Let off lightly...

I was actually going to post about a different subject today but I received an e-mail this morning and now I have a few points I would like to get off my chest. The message was regarding the Arsenal tickets I was fraudulently sold back in September 2013. The case has gone on for a long while (over two years) but finally the court sentenced the despicable human being yesterday. In case you are new, I stupidly purchased three Swansea away tickets online from a complete stranger and convinced myself that the whole transaction was above board. I lost £120 but turns out there were at least 18 other victims so I dread to think how much was extorted from football fans in total.

The good news is that the court found the piece of scum guilty and 'punished' him for his wrong doings. However, although the man skipped court and a warrant for his arrest had to be issued, the judge was extremely lenient in his verdict because the defendant pleaded guilty. I think the fact he was only given an 8 month custodial prison sentence (suspended for two years) and ordered to work 120 hours unpaid work in the next 12 months sums up everything that is wrong with the UK justice system. 

Sorry (not sorry) but when it comes it to punishment, this country is an absolute joke.  I am not just talking about this case. Every day, absurdly soft sentences are being handed out by the courts. I will use the Becky Watts murder case (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11993648/Becky-Watts-murderer-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-with-a-minimum-of-33-years.html)) as an example. 33 years for horrifically murdering your step-sister? Does not seem enough to me. He will get out of prison when he is 51 so will probably have a fair bit of his life left (because normally it is good people who die prematurely). He should never enjoy freedom again and I feel should even be killed but the death penalty is a whole separate debate. All I am saying is no wonder young people do not fear authority or breaking the law. Existing 'punishments' are not good enough.

Every cloud has a silver lining though as I will be getting 50% of what he took back as the court ordered him to pay back £1 for every £2 stolen within the next 12 months. I do not understand why the judge did not make it full compensation but I suppose £60 is better than nothing. I thought I would get nothing and had just wrote it off as one of my expensive learning curves. The message is clear though. Committing fraud and stealing is a crime but if you get caught, you can keep half of it IF you do the unthinkable and work in a charity shop (perish the thought).

Are you taking notes Michael Gove (Justice Secretary)?

Bye for now!