Coulson & Brooks hacking trial starts today
Discussion
Justin Cyder said:
2 years is the maximum sentence under the law. Ungobsmack yourself.
Fair enough, but I do remain gobsmacked at how lightly he has got off. The Milly Dowler aspect alone should mean he goes away for years, it was an appalling thing to do.The UK doesn't half look after business. Businesses can and have behave in the most appalling and damaging ways, and when caught get treated with (imo) the upmost leniency. Amazing.
heebeegeetee said:
Justin Cyder said:
2 years is the maximum sentence under the law. Ungobsmack yourself.
Fair enough, but I do remain gobsmacked at how lightly he has got off. The Milly Dowler aspect alone should mean he goes away for years, it was an appalling thing to do.The UK doesn't half look after business. Businesses can and have behave in the most appalling and damaging ways, and when caught get treated with (imo) the upmost leniency. Amazing.
BoRED S2upid said:
He will be out before Christmas.
Very probably. I was on the team defending a number of individuals charged with fraud recently and the ringleaders all received two year sentences and will all be out (subject to good behaviour) by Christmas. Some tagged before that apparently. Overcrowding is the major concern of the authorities. My crowd all walked free but were found guilty of technical fences. There is a POCA action against all the guilty men including my clients for about £ 3,000,000 which is going to be a real ball ache to resolve I do think that will be a far greater deterrent against reoffending than any short sentence.
As yet POCA have not succeeded in getting a penny piece from anyone. I do think they will in time and the effects of POCA are seriously altering the approach of a lot of career criminals which must be a good thing. Definitely the real sting in the tail of modern fraud trials.
Have you just come out as a lawyer, Steffan?
As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
Zod said:
Have you just come out as a lawyer, Steffan?
As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
Apart from specific types of sentence, you will normally serve half in prison and the second half out on licence (under Probation supervision).As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
Unless things have changed recently, you also have for sentences of 4 years or less, depending on offence type (sexual/violent/cases involving death usually excluded), tagging (Home Detention Curfew, 'HDC') to release up to 4.5 months before the half way stage, up to a maximum of 25% of sentence length.
So Coulson has an 18 month sentence. He would normally serve 9 months then be released on licence. However he will be eligible for HDC after 4.5 months.
So he will spend 4.5 months in prison. 4.5 months on HDC until half way point, then 9 months released on licence under Probation supervision.
Moonhawk said:
Meh - he'll be out in 6 months and will probably make a mint selling his story.
I suspect he'll be given an extremely lucrative job by Murdoch; to prevent him from selling that story and for having not incriminated Brooks. (Not that she was guilty of anything, of course…).
tenpenceshort said:
Zod said:
Have you just come out as a lawyer, Steffan?
As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
Apart from specific types of sentence, you will normally serve half in prison and the second half out on licence (under Probation supervision).As a non-criminal lawyer, I am no expert in these things, but I thought the rule of thumb was that a convicted person could usually expect to serve a third of his sentence, assumoing good behaviour (not taking into account any time on remand in custody). I therefore expected Coulson would be in until February or so.
Unless things have changed recently, you also have for sentences of 4 years or less, depending on offence type (sexual/violent/cases involving death usually excluded), tagging (Home Detention Curfew, 'HDC') to release up to 4.5 months before the half way stage, up to a maximum of 25% of sentence length.
So Coulson has an 18 month sentence. He would normally serve 9 months then be released on licence. However he will be eligible for HDC after 4.5 months.
So he will spend 4.5 months in prison. 4.5 months on HDC until half way point, then 9 months released on licence under Probation supervision.
Not my client but others charged with fraud in the same trial were, hence my knowing of the case. Managed to talk down 12 charges to one with admission for my client who escaped prison. POCA is proving a big difficulty but doubtless we will prevail which given the 3.500,00 fraud is not a bad result. Unless you were on the prosecuction side, who were spiitting teeth. Badly prepared case.
heebeegeetee said:
Fair enough, but I do remain gobsmacked at how lightly he has got off. The Milly Dowler aspect alone should mean he goes away for years, it was an appalling thing to do.
I've heard people mention this muchly - but is it confirmed that NoTW staff tampered with the phone record? Or was there some doubt as it could have been the telecom company automatically deleting an over-full message facility (or something else?)?Not that it is their finest moment, either way, but at least there has been a trial and the publication was shut down.
Moonhawk said:
Meh - he'll be out in 6 months and will probably make a mint selling his story.
Very possibly he will be sewing mailbags for a lot longer...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28199829
BBC said:
Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson is to appear in court on 6 August to face perjury charges over the Tommy Sheridan trial.
Mr Coulson has been indicted to appear at the High Court in Glasgow.
Mr Coulson, 46, was charged two years ago after being questioned in Glasgow in connection with his evidence at the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010.
He had given evidence as a witness during Sheridan's perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
I await developments with interest!Mr Coulson has been indicted to appear at the High Court in Glasgow.
Mr Coulson, 46, was charged two years ago after being questioned in Glasgow in connection with his evidence at the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010.
He had given evidence as a witness during Sheridan's perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
matchmaker said:
Moonhawk said:
Meh - he'll be out in 6 months and will probably make a mint selling his story.
Very possibly he will be sewing mailbags for a lot longer...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28199829
BBC said:
Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson is to appear in court on 6 August to face perjury charges over the Tommy Sheridan trial.
Mr Coulson has been indicted to appear at the High Court in Glasgow.
Mr Coulson, 46, was charged two years ago after being questioned in Glasgow in connection with his evidence at the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010.
He had given evidence as a witness during Sheridan's perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
I await developments with interest!Mr Coulson has been indicted to appear at the High Court in Glasgow.
Mr Coulson, 46, was charged two years ago after being questioned in Glasgow in connection with his evidence at the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010.
He had given evidence as a witness during Sheridan's perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
t and someone he would never allow in the house. Which for an accountant s pretty strong stuff. I remember the Tommy Sheridan trial and when he won his appeal it became obvious that the testimony of Couson and others must have been outright lies. Perjury in fact. I will be pleased for the Dowler family, who have been seriously wronged by Coulson and others, if someone gets serious time who was involved with the disgraceful Dowler business and Coulson looks a prime candidate. Serves him right.I know a lawyer who became friends with Coulson. Their kids were at the same school. Now I suspect the lawyer was motivated, in part at least, by the networking opportunities he perceived(that is very much the kind of person he is), but to his credit he and his wife have helped out Coulson's family over the last couple of years. The bit that gets forgotten is the wife and children. They are innocent and have suffered and will continue to do so. It's Coulson's own fault, of course.
Anyway, my point is that the lawyer in question says that Coulson is a pleasant, normal person.
Anyway, my point is that the lawyer in question says that Coulson is a pleasant, normal person.
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