Now let me be clear I am in no way underestimating the seriousness of the riots that took place across England recently. There is absolutely NO excuse for the behaviour exhibited by those responsible despite the best efforts of ‘social commentators’ to come up with excuses which invariable involve blaming the Government.
However, it does seem to me to be a bit of an over-reaction on the part of a Caernarfon court to jail a man for four months for some very stupid remarks he made on Facebook.
‘David Glyn Jones, of Glasinfryn, Bangor, Gwynedd, had told friends on the social networking site: "Let’s start Bangor riots," a court heard.
He also typed: "I don’t see why everyone’s complaining about the rioters. Given the chance I’d love to smash up a police car, wouldn’t you.’
Stupid, yes, undeniably so, but his defense stated that “the matter was only on Facebook for 20 minutes.” No riot or indeed any there disturbance took place as a result of his childish actions.
Also reported by Wales Online is the story of a welsh language campaigner jailed for breaking the conditions of a sentence he received after breaking in to the office of an MP.
‘Cymdeithas yr Iaith volunteer Jamie Bevan, 35, of Merthyr Tydfil, was sentenced to seven days in prison for the offence after he refused to comply with a curfew he was given at an earlier hearing
‘On March 6 Bevan and another activist smashed windows to get into the Conservative MP’s office, before damaging a door, pushing computers off desks and spraying Welsh slogans on walls and cabinets. They then called police and waited at the scene so they could be arrested
‘Bevan was also sentenced to five days in prison to run concurrently for an earlier offence of criminal damage for painting Welsh slogans at the Welsh Government buildings in Cathays Park.’
So this person caused actual criminal damage having set out to deliberately do just that, resulting in a considerable bill for the taxpayer. He refused to comply with the conditions of his original sentence and yet was given only a seven day jail term.
‘On March 6 Bevan and another activist smashed windows to get into the Conservative MP’s office, before damaging a door, pushing computers off desks and spraying Welsh slogans on walls and cabinets. They then called police and waited at the scene so they could be arrested
‘Bevan was also sentenced to five days in prison to run concurrently for an earlier offence of criminal damage for painting Welsh slogans at the Welsh Government buildings in Cathays Park.’
So this person caused actual criminal damage having set out to deliberately do just that, resulting in a considerable bill for the taxpayer. He refused to comply with the conditions of his original sentence and yet was given only a seven day jail term.
Am I missing something?
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