And The Oscar Goes To...

The family of an artist killed by a teenage thug spoke of their anger yesterday after the attacker was jailed for only two years and allowed to remain anonymous.

Jonathan Harper, 47, was set upon by a 'feral youth' after he refused to give one of the teenager's friends a cigarette.

The 15-year-old punched him in the face with such force that he fell on to the road into the path of a car.

And because it was the car that killed him, the waste of oxygen was merely charged with manslaughter.

There was nothing the driver could have done to avoid Mr Harper and he died minutes later.

Yet while his killer pleaded guilty to manslaughter, he was given only a two-year detention and training order.

Judge Alan Goldsack QC also refused to lift a ban on revealing the teenager's identity.

Apparently, it's 'not in the public interest' to know which of the yobs in North Anston will assault you in the street...

Sentencing, Judge Goldsack said Mr Harper lost his life through the use of 'quite gratuitous violence'.

But he said the teenager 'did not intend to cause serious injury or death' and had shown remorse.

The 15-year-old has a previous conviction for criminal damage and received warnings for burglary and throwing missiles at a woman.

I expect he 'showed remorse' on those occasions too. In fact, I suspect he's Oscar material by now...

This judge has form for this kind of thing:

His Honour Judge Alan Goldsack QC, Recorder of Sheffield, said: "This sort of late night violence is very troubling for the public, who expect courts to take a strong line."

And did he?

Well, what do you think...

Bottomley and one of the 16-year-olds pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and the other 16-year-old admitted affray and were given four months' detention.

Butcher admitted affray and was given 150 hours of community service and ordered to pay £300 costs.

Ooooh, harsh...

Update: Inspector Gadget weighs in on this one too.