Tricky one.  The police, who are often morally indistinguishable from the criminals, try to fix up people to get a quick result and a high clear-up rate.  In the US they usually go for the nearest mentally sub-normal young black man.  Recent DNA tests on old cases show they often got the wrong guy.  Must be Kafkaesque if you're the wrong guy. I'd be happy to top the obvious killers like Brady, West and Black.  Saves a lot of money.  Coming from the other side I'd be happy to top a lot of lawyers - the ones who get rich on stringing things out for ever (orioles and e&o excepted).  Anyhow, when civilization collapses in the near-future, we'll be back to lynch-mobs (cheap but often inaccurate - though time-saving).  And when, if ever, did the guilty ever get their just desserts?

At worst, a child killer should be shut in a soundproofed room, 6 feet square, with one hand tied behind his back, to see how tough he is against the father of the dead child, who has both hands free, and no convictions to follow, whatever happens.  And if any christian parents can't do the right thing, let me at him. He'll live, but me and Mr Pliers will guarantee he never touches a child again.

Dead victims don't understand sympathy, or remorse from scumbags in court rooms.

Dale Cregan handed himself in because he knew he'd be shot dead by Manchester Police for the cold-blooded killing of two policewomen. Another facking coward who can spend the rest of his life with 3 meals a day and a roof over his head. And just at todays rates, that's a million pounds of taxpayers money to look after him, instead of up putting him up against the wall, and shooting him.

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lol not me!

Is that re the sneaky betfair spell-checker or capital punishment, Gnarly?

Haha!

The programme shown recently, with Trevor McDonald, was very interesting. Where he was talking to inmates on Death Row.

As well as the death penalty, I'd be all for torture as well. A good birching, a stoning or two, torture by sand paper and some excruciating pain and suffering, a proper deterrent for the mother effers.

I'm all for some involvement of the victim's family & friends.

Maybe we could have a weekly tv show on a Friday night, a bit like the running man.

I used to be strongly opposed to The Death Penalty when i was younger but now my attitude has changed completely........String The Fookers Up.

I'm a vengeful person.  If a heinous crime were committed against my friends or family I'd want the perpetrator dead, not living in prison for ten or fifteen years.

As it would be hypocritical to expect others to be more humane and forgiving than myself, I'm in favour of reintroducing the death penalty.

not me

When it emerges that the guy who killed the schoolgirl yesterday was a known schizophrenic and had been failed repeatedly by our woeful care system, will your opinion change pokermonster?

The fact is that there can be no justification for state-sponsored murder, however heinous the crime. Have a little think about the societies in which it is still used - would you want to live in any of them?

Do you genuinely believe that the Police would stop fabricating, planting and manipulating evidence if their dupe would be hanged?

So then, what would you do with people with personality disorders which could potentially lead them to commit violent acts? Would you just put them down?

I wonder how those who preach forgiveness, bang the drum of human rights, call the death penalty barbaric, accuse the police of falsifying evidence etc would maintain their stance if them and their family were affected first hand and devastated by a crime for which those responsible were bang to rights in front the judge.

Some would stick to their principles I suspect, HRH, but a few would want vengeance no doubt.  I'd be in the latter group.

In the case of the man who killed the schoolgirl yesterday, whether or not he was suffering from a mental illness is irrelevant in my view, the fact that he's a callous murderer trumps everything else.

What's the point of keeping him locked up forever where he'll just be a danger to all those around him?

I'm all for letting 'em swing as and when there is irrefutable proof.

The Baby P saga touched us all I would expect, and there could have easily been another case of it's ilk if it wasn't for a health worker taking the job seriously down in Plymouth during October 2010.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-15187722

Plymouth four-month-old boy 'assaulted by parents'
A boy from Plymouth was assaulted by his own parents when he was less than four months old, a court has heard.

A health visitor saw marks on Ethan Sheldon's legs in October 2010 which "set alarm bells ringing", Plymouth Crown Court heard.

X-rays revealed six healing fractures. He was also found to have 20 bruises.

Christopher Sheldon, 31, and Charlotte Sheldon, 23, deny child cruelty, but Mr Sheldon will claim during the trial his wife was responsible, the court heard.

'No explanation'
The health visitor who had come to weigh Ethan saw "linear" red marks, the court was told.

After he was taken to hospital by his parents on the same day, 5 October 2010, an X-ray revealed healing fractures.

They included breaks in three left ribs, his left collar bone, his right shin and one of his big toes.

The court heard the injuries could not have occurred accidentally,

Jo Martin, prosecuting, said that only the parents had enough access to Ethan in the months after he was born to have caused the injuries.

Either the couple - Christopher Sheldon, of Mount Batten Way, and Charlotte Sheldon, of Sefton Avenue - committed them together, Ms Martin said, or one was covering for the other.

She said: "Neither of them has given an explanation as to how these injuries were caused."

The trial continues.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-21714206

A couple have been jailed for three years each for attacking their baby son.

Christopher, 32, and Charlotte Sheldon, 24, assaulted their son Ethan at least three times in the first four months of his life, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

Both were found guilty of ill treating or assaulting Ethan between his birth in May 2010 and October 2010 at their home in Sefton Avenue, Plymouth.

They were also convicted of failing to seek medical attention for his wounds.

Six broken bones
Plymouth Crown Court heard the baby was repeatedly struck with a long thin implement like a piece of flex or cutlery and squeezed so hard that his ribs broke.

The baby suffered six broken bones - three ribs, a collarbone, ankle and big toe - and 20 bruises which doctors said could not have been caused accidentally.

Both parents, who have since separated, blamed each other for harming their son.

The court heard Ethan would have been in pain for several days from his injuries.

How this pair of knuts have only got a 3 year prison sentance is beyond belief IMO. OK this new born will live to fight another day, hopefully under the wings of loving foster and/or adoptive parents, but who knows what may have happeend had a care worker not raised the alarm.

I take your point SF, and agree with you, I'm just thankful that there are a few good/adequate social workers out there.

I've no desire to kill anyone.

I don't think vengeance has ever made anyone happy. If Mick Philpott was born evil, then he's every bit as to blame for his condition as someone born without legs. If he was made evil  by his experiences of life, then it's not his fault. We gain nothing by vengeance.