http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-19869710

So this man has posted distasteful jokes about poor April Jones and Madeleine McCann but does the punishment fit the crime? I’ve no idea what he actually posted though.

He’s got 12 weeks jail.

Repeat offenders get a lesser sentence for theft, handling stolen goods, assault. I also know of cases when people get police cautions for child pornography offences (I know a barrister who works on child protection cases).

Is his sentence appropriate, over the top or is it just that the other offenders should be getting more sternly punished? Personally I think a community based sentence involving putting something back in to the community would be a better option.

I suspect the community would be putting something back into him. He was arrested ‘for his own safety’ after a group of 50 people assembled outside his house. 12 weeks might be long enough for them to forget.

As I say I don’t know what he actually posted. It must have been vile to get that sort of reaction.

The sentencing was to make an example of him more than anything. He posted something of the level you’d see on Sickipedia.

Absolutely ridiculous imo. May have been in very poor taste but jail for something posted on the internet is way too harsh.

Hard to say when you don’t know what he said, but I’m really not sure the police should be spending their time looking at the shit people say on Facebook.

Ffs, 12 weeks? No matter how bad taste it can’t deserve 12 weeks in jail. Depending on where it was posted I’d want an argument about how public a posting is too.

I don’t think it matters what he said. A prison sentence for being a prick? Really? What is happening to us?

Someone (previously a very regular regular of this parish) posted (a pretty distasteful, IMO) joke about April Jones – the evening she disappeared – on twitter. Tbh, I wasn’t quite sure what to think.

EDIT: but prison?? Jeez.

It’s heavy handed and possibly OTT, but the intention is to stop people thinking that whatever they say on the net is ok.

In other words, don’t be a prick and you won’t go to prison.

This is a travesty. The stupid sod made some off-colout jokes, that’s all.

The trouble is, they were about the kids! And the child victim de jour too.

Utter toss!

APF

DD, are you serious?

It’s ott imo. So he’s a bit of a pr*ck. I was when I was 20. Not saying I’d have done what he did but come on this will ruin his life.

A good mob beating should be better as I do not intend to feed him for 12 weeks. Put it this way a good mob beating is a form of exercise to burn off calories.

[advertisement – the deep voice] Mob beating the new form of aerobic exercise![/advertisement]

Someone (previously a very regular regular of this parish) posted (a pretty distasteful, IMO) joke about April Jones – the evening she disappeared – on twitter

Who / What ?

DD, are you serious?

Yep. Funnily enough, I’ve just checked his timeline and its gone. None of the usual suspects – it was along the lines of it being the beginning of October and the end of April (think she went missing right at the beginning of the month?).

Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle next at least?

I honestly can’t believe this. Total lunacy.

b r – Member

Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle next at least?

Yes, them too … bloody waste of oxygen … bloody celebrities.

Maggots.

whats this lad likely to get tomorrow then..
http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/NewsDetails.asp?id=8231

^ what’s bonkers is that for something to fall foul of the act it has to be

“derogatory, disrespectful and inflammatory”

if it crossed over into another boundary of criminal activity (e.g. racially motivated) then i could understand it. But you’re not a criminal just for being a **** surely????

None of the usual suspects

Is it a secret ?

whats this lad likely to get tomorrow then..
http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/NewsDetails.asp?id=8231

People gassin about the deaths of Soldiers! What about the innocent familys who have been brutally killed.

Good point.

I honestly can’t believe the police waste their precious time dealing with nonsense like this.

Is it a secret ?

He’s from before your time neal. And I guess if he removed it, maybe he saw the error of his ways.