Shows how much of a laughing stock the UK's justice system is

[rollcast]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-18772761

A man who shot dead an Indian student in Greater Manchester has told a court: "Lock me up for 65 years."

Kiaran Stapleton, 21, admits shooting Anuj Bidve in Salford on Boxing Day but denies murder.

When the prosecution asked if he hoped psychiatric reports would prevent him being jailed, he said: "To be honest, I'm not bothered."

He told Manchester Crown Court: "I love prison. I watch Coronation Street. I have got a fat canteen."

"I love prison. Lock me up for 65 years."

'I'm not bothered'
Looking to the jury from the witness box, he added: "Does this face look bothered?

"I have even got a new rug and bedding coming for my cell. I'm not bothered."

Kiaran Stapleton has admitted killing Anuj Bidve but denies murder

The court has heard Mr Stapleton walked up to Mr Bidve, 23, and his friends in Ordsall, asked for the time and fired one shot to his victim's head without warning.

Two days after the shooting he had a tear tattoo inked on his face.

Brian Cummings QC, prosecuting, asked him why he got the tattoo and explained he knew it had several meanings, including signifying the wearer had killed someone.

Mr Stapleton said he had told staff at the tattoo shop that he had killed his goldfish but did not want to talk about it further because he might receive "animal cruelty" letters in prison.

'Little audience'
Mr Cummings asked: "Are you being serious or are you making fun of the proceedings?

Mr Stapleton replied: "No, no, I'm being serious."

The defendant was earlier accused of mocking the court when answering a question about his stay at the Campanile Hotel in Regent Road - near to the crime scene - the day after the shooting.

The jury has seen CCTV footage of Mr Stapleton looking out of the hotel windows.

Mr Cummings asked him why he did this.

Mr Stapleton said: "Seeing if there were any nice women walking past Regent Road... seeing if there were any nice legs."

The prosecutor asked: "Is that true or are you having a laugh in this trial?"

Mr Stapleton replied: "No, that's true."

He denied he had brought along his "little audience" of friends to the tattoo shop in Swinton and was "showing off" to them as they laughed and joked.

"This was all about enjoying your status as a killer, was it not?" said Mr Cummings.

Mr Stapleton said: "No."

The trial continues.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I don't get it, how does this show our justice system to be a laughing stock?

 

[rollcast]

I don't get it, how does this show our justice system to be a laughing stock?

It might be a bit old fashioned but the justice system should be feared and obviously should not be seen as 65 year holiday as this chappie thinks it is.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

It might be a bit old fashioned but the justice system should be feared and obviously should not be seen as 65 year holiday as this chappie thinks it is.

This guy is obviously full of himself to the point of delusion. He might talk the talk now but I doubt he'll feel the same after he's been locked up for a few years and then realizes how many more he has left before he is free. And IMO if he doesn't; who cares? He'll be off the streets and unable to hurt anyone else.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Whenever you laugh at something, that thing becomes a laughing stock. I can't imagine what you can do to prevent people from laughing at the UK's justice system. You mentioned fear, but I don't think that will work. The Soviet justice system was expert at instilling fear and yet there was a thriving underground market in humor at its expense. But all of that is irrelevant. This isn't a story about some flaw in the justice system, just a flaw in some random jerk.

 

[Borek]

In a way makes me think about Breivik or Brenda Spencer - some people and their ways of thinking are just alien to the rest of us.

 

[AlephZero]

If the OP ever gets called up for jury service, he/she will discover that UK courtrooms are full of comedy, both intentional and otherwise.

I don't see anything "wrong" with the system in that report. The accused was apparently getting a fair trial. He has the right to conduct his defeise any way he chooses. And at the end, the jury will make their decision based on what they heard in court. Simples!

As for creative defeinse tactics, in one of the cases where I was a juror the defendant was accused of owning an illegal weapon (i.e. he wouldn't have been allowed to own it even if he had tried to appliy for a firearms license for it.) His defense was that he had been on holday in Florida, bought the weapon there without knowing much about it because he had heard stories about needing personal protection, and then brought it back the the UK not knowing it was illegal over here.

OK, that sounds fair enough (except that ignorance of the law is no excuse) - except for two little problems that the prosecution pointed out:

1. The accused, and his wife, already owned several firearms (legally, with licenses for them) and they were active members of shooting clubs, so he probably knew something about the relevant law. And it gets better:
2. He claimed to have flown back the the UK with an offensive weapon in his hand luggage and no import/export paperwork for it, but he didn't meet with any hassle from security en route - and that was on a flight that left Florida just two days after the 9/11 attacks. No, I'm not making this up! Sure, the accused was on that flight (according to the paperwork produced as evidence) but the jury decided, "beyond all reasonable doubt" that the weapon was not!

 

[ThinkToday]

This would not have happened in Texas. First, there isn't much of a view 6' under, there's no canteen, "you" are the food for the worms, and new bedding comes in a casket anyway. Additional benefits: genes removed from the pool, no repeat offenses, no cost for security, etc.

 

[TheMadMonk]

When will people start to understand there is no "UK justice system"? It just doesn't exist and I'd expect somebody living in the UK to realize this...

There are three very distinct justice systems within the UK. This was one single case in one of the three justice systems. It doesn't reflect upon the system in Scotland or Northern Ireland in the slightest.

 

[madness]

This would not have happened in Texas. First, there isn't much of a view 6' under, there's no canteen, "you" are the food for the worms, and new bedding comes in a casket anyway. Additional benefits: genes removed from the pool, no repeat offenses, no cost for security, etc.

Great I hope you end up on the receiving end. You sound like you would have loved Nazi Germany.

 

[lisab]

Great I hope you end up on the receiving end. You sound like you would have loved Nazi Germany.

And just like that, we have a Godwin convergence in 10 posts.

 

[madness]

And just like that, we have a Godwin convergence in 10 posts.

:). I think if someone advocates eugenics to reduce the cost to society then the comparison is fair.

 

[ThinkToday]

Great I hope you end up on the receiving end. You sound like you would have loved Nazi Germany.

I can understand and respectfully disagree with people opposed to the death penalty. I happen to believe there are willful acts so heinous as to exceed the criminal’s other rights to live. This person has admitted guilt and has absolutely no remorse. Don't see the connection to Nazi Germany, and that's pretty over the top and insulting. IMO, someone that would kill for the reasons he killed, he deserves the maximum punishment. Based on the article, they are giving him EXACTLY what he wanted and the reason he committed the murder. So for him, prison is a reward in every sense. My point is simply to deny the reward in a more permanent way. This guy deserves neither compassion, comfort, or mercy for what he did. I’ve had killings in my family and with close friend’s children, so perhaps I have a different view than you, but definitely not a Nazi nor someone deserving of the “I hope you end up on the receiving end” line. Perhaps you need to think a bit more before you type something like that.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I can understand and respectfully disagree with people opposed to the death penalty. I happen to believe there are willful acts so heinous as to exceed the criminal’s other rights to live. This person has admitted guilt and has absolutely no remorse. Don't see the connection to Nazi Germany, and that's pretty over the top and insulting. IMO, someone that would kill for the reasons he killed, he deserves the maximum punishment. Based on the article, they are giving him EXACTLY what he wanted and the reason he committed the murder. So for him, prison is a reward in every sense. My point is simply to deny the reward in a more permanent way. This guy deserves neither compassion, comfort, or mercy for what he did. I’ve had killings in my family and with close friend’s children, so perhaps I have a different view than you, but definitely not a Nazi nor someone deserving of the “I hope you end up on the receiving end” line. Perhaps you need to think a bit more before you type something like that.

If you read carefully the nazi comment was referring to your comment about removing him from the gene pool which is very reminiscent of eugenic speech, not a general comment about you being a nazi or nazi sympathiser.

This thread has run it's course and with conversation becoming heated I see no reason for it to stay open.