12 months for strangling grandpops

[longrunsthefox]

OK dudes... reaction to this one...   



Early release for killer grandson

The Omagh teenager whose 12-month jail sentence for the killing of his elderly grandfather has sparked controversy is set to be released within a month.
Eamonn Coyle was just 16 when he stabbed and strangled 78-year-old Francis O'Neill at his home in April last year for £80 to pay his rent.
Now 18, he was sentenced on Monday to a year's detention for his grandfather's manslaughter and a further two years on licence.

But Coyle, who has served time on remand since the killing, will be freed by the end of the month.
"It appears to me Eamon Coyle was sentenced for the robbery of £80. The manslaughter element seems to have been brushed aside," Chairman of the Stormont Justice Committee, Maurice Morrow, said.

The teenager's identity would have remained unknown because of his youth, but Omagh Crown Court judge Mr Justice McLaughlin - sitting in Craigavon - lifted reporting restrictions as he felt the details were necessary to allow the public to better understand the outcome of the case.
The judge said, while he was certain Coyle never intended to kill his granddad or even to seriously harm him, he had gone to his Brook Valley home "for the motive of theft or robbery".
He also stated that Eamonn Coyle "is the person directly responsible for the death of his grandfather", but accepted the teen posed no future risk to the public.

Morrow has called for further explanation from the courts of the leniency of the sentence, amid a public outcry.
"I cannot understand how and why this decision was arrived at. It sends out the wrong message to the law abiding public," he said.
"I am shocked and stunned, as I think a lot of people are."

The Public Prosecution Service is to consider the case, which could be forwarded to the Court of Appeal if it is considered to be "unduly lenient".

[pintsofguinness]

what the f**k?

The only way I can see they've come to that conclusion if the fella was mentally ill or something?

[longrunsthefox]

Nope, the judge reckoned he didn't mean to kill  him and the judge described the strangling action as 'foolhardy.' Oh! and yer lad Coyle also stabbed the Grandfather in the neck... sure the report says that.
Pints, I know we have clashed on rehabilitation of young offenders before but even the Fox appreciates this is crazy. This boy gets out in  a few weeks.   

[Maguire01]

It is a joke. But his mother and aunt (both daughters of the victim) spoke out in his defence in court. It shouldn't have made a difference, but I think that is what swung it.

[pintsofguinness]

How can you strangle and stab someone in the neck and not mean to kill them?

It's a strange as that case in Kerry were they all queued up to shake hands with the rapist.

[omagh_gael]

Is it my imagination or was this lad returned to custody after being released on bail for beating up a lad in Strabane who testified against him? 

[ardmhachaabu]

Nope, the judge reckoned he didn't mean to kill  him and the judge described the strangling action as 'foolhardy.' Oh! and yer lad Coyle also stabbed the Grandfather in the neck... sure the report says that.
Pints, I know we have clashed on rehabilitation of young offenders before but even the Fox appreciates this is crazy. This boy gets out in  a few weeks.

Madness, it seems to me judges are so far removed from real life.  Let me call a spade a spade here, murdering someone should mean that the offender goes to jail for 30 years.  If you take a life, the state should see to it that you repay it with you being incarcerated until an independent board of assessors think that you are fit to be rehabilitated.  No exceptions for any reasons.  No out clauses.

[longrunsthefox]

Is it my imagination or was this lad returned to custody after being released on bail for beating up a lad in Strabane who testified against him?

Aye- a few weeks ago.

[pintsofguinness]

Nope, the judge reckoned he didn't mean to kill  him and the judge described the strangling action as 'foolhardy.' Oh! and yer lad Coyle also stabbed the Grandfather in the neck... sure the report says that.
Pints, I know we have clashed on rehabilitation of young offenders before but even the Fox appreciates this is crazy. This boy gets out in  a few weeks.

Madness, it seems to me judges are so far removed from real life.  Let me call a spade a spade here, murdering someone should mean that the offender goes to jail for 30 years.  If you take a life, the state should see to it that you repay it with you being incarcerated until an independent board of assessors think that you are fit to be rehabilitated.  No exceptions for any reasons.  No out clauses.

If you murder someone you should spend the rest of your life behind bars imo

[ziggysego]

Madness. In three weeks time, he'll be back walking the streets of Omagh?!?

The judge says he is no longer a danger to society? How did he come to this conclusion?

[Norf Tyrone]

Is it my imagination or was this lad returned to custody after being released on bail for beating up a lad in Strabane who testified against him?

Aye- a few weeks ago.

Is there a link to that?

[longrunsthefox]

It was in different papers about that. He is charged with that but not convicted of it.

[Orior]

This is a case for electronic tagging.

[omagh_gael]

Is it my imagination or was this lad returned to custody after being released on bail for beating up a lad in Strabane who testified against him?

Aye- a few weeks ago.

Is there a link to that?

Here you are Norf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11467545

[Lawrence of Knockbride]

This is a case for electronic tagging.

Yeah to his balls.

I haven't read the case but why was he strangling a lad of that age if he wasn't trying to kill him?
I think some of the posts re 30 years etc are a bit too black and white but this one has me puzzled.