Johnson is a coward. I honestly believe he will do the right thing to himself just before he goes back for sentencing
Hopefully you come back in and read this. Why was my post patronising? It is my view. I genuinely don't understand how you can take my post as condescending at all. Someone who pleads guilty to crimes like that against a child needs a new book thrown at them. No patronising meant at all and believe me I can do patronising. The quoted sentence at the time was 5-10 years and if you felt the Basingstoke one was too low, but you made no effort to say that whatsoever. If you had added, "and this is too low" at the end, it would have read better. The way your post read, suggested you think that Johnsons punishment should have been at that level or less.
Jeez Beddytare, nobody has had a pop at anybody on this last page or two, simply disagreed. There hasn't even been any squabbling. Good job I am not sensitive.
Fair enough if you say it wasn't meant that way, it does come across a bit like that though I didnt see the need to add i felt the other one too low, id previously intimated this the other day. The main jist of my view was that 10 yrs would in my opinion be too high, and plus the other stuff i said last night. Im not a shy or retiring type either and due my my job have heated debates each day, so not concerned ifmajorities hold a different view to me either. My only observation with this site and many forums is generally that if people disagree with one another the other person must be wrong, not saying you have done this, but youve certainly had it done to you, rather than there could be more than one answer or outcome etc. Sometimes we forget the humanity and humility that brings communities together In the first place...
For what it's worth...I think ten years would be too high. I think he will get nearer five. He's a creep, but it's his first offence, she wasn't five, she wasn't physically harmed, he didn't leap on her in a park, and I can't see him offending again. The sentence should be much higher for a multiple offender.
If we are in that imaginary pub, I'd pat you on the shoulder and say, "agreed, must be my round" (As long as there wasn't too many of us there )
Very true. It's worth remembering that a sentence is split into sections. Punishment & rehabilitation. The minimum sentence is the punishment aspect and the rest is about the rehabilitation. Even if you're released on a suspended sentence then your Liberty is still restricted. For example for AJ. He still probably couldn't go and earn big money abroad during this time.
In reality I don't think he will get more than 3/4 years..Chances are he will be out in about 18 months!
The problem with the pub analogy that we all like to use, is that it is far easier to be misunderstood with the written word. I sparked a few "oi you" remarks a few weeks back with a remark that I would have made in the pub as a joke but it was taken deadly seriously on here. I'd take FLT's "it wasn't patronising" on face value (sorry I'm not being patronising - jeez it's a minefield!) As someone who has posted on here for a while, I'd say this board is generally pretty tolerant of differing views. We have to be, as the range is pretty wide on almost every topic. Quite often I've been made to stop and think by a view diametrically opposed to mine that is well expressed. That's good in my book.
Some psychologist or other (sorry, absolutely no clue who or reference thereto) once evaluated the significance of the actual words spoken in a conversation as a mere 7% of the meaning taken by the participants. In a face to face conversation the rest of the meaning would be taken up by body language, tone of voice, inflection, volume of voice, etc. etc. This is why it's sometimes very difficult to get a jokey or mildly sarcastic post on a forum across without people taking things things the wrong way. About the only thing we can do to mitigate the bare word on the page is to back them up with emoticons, pictures, gifs, or other additions which would help convey the mood you're in better than the simple words can. I realise after writing all that that it sounds a bit of a lecture so here's a few smileys to lighten the mood:
Didn't mean the sentencing. I meant just labeling him a creep. The way he has carried on, not once seemed really that bothered or sorry. It kind of makes me think has he done it before? Him saying "hope this is done by friday, this is boring now" just gives me a feeling he cares so little that nothing would have stopped him.
Absolutely. You can't start adding on years just in case someone did something but wasn't caught. Innocent until proven guilty in this country thankfully.
