Until a few years ago I had never heard of a single case of a murderer declining to go into the dock to hear their sentence. I doubt whether any of them even realised that they had the choice.  Yet in recent years, the word seems to have spread and something of a fashion has

I’m listening to LBC callers say that forcing the convict to attend their sentencing hearing ‘smacks of medievalism’. All kinds of hell-fire would be unleashed if this law was overturned.

Yet in the US and other countries, convicts are forced to attend their sentencing hearings and the sky didn’t fall. What is so fucking special about the UK?

  • wahming@monyet.ccEnglish
    41·
    1 year ago

    Setting aside that this case might be an exception because it seems she was mentally ill, shouldn’t the benefit of the victim’s families take priority over the convict?

    • Crackhappy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Personally, I agree with you in a moralistic fashion. I’m not sure that legally they can do that.

      • wahming@monyet.ccEnglish
        21·
        1 year ago

        They’re discussing what the law should be, so by definition whatever they decide would be legal.