Paphos People

Once the envy of the world, surely not now.
This sort of thing boils my blood and is just another example of why people are leaving the UK.
No I'm not on about the £1.50 a litre for petrol, the massive profits for British Gas, the Northern Rock robbery, the £4 pint....................
I'm talking about the two high profile court cases in the UK this week. The lad charged with the murders of the five girls in Ipswich and the absolute overwhelming evidence that points to him being guilty. He denies it and a solicitors firm and a barrister or two defend him. They get paid 100'
s of thousands for their troubles even though they know Hans Christian couldn't have made it up.
Then there's the case of the would be model who was murdered in London and the defendant claims he's innocent cos he only had sex with her after he found her dead.(Anyone heard of Hans Christian Anderson round here ?)
Despite his previous convictions and his absurd claims, a firm of barristers " believe him " and try to get him off.
Yes that's what they do, they try to get them off. Never mind the suffering these families have to go through, these professional people who are supposed to strive for justice and the truth try to get them off.
Wouldn't it be nice if say in these cases where everyone and his dog knew the defendants were guilty and they were subsequently found guilty, wouldn't it be nice if the defending solicitors and barristers went to jail with their clients if they were found guilty.
That would sort them out.
If only ! and only in this country
DP

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So close yet so far away

Your very right the justice system in this country leaves alot to be desired our family suffered a great loss a couple of years ago, when my step son was walking home with his girlfriend typical teenager baggy jeans hands in pockets when he came across a group of men jostling and drunk. He tried to walk to the opposite side of the road to avoid any confrontation as he knew the men were troublesome. One man made suggestive comments to his girlfriend and all he did was turn around to protect her when he was punched under the chin. He feel back hit his head on the pavement and never woke up still with his hands in his pockets he then suffered two cardiac arrests and a massive brain bleed. The man walked away from court his barrister claimed that he didn't mean to kill him.
Geoff my o/h has never filled the void this man made on that fateful night nor has any other family members such a sweet lad at 22 leaving a traumatized girlfriend who relives the experience and feels to blame what a mess, what a waste.

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Alison

Why not just bring back lynch mobs? Everyone is entitled to have criminal charges tested in court. Long may it remain so.

Oh Alison how awful. I am at a complete loss for words.

DP - that is one of the reasons we got out of GB, and I used to work in the legal system - not with criminals I might add as I couldn't have coped with that.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

KG - I am not sure that is what is being said, is it? It just seems unfair that a person can have their life taken from them in the manner that Alison's step son did, and the person who is responsible walks away to get on with their lives. Not only has that lad lost his life, but his loved ones have had their lives irreversibly changed.

If he didn't mean to kill him, he certainly meant him harm. And for what reason? Actions have consequences, and people should pay for the severity of the consequences.

The British Justice system seems to be imbalanced and the victim or their families are often the ones who are let down by it. I certainly felt let down when the lads that attacked my 14 year old son were not charged, and one got a conditional discharge.

Lynch mobs are not the answer, and I feel sure that it is more complex than it appears to get the law balanced. Justice is often not seen to be done and the system is no deterent as it stands.

Alison, I am so sorry. What a meaningless loss of life.

Verity.

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Verity.

Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

http://coecyp.blogspot.com

Not a day goes by without hearing of a tragic case. How heartbreaking for the victims though to see the people who commit these crimes walk free.

Alison there are not enough words to express sympathy.

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Molly

Treat others as you want to be treated

As sad as this sounds and without wishing to upset anyone. I do beleive its a persons right to be defended in court. Its the ground rock of the whole system and the basis upn which many convictions have been quashed.

Whether or not we beleive that many convictions should have been quashed or that a technicality is a good reason for releasing terrorists, murderers etc it has to be in place.

I dont personally disagree with the system, its the way it is followed and abused by the professionals involved, and the way the "law makers" only close loopholes which dont matter.

The constant changing of the goalposts and burdens of proof make it extermely difficult for the police and prosecuting bodies to gather evidence legally and apparently protect the offender.

Yes sentences should be deterrents, the death penalty should return, a suspect who uses public funds and is found guilty after appeal should have assets sold to pay for it, and many other changes.

What would you change..

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Straight talking, no Gimmicks.

Live your dreams.

Britain is fast growing into a society where your every waking moment is watched on CCTV, where everyone's DNA will be stored on a database, where your every activity is logged and recorded and even this doesn't satisfy some folks, who now want the only remaining protections removed for 'the greater good'.

This is all very well while the state is relatively benign, but what happens when it isn't? You have East Germany with technology.

Be careful what you wish for.

Very sorry to hear your sad story Alison. It left me speechless. I have a son of 22 and worry about him everytime he goes for a night out.
The point I was trying to make really is that I can't understand the ethics of these barristers when they know their clients are guilty yet still defend them. You could say money talks but what about their conscience. Looking at the two examples I quoted I just don't know how the defence teams sleep at night.
Of course people should be allowed to have their day in court I'm not saying different but those two cases this week left me very angry and to the two scumbags who didn't have the nerve to admit their guilt I say Up Yours.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I see it all the time when legal teams come to assist on getting thugs off their crimes.They should stand up in court and say they did it however unless athe legal side have reason not to believe them they have to defend them

frank

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Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly!
Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably
And never regret anything that made you smile Warning Internet forums may contain nuts

I do agree with much of what has been said and feel that yes every person should have the opportunity to defend themselves in court the difficulties arise when the law itself can out way a jury which is what happened in our case. The jury majority ruled a guilty verdict that the defendant had unjustifiable cause to attack Mark and guided by the judge requested additional time to consider their verdict as the law states that it was a series of events that ended in the loss of life. The BIG BUT was in his defense plea stating he did do it and he was guilty of the punch but stating he didn't intend to cause loss of life, he didn't know who he had hit and couldn't explain why as he was drunk at the time. The police brought the charge of manslaughter and the jury took a long time to make their decision as they asked to be given direction as they believed that deliberate intended was there (the punch) they had little choice other than to bring a not guilty verdict as he didn't intend to kill. So it was the law of the land that let Mark down not the people as their hands were tied if he had punched and kicked or beat him up then it would have been a different story i suppose as he would then have been showing intent. Unfortunately the law states that the offender can't be tried for a lessor offense?? that's why he walked away.

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Alison

Allison, my sympathies regarding your familys terrible loss.

Yes everyone has a right to their day in court but I really do feel that before a case starts the lawyers should go before a separate judge and show him how they intend to present their case, some of the ludicrous defences put up defy common sense especialy when such strong DNA evidence is presented. The longer some of these cases go the more the pockets of the lawyers are lined. (gets off soap box)

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John S

Its a crying shame really its the power and manipulation these QC's have and I'm sure that many do make deals prior to trials ect and just go through the motions. I'm not far from you in sunny Rotherham.

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Alison

Sadly one of the biggest manipulators of the system who has sold many of us down the river is the darling wife of our last PM Mrs Cherieeeee Blair who was allowed to prectice unhindered and rip our system off for millions whilst the country burns and the husband maintains an inane grin across his face.

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Straight talking, no Gimmicks.

Live your dreams.

tanny

You don't mean Tony's darling wife Cherie Blair chaser of parked cars (well thats what her face looks like)

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John S

The issue here is not the legal system nor the rights of a defendant to be represented, but whether drunkenness should be allowed to be used as an excuse for ones actions in law.

There is already a precedent. You would not be able to use drunkenness as mitigation for a road accident. It could just as easily be applied to all unruly behaviour.

As Britain's binge drinking culture spreads unabated, something has to be done to make people responsible for their actions no matter how much alcohol they pour down their necks.

Don't wish away the rights of the individual when they are not at the root of the problem.

KG

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Straight talking, no Gimmicks.

Live your dreams.

What angers is when it is published how much it costs each week to keep a criminal in jail.
Convicted criminals should be made to earn theirs and their warders keep.
It should not cost to keep a convicted criminal in jail.


(Once again gets off soap box)

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John S