THUG LAUGHS AT LAW
THREE violent, sickening attacks on innocents but courts fail to jail yob
A THUG up in court for a third violent attack has avoided jail again, sparking accusations of soft justice.
Martial arts fighter Aarron Peet, 19, got another suspended sentence for battering two students in a race hate assault.
His first victim, Scott Hall, 28, died after an attack in Durham. Mum Carol said: “You wonder what he has to do to go to jail?”
What is a suspended sentence?
A suspended sentence is an alternative to being jailed. It is carried out in the community, with the person having to meet conditions such as staying away from a certain place or person or doing unpaid work.
When can they be imposed?
When a court imposes a custodial sentence of between 14 days and two years (or six months in magistrates courts), it may choose to suspend the sentence for up to two years.
What happens if the offender breaches the suspended sentence?
If an individual commits a crime or breaks the conditions imposed, they are usually remanded in custody. In most cases, they will serve the original custodial term in addition to the sentence for the new offence.
How many suspended sentences are being handed out?
The numbers rose from 4,000 in 2005 to more than 52,000 in 2015, according to the Sentencing Council, a public body that issues guidelines to courts. There was a corresponding decrease in Community Orders, the stats, published this year, revealed.
Why were they introduced?
They are an alternative to short prison sentences, which various studies have deemed ineffective.
The Government reformed them in 2005 to try to reduce the rapidly growing prison population while still being seen to be tough on crime.
The power to suspend a sentence was first introduced under the Criminal Justice Act 1967.