Ronnie Biggs, should he be let out of prison?

[Number 5]

Do you think Ronnie Biggs should serve his sentence?

[sherman]

Are you watching question time by any chance?

[Number 5]

sherman said:

Are you watching question time by any chance?

Yes I am, I know he is old and frail but the bloke has took the piss for years but on the other hand he is an expensive guest in one of our prisons.

[Flanders.]

He broke the law, he hasn't completed his sentance, therefore he needs to stay behind bars to complete his sentace.

[tim2100]

Number 5 said:

sherman said:

Are you watching question time by any chance?

Yes I am, I know he is old and frail but the bloke has took the piss for years but on the other hand he is an expensive guest in one of our prisons.

if he comes out of prison they will need to pay £30k per year for a home.

[deevlash]

screw him, let him rot. Ideally he'd never have been let back in to sponge off the NHS and he'd have died in a brazillian shanty years ago.

[Number 5]

tim2100 said:

Number 5 said:

sherman said:

Are you watching question time by any chance?

Yes I am, I know he is old and frail but the bloke has took the piss for years but on the other hand he is an expensive guest in one of our prisons.

if he comes out of prison they will need to pay £30k per year for a home.

good point, I personally think he is a piss taker and he deserves to die in prison, and yes your right 30k a year is far to good for him, perhaps they should let him out providing that he leaves the country, he seems to like long holidays.

[johny105]

he commited the crime. he needs to do the time. regardless of his age/condition.
he lived the best of his life in brazil by all accounts, he needs to serve some sort of sentance.

[sherman]

Number 5 said:

tim2100 said:

Number 5 said:

sherman said:

Are you watching question time by any chance?

Yes I am, I know he is old and frail but the bloke has took the piss for years but on the other hand he is an expensive guest in one of our prisons.

if he comes out of prison they will need to pay £30k per year for a home.

good point, I personally think he is a piss taker and he deserves to die in prison, and yes your right 30k a year is far to good for him, perhaps they should let him out providing that he leaves the country, he seems to like long holidays.

But how much does it cost us to keep him in prison each year ?

[Gonewest]

A damm sight more!!

[deevlash]

Gonewest said:

A damm sight more!!

Some principles are worth paying for. Then again we could save a lot of money by just shooting some people...

[Jasandjules]

I'd say let him out purely because these days people commit much worse crimes and get much, much lesser sentences.

[Eric Mc]

Jasandjules said:

I'd say let him out purely because these days people commit much worse crimes and get much, much lesser sentences.

Each case needs to be assessed in isolation.

I am fairly neutral on this one but I am wary of releasing people or shortening their sentences because they are old and frail. The same argument was used to try and keep old ex Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants out of prison.

Biggs spent decades thumbing his nose at the British authorities and rubbing their noses in the fact that he was beyond justice. He only decided to come back to the UK when it was in his personal interest to do so.
So, the stock of goodwill towards him held by the powers that be is fairly low on the sympathy scale.

[Invisible man]

Eric Mc said:

Jasandjules said:

I'd say let him out purely because these days people commit much worse crimes and get much, much lesser sentences.

Each case needs to be assessed in isolation.

I am fairly neutral on this one but I am wary of releasing people or shortening their sentences because they are old and frail. The same argument was used to try and keep old ex Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants out of prison.

Biggs spent decades thumbing his nose at the British authorities and rubbing their noses in the fact that he was beyond justice. He only decided to come back to the UK when it was in his personal interest to do so.
So, the stock of goodwill towards him held by the powers that be is fairly low on the sympathy scale.

in a nutshell, apart from the yawning chasm between Biggs and a Nazi Concentration Camp Commandant

[Eric Mc]

I wasn't comparing the severity of the crime. I was comparing the similar argument used by their representaives - that old age and infirmity is a factor that needs to be taken into account when administering jusrice.

[Erijaso]

I was having this conversation with the OH.

First reaction is, what a waste of tax payers money keeping him in, then again, he did stick two fingers up at the justice system and basically say he was glad he committed a crime and got a away for it for a long time.

F him, do the crime pay the time.

[King Herald]

deevlash said:

screw him, let him rot. Ideally he'd never have been let back in to sponge off the NHS and he'd have died in a brazillian shanty years ago.

My opinion exactly. I beleive he made a video with the Sex Pistols too at one stage, thumbing his nose at the world. But his money ran out and after 35 years of fun and games, living the life in Brazil, he came crashing back to reality.

If he's let out of jail he'll get a room in a nursing home with 24/7 care, so let him rot in jail. Ask what the family of the guy who died due to the 'great' train robbery have to say about him.

[spaximus]

I was watching question time and my view is he should stay in until he dies. The argumentt used for his release is his age and the leniancy of other worse crime sentancing. They are right however we should be pushing for tougher sentances for all, he skipped justice from a violent crime and he needs to pay the price.

He was is a celebrity criminal and has gained sympathy from other minor celebrities to his cause. They conveniantly forget the crime and the damage done to the driver.

[Six Fiend]

Has he shown remorse yet?

He lived it up for years, time to pay.

Screw him.

[Get Karter]

I think he should be allowed out for a farewell reunion concert with Paul Cook and Steve Jones, then sent back to serve out his days inside.

'No One Is Innocent'