Monday, 30 December 2024

Everyone's A Victim To The Justice System, Except Their Victims...

A woman who abandoned a boy in a dark wooded area before claiming he had gone missing has avoided a jail sentence.

I guess the child must not have come to any harm, then? 

The nine-year-old was found with a brain injury, injuries to his chest and neck and evidence of alcohol and cocaine in his system by a dog walker who heard him crying.

Oh. 

McGovern, 31, was placed under supervision for three years and ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work after admitting wilfully neglecting the boy to his severe injury, permanent impairment and danger to life at the High Court in Edinburgh. McGovern, of Haddington, in East Lothian, also admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice. She had been "unable to explain" why she left the boy in the woods.

Unable, or unwilling? 

During sentencing, Lord Young told McGovern she had admitted "extremely serious offences". He said she had suffered from clinical depression and anxiety linked to low self-esteem for many years but has made "great strides" towards getting her life together. Lord Young said a custodial sentence "would be the norm" but was persuaded that he could deal with her by the imposition of a non-custodial sentence.

Persuaded by what, exactly? Certainly cannot have been by the burden this case placed on the emergeny services!

About 80 police officers, the force helicopter as well as mountain rescue and the coastguard were deployed in a "significant search operation", the court heard.

All that taxpayer money down the drain, and she is treated as the real victim by a useless, toothless 'justice system'... 

Defending, John Scullion KC told the court McGovern "felt a sense of panic" and described feeling "something flipped in her mind" on the day of the offences. He said she had been introduced to cocaine at the beginning of the Covid lockdown and quickly became dependent on the drug. Mr Scullion said by September 2022, the drug had started to impact on her relationships with others.
He said she had taken steps to deal with her issues and added: "She has had mental health issues throughout her adult life, issues with anxiety and depression."

Surely, all the more reason she should be locked away where she can't harm anyone else?

H/T: Andy Bryson via Twitter 

2 comments:

Komakino75 said...

I particularly "like" the defences line (sarc intended) "introduced to cocaine"...probably to young for Grange Hill

Sgt Albert Hall said...

She suffered “anxiety linked to low self-esteem for many years”, quite rightly so!