Should Huhne And Pryce Go To Jail?
This stupid case, which quite frankly is all about seeing, who can be the nastiest to the other, has cost the taxpayer enough.
Obviously, the case is serious, but equally so, they are unlikely to cause any harm to anybody else, if they didn’t go to jail.
So they are a classic case for an alternative punishment.
Perhaps they should be sentenced to a certain amount of time, in something like a bail hostel, where they had to do the cooking and cleaning. Where of course, they had to stay in each night. Perhaps they should also be made to share a room to save money.
It could even be broadcast live on Channel 5.
The Anonymous Widower 
I partly agree with you but feel that Huhne’s offence is the greater one, as he was the one who wanted somebody else to take his speeding points and that is serious. There are too many dangerous and reckless drivers on the road, a menace to themselves and to others, both motorists and pedestrians. Pryce should be made to do a community service but Huhne should receive a prison sentence. That might concentrate the minds of other errant and dishonest motorists.
As far as the personal side is concerned, it is a pity that their dirty linen should have been washed in public, especially as the children were also dragged into it, but again Huhne is mostly to blame. A cheat is a cheat on all levels. Like my fellow Greek Vicky Pryce, I would have some choice Greek epithets for such a man – and, believe me, Greek at its dirtiest and most vitriolic is far worse than the English equivalents!
Lastly, it was a pity to waste police and court time on such a long drawn-out procedure.
Comment by Janice Mermikli | March 11, 2013 |
The BBC has just said, it is getting a lot of messages saying “Why Jail?” There must be a better way to extract punishment, that doesn’t cost the taxpayer as much.
Underlining all of this, is the fact that we have too many people in jail. We have a lot more than say a similar country like The Netherlands, Norway or Sweden.
As huhne is a very rich man, perhaps he should have had a seven figure fine!
Comment by AnonW | March 11, 2013 |
Yes, we do have too many people in prison.
Perhaps hitting Huhne where it hurts – in the pocket, with a really hefty fine – would be a more appropriate punishment.
Comment by Janice Mermikli | March 11, 2013
I think a near seven figure fine, would put the fear of God into anyone who thought about swapping points.
Perhaps more generally, should anyone be able to buy their way out of a jail sentence on an agreed set of fees? Obviously, if the sentence was particularly long, this would not be allowed.
Comment by AnonW | March 11, 2013 |
Yes, a seven figure fine would be a deterrent to would-be point swappers.
Comment by Janice Mermikli | March 11, 2013 |
Obviously, all fines should be related to income.
Comment by AnonW | March 11, 2013
Yes, I should have considered that fact. Fines need to be related to ability to pay.
Comment by Janice Mermikli | March 12, 2013
It is clear that they broke the law and they should go to jail. Many people do not realise the seriousness of many of their transgressions and this serves as a sharp reminder. For example insurance fraud (e.g. inflating a claim) is theft, claiming benefits, grants, subsidies, expenses to which one is not entitled are theft. People who break the law should take the penalty and the penalty should be commensurate. In this case it was neither lenient nor excessive. I don’t like the law on marital coercion. If coercion is a defence, then so be it, but it should apply to all groups of people. Cannot a father coerce a son, or vice versa? Large fines are not a good idea, as they affect the poor more than the rich. Fines simply make the rich immune to the punishment. Fines related to ability to pay wouldn’t work as there is no easy way to to determine a person’s wealth.
Comment by John Wright | March 12, 2013 |
While I agree with much of what you say and marital coercion seems a strange defence in this day and age, I think you could gauge a person’s worth, more or less, and impose a reasonably high (if not eye-watering) fine. HMRC would have some idea of personal wealth. Fining the poor isn’t on, of course. You can’t get blood out of a stone!
Comment by Janice Mermikli | March 12, 2013 |