Howard League: Riot sentences should reflect seriousness of offence
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns for the Howard League, proportionality is being ignored:
"The rush to send a message out is leading to some very bad sentences, which will be overturned on appeal.
"It will be a further drag on the court system, which is already struggling – and that's before considering the pressures on the prison system.
"It's understandable that the courts are being asked to treat the public disturbances as an aggravating factor.
"However, I think what's not being borne in mind is another key principle of the justice system – that of proportionality.
"Sentences should reflect the seriousness of the offence.
"In the Facebook case, we're talking about four years' jail which would normally be associated with serious and violent offences.
"But in this case the police closed down the pages and it's very unclear the extent to which these were organising something or whether it was two young men putting stupid messages on Facebook."
