Magistrates Sentencing?

Question

Why, when a man is using two knives and using threatening behaviour, something I saw on TV in Wigan this evening, does the perpetrator get a 'Conditional Discharge'?

Why does someone who is in posession of cocaine get a 'Conditional Discharge'?

What sort of message does this convey to other would be criminals?

Answer 1

the law is an *** as they say i feel sorry for all you police officers out there working your asses off you know who commits the crimes it is mostly the same people all the time,you get the evidence and what happens, the magistrates give them a slap on the wrist and they are back on the streets commiting crimes again,untill we give this scum longer prison sentences,with no human rights, the only ones being we feed them,and give them hard labour  

Answer 2

Tell me about lenient sentencing....try telling the victims that the sentence is so pathetic too...it isn't the magistrates who have to give them that news! The costs too!....if the public knew a half of it there would be a revolution!

Answer 3

This is probably due to the pathetic sentencing guidelines given to the Courts these days.  

You think it frustrates you, think about how the Police Officer who deals with these people feels when he/she and all their colleagues put in a lot of hard work for this kind of worthless result.

Answer 4

But the man with the knife should not be. The Sentencing Guidelines Council guidelines for magistrates and judges are tough - (see www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk) - are clear that any knife crime should be punished severely and the mags should be thinking of sending it up to the Crown Court. CPS should be thinking of referring that for some kind of appeal. As for the cocaine, I suppose it is possible for there to be mitigating factors sufficient to warrant a CD. But I know in my area of West Yorkshire that I would be advising my clients in no uncertain terms in a case involving knives not to make any plans for the immediate future.

Understand where you are coming from but it is not the guidelines, it seems to be the people applying them/advising them!

Answer 5

It's wrong, but you can blame the government and the do gooders. It seems as if criminals can do just what they feel like. I agree with Ian UK, CID Officer spent months collecting evidence only to see the scum get away with it and that's from personal experience as a victim.