h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Comments Please:http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/england/newsid_1760000/1760754.stm
If we had the death penalty for Murder in the UK this man would be Dead.

Good!

...and there was me watching The Shawshank Redemption last night too

Suprised he's getting only £ 1 million in compensation. Loss of earnings must be getting on for that for a start, let alone damages etc. etc.

So is anyone in authority going to carry the can for this? Doubtful, they're probably retired or dead by now.

One thing that is really awful was that he would have been released way earlier if he'd stopped insisting he was innocent! What's that all about?

yep, well said Orcus.

When someone is sentenced to life in England (I believe the same system operates in other parts of the UK but I'm not sure?) they are not eligible for parole but are instead released under "license" which can be revoked at any time by the Sectary of State, part of the conditions for the granting of this license is that the prisoner admits their guilt.

humm, sound right now u mention it, in which case fair play to him for not just admitting it so he could get out....

Sounds a bit over rigid to me

A bit of a catch 22 if you *are* actually innocent.

I am not saying its wrong but it is a policy that should be given a serious review

it does seem to only work of you can 100% sure of the conviction, if the conviction is unsafe, like here, then this law is no good

According to my other half who works for the CPS, the reason for laws like this, is that you can't be considered rehabilitated if you can't admit your guilt.
In my opinion it's a good law, not that people can get out early just by admitting it, but that people that really cannot see what thay have done wrong, or people that won't stop lying about their crimes are not allowed to mix with Joe Public again.

I don't agree with the death penalty for reasons of my own, but this just proves it should never be brought back. And that it should be stopped in other countries. I can't believe a county like the States still has it, to be honest.

The problem would appear to be more with the appeal system than the license system.

and Mina we do have the death penalty in the British Isles, I believe there are at least two crimes that carry the death penalty under English law.

I know it's still law for someone to be beheaded for treason, but I don't know of another one. And they would never be used anyway.

I've been working in the Criminal Justice System for thirteen and a half years now. I've attended the Court of Appeal many, many times.
I'd advise you all to look very, VERY closely at what the judges said, and what it all might possibly mean.

International Piracy is the other on, and its High Treason & the Beheading was only an option if you held the rank of Baron or higher (& I believe discontinued).


The death penalty was last handed down in the British Isles on July 10 1992 to Tony Teare for a contract killing in the Isle of Man. The Queen exercised the Royal Prerogative of “Mercy” and the sentence was commuted to life in 1994.

Another offensive (to me) aspect is that he will, I believe, get a 'Royal Pardon'!!! Being 'pardoned' for something he did not do!!!

Blues, we know that Stephen Downing was released not because he was proven innocent (although I myself believe him innocent) but because of Police procedural errors.

I've thought long and hard about this.
I'm saying nothing more on the matter, and frankly, should have known better than to be dragged into the argument.

The problem is that this licence law is based on the notion of rehabilitation. Wheras prison is based on the notion of revenge. The two are not mutually exclusive, but it's close.

Yeah, an unsafe conviction does not mean he's innocent.

This post has been removed.

*wonders wot wuz said*