Revealed: the full picture of sentences handed down to rioters

Source: The Guardian

The courts are handing down prison sentences to convicted rioters that are on average 25% longer than normal, according to an exclusive Guardian analysis of 1,000 riot-related cases dealt with so far by magistrates.

The data proves for the first time that the handful of high-profile individual cases – including a four-year sentence for inciting disorder on Facebook – are indicative of a more punitive general trend.

This unprecedented access to national court results reveals that 70% of defendants have been remanded in custody to await crown court trial, fuelling a surge in the prison population, which reached a record high of 86,608 in England and Wales. The Guardian's data also shows that 56 defendants of the 80 who have already been sentenced by magistrates were given immediate prison terms. This 70% rate of imprisonment compares with a "normal" rate of just 2% in magistrates courts.

More than half those imprisoned were charged with theft or handling stolen goods, receiving an average of 5.1 months. This is 25% longer than the average custodial sentence for these crimes of 4.1 months seen in courts during 2010, according to Ministry of Justice statistics. Public order offences are leading to sentences 33% longer than normal and those convicted of assaulting police officers have been jailed for 40% longer than usual.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/18/full-picture-of-riot-sentences

some sentences prior to the events of the past couple of weeks were far too lenient so don't necessarily bear direct comparison.

On the subject of the two who got 4 years on the Facebook issues : rooting around the only case I came across for a similar offense was two football fans, hooligans whatever who did similar organising events a while ago and they got 2 years each so yes maybe the 4 year sentences should be halved.

Mother fearing eviction chooses £1m council house over son accused of looting as he is remanded rather than bailed to her home.

A mother yesterday allowed her teenage son to be jailed over rioting allegations rather than run the risk of being evicted from her £1million council house.

Della Collins refused to let the family home be used as a bail address when 19-year-old Jermaine Collins appeared before magistrates in London.

It left the court with little option but to jail the youngster overnight ahead of a final decision on his fate today.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027664/London-riots-Della-Collins-fearing-eviction-chooses-1m-council-house-son-Jermaine.html#ixzz1VT4VWksB










Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027664/London-riots-Della-Collins-fearing-eviction-chooses-1m-council-house-son-Jermaine.html#ixzz1VT4NB2WD

She probably knew the little punk wouldn't show.

He's a man at that age. He shouldn't be hiding behind his mother's apron (sorry if that turn of phrase offends anyone). The mother made the right call; if the guy isn't taking responsibility for his actions yet then he should be made to start doing so, and grow up. Being a man means knowing that you're accountable for your actions. People have failed to make that point when discussing the massive, systemic failure of manhood among Wall Street banksters (and those located elsewhere).

there never would have been rioting.

Take a $5.00 shirt and end up in jail for 4 years. Destroy the whole nation's economy and end up with a bailout and a huge bonus. It just doesn't seem fair.

Why if Karl Marx were alive today he would be wearing counterfeit Burberry and drunkenly looting a Carphone Warehouse.

I think his hair and beard would be exactly the same, but he'd have on a backwards baseball cap and some track pants.

Because alcoholic criminal street urchins are really, really interested in political economy...

Better?

Steal a little and they throw you in jail
Steal a lot and they make you king

and they know it too...

A judge has freed a woman who was jailed following last week's riots in Manchester.

It is thought to be the first successful appeal against a sentence in relation to the disorder in England.

Mother-of-two Ursula Nevin, 24 was jailed for five months by a district judge at Manchester magistrates earlier this week.

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Judge Andrew Gilbart QC said he was setting aside the prison sentence because Nevin had not actually taken part in the riots.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14589259

No violence, or damage, on her part whatsoever - and really, receiving a small item of stolen goods should never have had a jail sentence of any length. A bit of community service sounds much more appropriate.

No - that was a joke.

I think the period since she was sentenced was probably sufficient to deter her from doing anything similar in the future.