Not a reflection on society...

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:50 am

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 337153.stm

The BBC wrote: Scythe murderers jailed for life

Three teenagers have been jailed for life for hacking a friend to death with two scythes in a field near Sheffield.

John Sawdon, Jermaine James, both 17, and 16-year-old Rebecca Peeters - named by a judge on Thursday - pleaded guilty to Terry Hurst's murder in January.

Terry, 17, of Penistone, was targeted by the three during a camping trip to Broomhead Reservoir in July 2004. More than 60 wounds were found on his body.

Sawdon will spend a minimum of 15 years in jail, Peeters and James 13 years.

Peeters was 15 at the time of the murder.

Mr Justice Andrew Smith, at Sheffield Crown Court, told the trio their offence was chilling.

"You knew he would be defenceless.

"You found him in a tent and set about him mercilessly. He couldn't escape.

"You all chased him and caught him and continued the attack."

Mr Hurst, who suffered learning difficulties, was kicked, stamped on and had a plastic bag put over his head as well as being attacked with the agricultural scythes.

The court heard the trio left the largest scythe embedded in their victim's neck.

"You intended to kill him. It was the cruellest of all crimes and perhaps the more terrible because teenagers committed it," the judge added.

Speaking after the sentencing Mr Hurst's family said they would like to say how relieved they were that justice had been done.

'Horrendous attack'

His mother, Audrey Hurst, said: "This horrific murder has been with us night and day.

"The total disbelief of it all will take time to sink in, if ever.

"We are now going to try and bring some normality back to our lives."

Det Supt Kevin Hardy said the motivation for the attack was not clear.

"There is some suggestion of a young girl Mr Hurst used to go out with who then went out with John Sawdon.

"John Sawdon has been known to make threats to people about what he would like to do to Terry and mentioned he would like to kill.

"Why that would lead to such an horrendous attack is beyond my comprehension," he said.

He said James only met the 17-year-old the day before and Peeters hardly knew him.

He also added it was a unique case.

"To get three young people to agree and participate in such an horrific attack is unique - this is not a reflection on society today."

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:59 am

I anticipate those young nubile folks are going to have a great time in the slammer.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:41 am

It's such an awful, awful situation. It's awful that these kids committed murder and just as awful that their lives are going to be destroyed by prison.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:02 am

Cranberry wrote:It's such an awful, awful situation. It's awful that these kids committed murder and just as awful that their lives are going to be destroyed by prison.

unless we bring back capital punishment for particularly brutal murders...

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:14 am

Cranberry wrote:It's such an awful, awful situation. It's awful that these kids committed murder and just as awful that their lives are going to be destroyed by prison.

Well, they had a choice. Their victim didn't.

What I'm really struggling with is the last sentence in the article, the quote from the senior officer in the case: ""To get three young people to agree and participate in such an horrific attack is unique - this is not a reflection on society today."

I don't think it is unique (cases like Jamie Bulger spring to mind). And I'm not sure at all that it isn't a reflection on society today.

I saw some gruesome stuff in my short time as a bobby on the beat in a big city. Maybe it's the apparent complete lack of motive in this case which disturbs me, I don't know.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:19 am

You were a PO-leese officer Gary? Cool. Susnfx was with the FBI, you a bobby.

Any Royal Canadian Mounties out there?

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:22 am

I used to be a detective with the Mattress Police Force.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:29 am

Martin Milner wrote:
Cranberry wrote:It's such an awful, awful situation. It's awful that these kids committed murder and just as awful that their lives are going to be destroyed by prison.
unless we bring back capital punishment for particularly brutal murders...

All murders are brutal.

Murdering somebody to teach that murdering is wrong does not work.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:33 am

Cranberry wrote:
All murders are brutal.

Murdering somebody to teach that murdering is wrong does not work.

Besides, if you kill them they won't learn anything.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:39 am

Joseph E. Smith wrote:I used to be a detective with the Mattress Police Force.

I've got all my tags!!! I swear!!!!

cranberry wrote:All murders are brutal.

Murdering somebody to teach that murdering is wrong does not work.

Sure, but 50 lashes will though.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:46 am

Cranberry wrote:It's such an awful, awful situation. It's awful that these kids committed murder and just as awful that their lives are going to be destroyed by prison.

I have no insight into the psychology of senseless killers of any age, but something tells me that the lives of these kids must already have been destroyed before they committed this crime.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:47 am

Let's remember something, folks. We're not talking about sweet, innocent 16-year-olds, here.

These guys planned this, and thought about it, and decided together to take weapons with them, hunt this poor learning-disabled kid down like an animal, and hack him apart while he was still alive.

Do I feel sorry for them that their lives are going to be destroyed in prison? Not particularly, not in this case.

In fact, I would think life in prison without the possibility of parole would make more sense for these kids. If you let them out, there is every chance they will kill again, for the smallest whim.

--James

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:49 am

Flyingcursor wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:I used to be a detective with the Mattress Police Force.
I've got all my tags!!! I swear!!!!

cranberry wrote:All murders are brutal.

Murdering somebody to teach that murdering is wrong does not work.
Sure, but 50 lashes will though.

If this were your child who murdered somebody else's child, would you want your child put to death or beaten fifty times?

The crimes committed may be absolutely horrid and detestable, but murderers are still human beings and still have rights, whether we want them to or not.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:53 am

It's a shame the only rights the victim had were the right to run in fear, the right to bleed, the right to beg, the right to cry, the right to die.

Cran, out of curiosity, what punishment do you think these murderous kids do deserve? Were you the judge in this case, responsible for trying to restore justice and a sense of order to the lives of the poor family whose child was so horribly killed, what would your judicial order be?

--James

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:00 am

peeplj wrote:It's a shame the only rights the victim had were the right to run in fear, the right to bleed, the right to beg, the right to cry, the right to die.

Cran, out of curiosity, what punishment do you think these murderous kids do deserve? Were you the judge in this case, responsible for trying to restore justice and a sense of order to the lives of the poor family whose child was so horribly killed, what would your judicial order be?

--James

I'm not sure. If they were in their 20s, I would definately say prison for many years. But being that one of them was 15 when the crime was commited, I'd be hesitant as a judge or jury member to say, "away for 20 years". In short, I don't have the exact answer. I know what the answer is not, though, and that's death or physical torture.