My initial reaction upon reading this story was 'You've got to be joking!'. He was convicted of the murder and two attempted murders of police officers. Each attempted murder offence carries a maximum life sentence and the murder a mandatory life sentence. That's a potential 3 life sentences to serve. He's over 40 now, and if he had to serve them consecutively, at 20 years apiece, it is very doubtful he would live long enough to be released.
I don't subscribe to the view that the life of a police or prison officer is worth any more than the life of any other citizen. In the 1960s Harry Roberts murdered 3 police officers and his life tariff was that he serve a minimum of 20 years. He was due for parole, but then the politics kicked in and he was transferred from an open prison back to a closed prison. It now looks like he will die in prison.
The introduction of natural life was meant to deal with multiple serial killers and those deemed too dangerous ever to be released. It is a very severe sanction and should not be passed lightly or to grab headlines in the tabloids or to appease public opinion. The sentence is unusual as it is not commonly used. So, his QC should win his nobody should be given a cruel or unusual punishment argument. However, in Williams v Home Office the argument was lost when the judge decided the measure had to be both cruel and unusual. For what its worth I thought the measures employed in the Control Unit were both cruel and unusual.
I doubt that the Court of Appeal will decide that a sentence which is authorised by statute, and lawfully passed by a judge with the facts of the case at his disposal is unusual punishment.
Yes, the cop killer is entitled to human rights. But, in this particular case I think his human rights have not been breached. He did not simply just shoot a police officer, he shot him again at point blank range when he was down and pleading for his life. I think that added factor tipped the scales of justice against him. I think even if his QC manages to argue that a 30 year tariff is sufficient, I doubt if the police would let the matter rest there.
1 comment:
He deserves to rot in jail, forget it was a cop. To shoot at point blank range while he was pleading for his life, this sick fkr should never be released.
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