Drunk divers, perverts and justice.

28 November 2013

Yet again the News front page is up with child sexual abuse. In this case it's a 27 year old man facing charges from when he was teenager. The charges includes one of raping a younger boy. This pervert who lived in Bracebridge Street, the same street we lived in and incidentally is the street where my novel House of Pain starts, has been sentenced to seven years in prison. But I wonder how long he would have got for raping an adult? He has also been order to register for life as a sex offender.

This makes me wonder about the justice system as a whole. I have already renamed the CPS as the Criminal Protection Service because they will always find a reason not to charge someone if they can. Where a conviction is obtained it is very rare where the full allowable sentence is applied.   Take drink driving as an example; a breath test of 40mg may result in the following penalties ... a 12-16 month driving ban, a fine of £150-£175 depending on income for a first offence. (http://www.drinkdriving.org/drink_driving_sentencing_guidelines.php as at 1420hrs 27/11.2013). These penalties are a maximum but are dependent on the actual breath test level. The actual amount applied by magistrates across the country varies. That seems to me to be grossly unfair; the same penalty should apply where ever the offence takes place.

Then there are the vast differences in penalties where someone dies because of a drunk driver. Here's the MAXIMUM penalties ... a 14 year prison sentence, unlimited fine and a mandatory minimum driving ban of two years (http://www.drinkdrivinglaw.co.uk/drink_driving_penalties_punishments.htm at 1430 hrs 28/11/2013). But when was the last time you actually saw or heard of a penalty for such an offence? I certainly haven't. There is just far too much leeway given to judges and magistrates. Time it was brought up to date and the law used to prevent should incidents in the first place!

We sat and watched a cowboy movie last night; Cowboys and Aliens, staring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. It's not a bad movie really but Craig didn't make a very good cowboy though. Perhaps he should stick to slagging off M in the Bond movies.

Photo time ... 

The engine block of a very nice motorbike at the M5 services.

And funny time ...

           

My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.