Whole life terms for police killers
Discussion
king hose-pipe only got 8 years today for killing a soldier who was due to go to Afghanistan the following day. Fair?10 Pence Short said:
Yet we are told crime is still falling.
Approx 10% of crime is police-reported i.e the result of pro-active operations, surveillance, stings etc. Almost all of this kind of work has been shelved due to cutbacks with the result that crime has magically "fallen".Crime is still happening, there are now simply fewer people to record it for statistical purposes.
jamesson said:
As a serving police officer, I welcome anyone killing us in the line of duty getting a whole life sentence. However, I don't see why the police should be singled out.
As others have said, ambulance and NHS staff, firefighters, RNLI etc. all do a fantastic job protecting the public and saving lives and should any of them be killed whilst carrying out their duty then I would like to see the culprit receive a whole life term.
This should also be extended to good samaritans who try to help when they see something happening in front of them and die as a result of a deliberate attack.
Killing a police officer who was acting in the execution of his duty is an aggravating factor. So is the killing of a member of the fire service in similar circs. Someone assisting a police officer is similarly 'protected'. Judges should have discretion in sentencing. You only have to look at the changes to the Firearms Act which brought in mandatory sentences to see how silly it can turn out. As others have said, ambulance and NHS staff, firefighters, RNLI etc. all do a fantastic job protecting the public and saving lives and should any of them be killed whilst carrying out their duty then I would like to see the culprit receive a whole life term.
This should also be extended to good samaritans who try to help when they see something happening in front of them and die as a result of a deliberate attack.
I don't know whether it is right to give whole life sentences as a matter of course. However, what I do know is that the motive for this initiative is cynical, a move by a HomSec in the great tradition of political HomSecs that we've had over the years. She is giving people a whole life sentence to make hereself look better in the papers. 'Look at me, the police officer's friend. I do all this for them and they still moan.'
Many MPs have shown themselves to lack the ability to feel shame. It would appear to be a requirement for the HomSec
I'm not so sure. The argument would be that Police are both required and required to be effective for modern society to function properly. The assumed benefit to society in the deterrent effect of whole life tariffs for killing a Police Officer would likely override the Perp's human rights in having to suffer the penalty.
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