Since when is getting a life sentence at a secure unit, which are where we send some of our most dangerous criminals [and have been criticized by the UN](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/26/52-held-close-supervision-prison-units-may-amount-torture) “getting away with murder”? Like these aren’t just mental hospital in patient units that have a bit of barbed wire, they’re where we put people who commit crimes and are not in full control of their actions. These are where the real horror movie villain types go, the type of people are don’t want to expose to the general *prison* population and they’re acting like this is soft touch justice.
Calling them “Secure Hospitals” implies they’re “soft” places. These places are more like Arkham Asylum for the Criminally insane, which these places are.
He is going to end up in a secure psychiatric unit and I can’t foresee him ever being released. In this case, that is probably the right outcome.
I think the families are right to be angry that he wasn’t treated and was free and able to kill, but he isn’t “getting away” with anything.
I’m not sure what other sentence would be appropriate if he truly is suffering from mental health issues that were the root cause for him commiting murder. He can’t go into general population as he will be a risk to other prisoners and regardless he is ill and needs treatment. The sentence can’t dictate that he isn’t cared for in a clinically appropriate way.
I do believe the family have more of a case for the drop to manslaughter but the CPS will have done this to guarantee a conviction. His mental health is obviously a massive contributing factor in this and CPS could argue that not dropping to manslaughter may have resulted in an even more lenient sentence.
These people are victims of our spiral into open borders and mass immigration imposed to help the rich keep getting richer.
Spineless and populist… The sentence was given for a reason and they need to stick by it. The family are going to be angry but its not always up to the victims. We need to think about the fact that the prisoner is going to be of high risk in a normal prison. I bet Rishi told them to review the sentence because he knows this looks bad on his government. Once again sticking plasters. If mental health services and the police weren’t cut down to the bone by years of conservative government, they may not have been killed.
Not sure I understand the challenge.
He has been diagnosed as mentally ill, severely mentally ill, and that caused the crime.
From what’s been reported he is on the ‘last chance’ medication and it doesn’t seem to be working. So short of a miraculous medical breakthrough he isn’t getting out.
He can’t be released until numerous medical experts are confident his schizophrenia no longer poses a threat to the public.
I’m not sure I’d call life in Rampton “getting away with” anything.
[removed]
I completely understand how the family of the victims feel.
My brother has Schizophrenia, one of the worst ones.
When it first manifested, at university, I believed that someone WAS out to get him, because HE believed it very much and was convincing. Eventually we got the diagnoses and he ws put on medication which helped a lot. But, the medication is very hard on the body…it’s not nice. And so taking the meds is a real struggle.
Luckily my brother lives in a country where mental health care is robust. He has his own social worker, one to one who looks out for my brother. He has a safe secure flat, no matter what. He is supported in every way to take his meds ( meds can be court ordered, but only as last resort, support in the community is the best way).
My brother gets to live a decent life, despite this awful illness. We don’t have to worry that he will act on his very powerful delusions. I get to let him hug my kid. And not feel scared.
That kind of care is not cheap.
​
We can be angry all we want, but vengeance isn’t justice. Better support for people suffering is the only solution. I only wish it had come in time for these poor folks.
9 comments
Since when is getting a life sentence at a secure unit, which are where we send some of our most dangerous criminals [and have been criticized by the UN](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/26/52-held-close-supervision-prison-units-may-amount-torture) “getting away with murder”? Like these aren’t just mental hospital in patient units that have a bit of barbed wire, they’re where we put people who commit crimes and are not in full control of their actions. These are where the real horror movie villain types go, the type of people are don’t want to expose to the general *prison* population and they’re acting like this is soft touch justice.
Calling them “Secure Hospitals” implies they’re “soft” places. These places are more like Arkham Asylum for the Criminally insane, which these places are.
He is going to end up in a secure psychiatric unit and I can’t foresee him ever being released. In this case, that is probably the right outcome.
I think the families are right to be angry that he wasn’t treated and was free and able to kill, but he isn’t “getting away” with anything.
I’m not sure what other sentence would be appropriate if he truly is suffering from mental health issues that were the root cause for him commiting murder. He can’t go into general population as he will be a risk to other prisoners and regardless he is ill and needs treatment. The sentence can’t dictate that he isn’t cared for in a clinically appropriate way.
I do believe the family have more of a case for the drop to manslaughter but the CPS will have done this to guarantee a conviction. His mental health is obviously a massive contributing factor in this and CPS could argue that not dropping to manslaughter may have resulted in an even more lenient sentence.
These people are victims of our spiral into open borders and mass immigration imposed to help the rich keep getting richer.
Spineless and populist… The sentence was given for a reason and they need to stick by it. The family are going to be angry but its not always up to the victims. We need to think about the fact that the prisoner is going to be of high risk in a normal prison. I bet Rishi told them to review the sentence because he knows this looks bad on his government. Once again sticking plasters. If mental health services and the police weren’t cut down to the bone by years of conservative government, they may not have been killed.
Not sure I understand the challenge.
He has been diagnosed as mentally ill, severely mentally ill, and that caused the crime.
From what’s been reported he is on the ‘last chance’ medication and it doesn’t seem to be working. So short of a miraculous medical breakthrough he isn’t getting out.
He can’t be released until numerous medical experts are confident his schizophrenia no longer poses a threat to the public.
I’m not sure I’d call life in Rampton “getting away with” anything.
[removed]
I completely understand how the family of the victims feel.
My brother has Schizophrenia, one of the worst ones.
When it first manifested, at university, I believed that someone WAS out to get him, because HE believed it very much and was convincing. Eventually we got the diagnoses and he ws put on medication which helped a lot. But, the medication is very hard on the body…it’s not nice. And so taking the meds is a real struggle.
Luckily my brother lives in a country where mental health care is robust. He has his own social worker, one to one who looks out for my brother. He has a safe secure flat, no matter what. He is supported in every way to take his meds ( meds can be court ordered, but only as last resort, support in the community is the best way).
My brother gets to live a decent life, despite this awful illness. We don’t have to worry that he will act on his very powerful delusions. I get to let him hug my kid. And not feel scared.
That kind of care is not cheap.
​
We can be angry all we want, but vengeance isn’t justice. Better support for people suffering is the only solution. I only wish it had come in time for these poor folks.