“ben,
I think you are missing my point, you said "at least he wasn't sponging off the state" (the defendant) I was trying, to make the point that it shouldn't make any difference, and, that due to the fact that he admitted that he didn't hit the victim in "self defence" I think it's the victim who deserves our concern, and the victim who may well also be a "hard working family man" would probably have had to "go on the sick" because of his injuries, would that make him "a sponger"? and you seem to think we should wait until he hits another innocent member of the public for no reason, and who knows perhaps next time it will be more than a broken jaw, before he is given a custodial sentence, lets hope it's not you or one of yours next time eh?
and Becky,
yes, he "only" hit him once and knocked him out and broke his jaw, why, the guy must be a saint! he could just as easily have killed him, it's just chance and luck that he didn't, what sort of message does it send out? landlords and club owners should be up in arms over this sort of behaviour it must cost them a fortune, people are afraid to go for a night out because of people like the defendant, a clear message should be sent that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated even if it is "just one hit" I have seen just one hit end up in a full on pub brawl many times over the years, the full weight of the law should be used every time in cases like this, the priority should be to defend the public and lock up and make examples of thugs.”

“I dont think that anyone has the right to comment on this issue without knowing the full facts. The press only print the bits that are going to get good headlines.. hence the "gentlemen thug" . Perhaps before people judge they should remember that there are two sides to every story. The defendant has been tried by our country's criminal justice system, where evidence from both sides has been placed before the Court. The victim and the defendant have both had an opportunity to put across their version of events. On the basis of this evidence the Judge passed a sentence which he believed was the correct level of punishment in respect of the crime. The word "thug" has been used a lot here, perhaps unfairly when it is seen that the defendant hit the victim once - he did not "beat him up" or subject him to a sustained attack. This was clearly a moment of madness on the part of the defendant and I suspect given the comments made by his defence and the Judge, completely out of character. Whilst I accept that this is no excuse for an attack on another person, I wonder how many of you reading this and commenting have lost control in the past and will do again in the future.”

“I don't understand, how can holding a job get him off hitting a stranger that hard in the mouth, it breaks the blokes jaw.
I say well done for him getting off his backside and finding work but he sould at the moment be in prison for what he did. I think the 2 grand will aid the victim in his search for an end to this matter. or at least a good few Friday nights in Jumping Jacks sipping beer thought a straw.”

“It's become a bit 'slangy' ...But there is an interesting dimension to all this, and that's perceptions and assumptions.
Each of our life-experience dictates our views on most things to a greater or lesser extent, and so most of us will differ on certain nuances of the argument.
For instance, if you've never been on the receiving end of a mere 'slap' -let alone a full bloodied beating and kicking -gratuitously administered by a frenzied thug -working out all his angst on you as you lie injured and defenceless with no one near to call on for help, then you will have a different 'take' on what violence is really all about.
Same with many meat eaters, who, having taken up the challenge by a vegetarian to visit an abattoir and watch the carnage before their very own eyes, you will not -as a meat eater yourself, understand why they packed up eating meat.

And so it is with any case which involves violence and sentencing. There will be differences of opinions, and that's only one side of a very complex story on Crime and Punishment..... and Justice as practised in by our Judicial System in the present time.

One man's meat is another man's abhorrence.....”

“johntoe
when did i say anything about the victims employment status i sed the defendant wasn't sponging, not the victim was. the judge obviously thought in which he did say this didnt need a custodial sentence. if hes so much of a thug like you say what are you worring for he'll be back in trouble won't he and go to prison any way ????
it says the victim didnt press charges for a week afta the incident whys is dat then i think? is dat maybe becuz he and his mates needed to get their straight make sure they were all sayin the same thing. hmmm thats how it looks from an outsider. anyway the judge decided that the sentence was appropriate otherwise he wouldnt of done it, would he?”