Friday 30 December 2011

Mercy, Followed By…?

Yesterday the 24-year-old, of Hipwell Crescent, Braunstone, Leicester, was given a suspended sentence after admitting neglect.

He said: "You have been guilty of neglect and, as a result of that, your child has died.

"Anyone who is a parent would know you don't leave children of that age unsupervised in the bath.

"I have to bear in mind what would be served by sending you to prison."
I can’t help but agree, in this case.
The court heard that Curtis, who died on September 10 this year, had been a well-nourished boy and was the youngest of Birch's three children.

The baby's father was banned from visiting their home while on bail for alleged domestic violence offences.
Hmmmm….
Birch was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years. She was also ordered to attend a centre for victims of domestic violence.
Wait, what?

Why on earth is this tagged on to her sentence? What does it have to do with the offence? And why is it considered an extra 'punishment' for the offence she's committed?

What, do judges have targets for these things now?

2 comments:

Mick Turatian said...

Well perhaps her reason for leaving the child unsupervised was that she was otherwise engaged being beaten up.

In a world where mitigation pleas are as mysterious as antimatter, nothing is impossible or even unlikely.

JuliaM said...

I'm beginning to realise that!