Something to fill the gap between general prison and psychiatric hospital.