Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

I know where you are coming from and it is a worry ,social media in some cases is likened to a few people having a private conversation in the pub and if any of them told such sick jokes they would not be prosecuted it would be treated as a private conversation so we do have to tread carefully .

In this case i think the judge locked him up for his own safety ;)

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

12 weeks? Seriously???

It was in exceptional bad taste but in all honesty say that a message posted on facebook and not directed at the family deserves jailtime and a harsher punishment than this, this or this?

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Frankie Boyle's on borrowed time then.

Seriously though, to think you can be jailed for offending someone....................

especially as what is and what isn't offensive is subjective and differs from person to person.

It's the thin end of the wedge.

I have no problem with being charged and punished, it's what he has been charged with I have an issue.

Had he been charged with outraging public decency or something, then it would be more palatable.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Its thought Police. 12 weeks for offensive posting on Facebook? what a waste of resources Police time and the cost of trial and sentence

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

According to comments which I can verify on Slashdot these messages where posted on his wall.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Sorry to be daft, but what does that mean exactly?

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

It means he just posted it for the consumption of his 'friends' rather than directing it at a community or group of people. It's the internet equivalent of telling a joke in a bar amongst friends as opposed to shouting it in a supermarket.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

So going on post #150, a warning would have been more appropriate.

I have to say this does look rather worrying.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Without the message being directed at someone I would previously have thought the chances of proving a crime were limited however in the new world where someone, somewhere is permanently offended about something it seems like common sense is going out the window.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Have you ever had to deal with one of these cases?

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Surely the decision to prosecute lies firmly with the CPS, and the decision to impose such a ludicrous sentence lies with the judge? It seems quite simple to me. The CPS should take a step back and not prosecute because they can, but because it actually serves a purpose.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

I suspect conviction rates are a performance indicator for CPS lawyers. I can see why they would go for the jugular if they thought they could.

As for the sentence, well in this case there was no judge, there was a panel of magistrates, who are in essence people who do jury service for a hobby, except with the added benefit of passing sentence after they have decided on guilt. I don't mean to do JPs a disservice (not least because an old and dear friend of mine is one) but it's not without good reason that most people accused of an 'each way' offence (one that can be tried either by a jury at Crown Court or by magistrates) opt for jury trial. On like-for-like cases, magistrates are a lot more likely to find a defendant guilty. Whether or not they are similarly gung-ho when it comes to sentencing, I can only speculate.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Offenses under the Communications Act? Plenty but those were always fallouts between friends or partners. I can't say I've ever had to deal with one without a clear cut 'victim'.

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

Just wondered how much day-to-day policing is taken up with people making comments on Facebook or Twitter (that aren't directed at an individual).

Re: Abduction of 5 Year old Girl April Jones
 

I've not had to do the day to day stuff for a bit, however when I speak to other cops the amount of electronic, low level stuff seems to be increasing and due to its nature takes up more time than other 'crimes'.