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UK: Shoplifter who mowed down policeman told 'Take 7-week trip-of-a-lifetime before we lock you up'
Submitted by anthony on Sun, 2010-11-28 03:11
Story here. Excerpt:
'After mowing down a policeman in an attempt to escape justice, shoplifter Saphhia Da-Silva was expected to face the full wrath of the British legal system.
But instead magistrates have adjourned sentencing – so she can enjoy a pre-booked seven-week holiday to Australia.
Da-Silva was spotted shoplifting at a Gap store and was followed to her car by two police community support officers.
...
Her case had been adjourned for pre-sentence reports, and a sentencing hearing would have likely been held in mid-December.
But the mother-of-two's planned seven-week trip Down Under, on a visa, is from November 28 to January 15 so Ashford magistrates agreed to adjourn the date until January 31.'
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Comments
Let her come.
With any luck she'll run into one of our less pleasant inhabitants...
Funnel web spiders
Redback Spiders
Taipans
Brown Snakes
Blue Ringed Octopuses
and then of course there are the sharks and crocodiles...
----------------------
Rise, Rebel, Resist.
On the fence
I'm a little on the fence about this one.
First, it is not uncommon to postpone hearings in soft crime cases due to personal reasons. It happens all the times for both genders. However, this crime may not be so "soft" because she did hit an officer sending him 5 ft into the air, which concerns me.
But I think the most influencing factor is that the purpose of the trip is for family. She is taking her children and ill mother to see her grandmother (I assume this is her mother's mother). The article does not say how old her grandmother is or how ill her mother is, but it may be the only chance for the grandchildren to meet their grandmother and the last chance for mother and daughter to see eachother (by "mother" and "daughter" I am referring to the accused's grandmother and mother). If her children and mother are not able to travel alone, this is punishing everyone. I also would not be surprised if the grandmother in Australia is paying for the trip. She would be out a lot of money if no one was able to travel. Most airline tickets are non-transferable and dates are unchangeable.
I can understand how some of these factors may be considered. I would like the judge to tack on some "extra" for this consideration such as stiffer fine, more jail time or community service to make it even up somehow.
PS- I am not up on British terms, I assume nan=grandma and PCSO=officer
I'm kind of with Kris. On
I'm kind of with Kris. On one hand Kris is right they do this a lot for both genders. Kris your other thought however is one that bothers me, that this is for family reasons. It's a good reason, better than most I imagine, but considering prisons make ample space and time available for mothers to interact with their children, and men are locked up and the key thrown away, I can't help but wonder what would happen if this woman was a man, even a single father, would he get the time off too? Can't know for sure but if history is our guide they'd suggest the fathers role in the vacation wouldn't warrant this exception.
It's not so much that it is
It's not so much that it is "for family" it is more that the timing impacts other people as much or more than the actual criminal. If the family members are unable to travel alone (too young and too ill) then whoever paid for the tickets would be punished the most. As well as the grandmother missing out on a last chance to see her daughter and granddaughter and meet her great-grandchildren.
I know of male criminals that have been allowed to interrupt actual sentencing (leave jail) to visit a dying parent or child, attend a funeral and things like that because of consideration to the other person and the circumstance.
Whatever is common practice it should be consistent for both genders. I am not totally convinced that she should have any considerations. Seven weeks is a long time and evidence suggests she was a pro-shoplifter. I am just trying to see how to give her a fair punishment w/o effecting the other family members so much.
And about prisons and female criminals...
The fact that so much consideration is given to mothers in prison has always bothered me because of the gender bias and in newborn cases, I think adoption is usually best.
BTW-my brother and I had the same birth mom and my brother was born while our birthmom was in jail. (might have been the same for me, I'm not sure, but she was in and out of jail a lot) There were no provisions for newborns at her jail which is why we were put in foster home and later adopted. Adoption was best thing that ever happened to us. But for non-newborns that are already part of the family, I think it is wise to keep family relationships strong. There are more men in jail and they serve longer sentencing so I think fathers should be a priority when it comes to making sure they have provisions and ample space for family time.