Miscellaneous

A fate worse than death

Seventy-four-year-old Edward Flaherty is a Scottish man found guilty of culpable homicide after strangling his wife. To be fair, she was asking for it, as the incident allegedly occurred after the wouldn't give him money to go out boozing, and if that ain't justified, I don't know what is.

Anyway, Flaherty was recently in court facing these charges and the judge (they call them Lords over there!) found that Flaherty was suffering from dementia and was probably unfit to get thrown into jail. So instead, he's been banned from going to pubs for a year!

Said Lord Matthews:

I have read and considered a number of reports from experts. It is plain to me that if I were to impose that sort of sentence you would be released in a very short time because prison would not be able to cope with your condition.

Sentencing you would just be a token gesture. I am anxious to impose a sentence that restricts your liberty. You still go to the pub where you went with your wife. That must annoy her relatives.

Not being able to go there will be a more meaningful disposal than a prison sentence which will not last long.

Full post as published by Quiz Law on August 20, 2008 (boomark / email).