Sycamore Gap tree felled | Man in his 60s also arrested

Tbh I think that would be more effective than prison for 4 years in terms of rehab, and it effectively puts them 'in the stocks' which they deserve.
Putting aside the iconic statis of this tree, similar acts of vandalism by developers etc go unpunished all the time
They got locked up because of the iconic status of the tree, so if you put that aside all they would have got was a £50 fine.
 
Emotions aren’t wholly extraneous to sentencing disposition. Mercy is emotionally driven, surely. People who want to make others unhappy in a criminal way should be removed from society for long periods.
It was just a pissed up cunts trick. No, I don't think they should get away with it, but I'd rather actually dangerous people were in prison personally than just inconsiderate idiots.
 
Yes. Emotion has / should have no place in justice. That is my point.
Almost every single crime that has an emotional impact on someone will be taken into account by the judge, which is why putting a brick through someone’s front window will attract a heavier punishment than putting a brick through a bus shelter window. Both are bricks through windows but only one is likely to have an emotional impact and that’s the one with the bigger punishment.
 
They got locked up because of the iconic status of the tree, so if you put that aside all they would have got was a £50 fine.

Yeah, but didn't they do it in the first place for the very same reason? I've honestly got no personal investment in this debate — I hadn't actually heard of the Sycamore Gap Tree before reading about all this! But what I've since learned is that it was a much-loved landmark to many, many hikers and others. People actually went there to propose, apparently. So what they did was a singular act of meanness — aimed at people, and their affection for something, through the tree.
Should they be locked away for it? I've honestly got no answer that I'm clear about in my mind to that one. I don't know what being locked in a small room for several years of my life entails. But this was no ordinary act of vandalism. That's for sure.
 
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I think the sentiment still stands, mate.
It does not make any sense to be letting some nasty people out of prison as there are no resources, just to replace them with Dumb & Dumber.
A 2-year Community Order is far more suitable, imo.
But where’s the deterrent to stop other dumb and dumbers doing other such selfish acts?
 
But where’s the deterrent to stop other dumb and dumbers doing other such selfish acts?
The 2-year community sentence is a valid deterrent. Forcing them to pick up litter for 2 years, every weekend, benefits the public far more than locking them up.
Yet again, it is the judicial system cock waving, rather than using common sense.
We are literally letting violent and persistent criminals out of prison, who will go on to commit far more serious crimes (I can give you examples of people I know, who have been let out)
to make room for a pair of idiots who have engaged in a victimless crime.
 

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