The tragedy was the end of a terrifying campaign of harassment by Dean Stephens, which had been going on since a fight between their respective dogs 10 months earlier.A fight which, for once, didn’t end in a heartbroken pensioner and a disappearing chavscum, since Mr Pedley’s dog was able to defend itself quite capably.
But it still turned out badly for the innocent party. Doesn’t it always?
Dean Stephens (42) was jailed for 27 months yesterday at Leicester Crown Court after admitting putting the Pedleys in fear of violence, during at least four incidents between June 2010 and last April.
His brother, Wayne, (41) admitted threatening behaviour on the day of Mr Pedley's death.
He was jailed for four months, but released having served the time on remand.*sigh* Well, of course he was…
The defendants, both of Tudor Road, Leicester, have a history of violent offending and threatening behaviour.Really? They don’t look like underclass oxygen-thieves, from their pictures. How surprising…
For once, the defence managed to find some small glimmer of humanity deep down inside his conscience, and didn’t lay on the mitigation fairy story with a trowel:
Simon Clarke, mitigating for Dean Stephens, said: "There are two sides to every story, but it would demonstrate a lack of grace to put it forward. Nothing can bring back Mr Pedley."While the brother’s lawyer was forced to go for a ‘the other guy’s worse!’ defence:
Christopher Kessling, for Wayne Stephens, said: "His involvement was limited in the scheme of things."Yes, I have to say, looking at them, the word ‘limited’ was indeed one that initially sprang to mind…
5 comments:
'Mum, what do Labour voters look like?' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-15451465
Hell's teeth. Are you sure that's not from a Victorian manual of the underclasses showing the deformities arising from incest?
Simon Clarke's snide "two sides to this story" remark in defence should have been pulled up hard by the bench as it is an attempt to blacken the name of the deceased whilst pretending to respect it.
This is the late and much loved and missed Mr Roy Pedley of Fosse Road North, Leicester:
"Roy was a kind, decent and gentle man who always went out of his way to help his family, friends and neighbours.
"His untimely death has come as a great shock and tragedy to all who knew him, especially his wife, two sons and grandchildren.
There were two sides only in as much as Wayne and Dean Stephens are chavscum and Roy Pedley was not.
Incidentally, it's time we stopped each defendant having a separate representative. Waste of money and an attempt to play them off against each other. They can have a combined defence as they are co-defendants. We shouldn't be paying for up to four defending lawyers when the victims have only the tender mercies of the CPS to represent them.
"when the victims have only the tender mercies of the CPS to represent them."
Why should any justice system -legal system interested in justice and NOT revenge- have or allow the victims of crime any representation in court? Victims are solely there to give evidence (and these days 'Impact Statements' for sentencing).
The criminal trial is just what it says on the tin, namely the trying of the criminal...not the victim.
Allowing Victim representation in a court just leads to distorted sentences, and I know for a fact that German Judges where such 'Nebenklaeger', (Prosecuting Lawyer for the 'victim') are commonplace, hate them and worry about their influence.
"'Mum, what do Labour voters look like?' "
I'd be amazed if these knuckledraggers had ever voted in their lives!
"Hell's teeth. Are you sure that's not from a Victorian manual of the underclasses showing the deformities arising from incest?"
Sometimes I think Cesare Lombroso was onto something after all...
"Incidentally, it's time we stopped each defendant having a separate representative. Waste of money and an attempt to play them off against each other."
Agreed.
"Allowing Victim representation in a court just leads to distorted sentences..."
I take your point, but it seems we already have those, just on the other side...
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