Forum Topic

Old Bailey Live Sentencing Today

Fascinating and enlightening.

Sue Hammond ● 1053d6 Comments

The justification for televising sentencing is that the public get to see and understand the judge's detailed reasoning backing up their sentence - in this case there were 8 pages of it.A justification much undermined by the TV news showing only edited highlights of it - which is all the majority of people will bother to watch.

Michael Winstanley ● 1052d

Exactly Martine.  I thought the Judge's summing up before she actually announced the length of the defendant's sentence was very interesting, particularly her explanation of  how the aggravating and mitigating factors were considered. Bring on more of it I say!

Sue Hammond ● 1053d

As I understand it, this has been done so that the public can understand the reason for the sentences the prisoners are given.  Well it worked for me.  They warned on the news that there were distressing details.  Ben Oliver’s upbringing was difficult to listen to, really upsetting.  I hope that he gets the help he so obviously needs in prison.

Martine Guy ● 1053d

I do hope that the media does not become a source of necessary funding for our under-resourced legal system.

David Ainsworth ● 1053d

I am not really in favour of televised court cases.Not only too American but also very intrusive in what should be a "closed" court.And the Old Bailey, of all places!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1053d

Found it interesting but also depressing.

Michael Ixer ● 1053d