Sure as shit smells, Daily Mail readers can’t quite believe that hate crimes against LGBT+ people should be punished with a ‘harsher” prison sentence.
Hello and welcome to Britain 2019. The Daily Mail has reported that judges in the UK now have the power to hand out “harsher sentences” for those found guilty of hate crimes against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
That “harsher” sentence actually equates to SIX months (note the capital letters). Which a tiny proportion of those who commit an actual offence will actually receive. And remember six months, will never, in reality, be six months – more like three.
It’s worth remembering most hate crimes do not get reported in the first place and the majority of those that are reported DO NOT end up in prosecution or a trial.
Just 8 per cent of reports actually go to trial.
The new sentencing policy is set against the news that hate crimes reports against trans people have risen by 37 per cent to 2333 reports while crimes reported against lesbian, gay and bisexual people has risen by 25 per cent to 14,500 reported crimes.
The Daily Mail decided to frame the news with a title that read,”Now trans and gay hate crime will mean SIX months in jail after judges are ordered to crack down with harsher sentence” and then used domestic burglaries as a benchmark to drive a point that the sentences are longer – for crimes against the person rather than property. Surely that’s what it should be?
Well within hours of the piece, written by Steve Doughty for The Daily Mail, there were numerous remarks in the infamous comment section of the website, most of which were decrying the news.
“mac.attack” hailing from New Zealand, seemed concerned that a misconstrued joke could end up with us all on a slippery slope. God knows where, but we praise the liberal use of lube.
“Quirkyandcute” seemed overly worried that police time would be wasted… because of reports that someone’s feelings were hurt.
A “Chufton” was short but to the point, added, “complete nonsense” and “Speak for England” wrote “Gestapo Britain”… yes because punishing those who commit actual crimes will quickly lead to the rise of Hilter 2.
SMH.
There were the usual cries of “police state” and “madhouse”.
Yes, people. Welcome to the UK in 2019.
