Merseyside policeman struck and killed by stolen vehicle.

[Scuffers]

Countdown said:

Scuffers said:

did you not read what I posted?

We as in the UK do not have the DP so of course somewhere that does will use it more!

You've missed the point. If the DP was a deterrence then the USA (and other countries which use it regularly) would have lower rates of crimes where criminals were going to be sentenced to the DP.

Scuffers said:

If you want to look at the extreme, take the UAE, they have it and use it, crime is very low there, you can leave your car parked with the keys in it and the engine running, it will still be there when you get back.

the penalties there are draconian, and yes, they are a massive deterrent.

Having the DP makes no difference to offending rates.

https://fullfact.org/blog/death_penalty_homicide_r...

once again, I repeat myself.

the US have the DP but actually simply do not use it (29 this year on a population of what? 280M?)

if you're not prepared to use it, then what's the point?

Simply having it on the books is not a deterrent.

No, it's not the magic solution to all crime, but it could be a useful part, at the very least saving us the costs of keeping serious scum locked up.

[Countdown]

Scuffers said:

once again, I repeat myself.

the US have the DP but actually simply do not use it (29 this year on a population of what? 280M?)

if you're not prepared to use it, then what's the point?

Simply having it on the books is not a deterrent.

No, it's not the magic solution to all crime, but it could be a useful part, at the very least saving us the costs of keeping serious scum locked up.

It's not the magic solution to any crime. The DP makes no difference to crime rates REGARDLESS of whether it's used or not. There are numerous studies which show that there is no correlation between the death penalty and crime rates.

But yes, you're right. It does save money. That's the important thing....

[ikarl]

You can't relate the death penalty to crime rates unless social and economic factors are the same. Which they won't be.

It's like comparing apples with oranges.

[Greendubber]

What a fantastic turn out for his funeral.

RIP.

[Laurel Green]

A good sendoff indeed. RIP.

[PorkInsider]

RIP.

A sad loss to policing and, even more so, to his family.

[mcgandalf]

The horrible piece of pond life who stole and drove the vehicle which struck and killed PC Phillips is currently in front of Manchester Crown Court, having denied the officer's murder and attempted GBH of his colleague.

Let's hope the case is brought to a swift conclusion and some comfort and closure can be found for the Phillips family and the heroic rozzers of Merseyside.

[mcgandalf]

The lad's defence appears to be that he did not intend to cause injury to Pc Phillips when he drove at him.

Clutching at straws maybe. How can you drive 3 tons of Mitsubishi L200 at a person at speed and not expect a collision which would cause serious injury?

Trial by the legal system - not by media or keyboard warriors.

[anonymous-user]

mcgandalf said:

Clutching at straws maybe. How can you drive 3 tons of Mitsubishi L200 at a person at speed and not expect a collision which would cause serious injury?

Indeed.

It's a bit like pointing a gun at someone, firing, and then saying you didn't mean to cause them serious injury or death.

Hopefully the courts will agree.

[superlightr]

NinjaPower said:

mcgandalf said:

Clutching at straws maybe. How can you drive 3 tons of Mitsubishi L200 at a person at speed and not expect a collision which would cause serious injury?

Indeed.

It's a bit like pointing a gun at someone, firing, and then saying you didn't mean to cause them serious injury or death.

Hopefully the courts will agree.

well there was the case reported recently of a boy who took a knife to school, got in an argument with another boy, got out the knife and the other boy died of a single stab wound. Not murder but "culpable homicide" was reported as his conviction. Was manslaughter or murder in my time. I dont know but stabbing somebody or shooting them is murder/attempted murder in my eyes. Driving a 2/3 ton car over a person who is in the way of stopping you is the same.

[pork911]

amazingly enough 'it is like (something it is not at all like)' is not something the Court will be considering

and this Defence was always likely regardless of what we might think of the guy


however, anyone who gives a fig about the result will keep quiet until the case is over

[mcgandalf]

superlightr said:

well there was the case reported recently of a boy who took a knife to school, got in an argument with another boy, got out the knife and the other boy died of a single stab wound. Not murder but "culpable homicide" was reported as his conviction. Was manslaughter or murder in my time. I dont know but stabbing somebody or shooting them is murder/attempted murder in my eyes. Driving a 2/3 ton car over a person who is in the way of stopping you is the same.

The school killing in question took place in Scotland, where the offence of manslaughter doesn't exist and 'culpable homicide' is its closest equivalent.

As I understand - via the media - Boy A threw the first punch and held Boy B in a headlock. Boy B retaliated by stabbing Boy A in the heart. My layman's understanding is that, because the stabber did not throw the first punch, a 'murder' conviction would have been unsafe.

[daytona355]

Just saw this on the news, terrible. Hope the lad gets a lot of time.