Well said Paul, I take it you don’t use the phrase “political prisoner” lightly. But I think you explain clearly that it’s an appropriate phrase to use in this situation. Seems similar to the case of the man who died in prison yesterday for another misjudged use of words, without and violence involved, also given almost 3 years.
I agree and it’s nice to see someone from the left give an honest appraisal. Having been a cop for 30 years and retired for 10 I see so many things in the law and justice arena that just don’t add up. I haven’t kept abreast of new laws, no need and I’m so pleased to be out but common sense should highlight to anyone that recent events and Court judgments seem to be swayed by an invisible influence. Two tier policing and sentencing is clearly visible to me, forces are led by DEI experts who’ve probably never felt a collar and the judiciary, well, pedophiles walk free yet words alone can lead to harsh sentencing. The truth may come out one day.
Pure, Labour evil, Leftism on display for the world to see. Nasty, spiteful, violent, unhinged, inhuman, ignorant...what a load of morons we have ruling over us.
Well said, Paul. The sentence was wholly disproportionate. I think it is reprehensible that our judiciary is conniving in a political witch hunt against the ridiculously overblown threat of the rise of the "far right". In fact it is counterproductive as these sorts of sentences merely serve to fuel grievances. At best she could have been sentenced to do some form of community Service. The poor lady has obviously been traumatised by the death of her child.
I not only think Judges were influenced, although the majority of them are lacking in a moral compass like Starmer, I also think the solicitors acting for these people gave bad legal advice. A principled solicitor, there are only a few, would have fought this. A not guilty claim would have forced a trial and no jury would have convicted this woman. A 'proper' legal case sought. Instead pressure applied by our 'dodgy' PM over shadowed all these cases and these people in prison for texts or shouty actions are indeed policital prisoners.
All this by a man who was the Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of Savile, Ali Fayed and the numerous cases of grooming gangs to which 'he' turned a blind eye. His claim 'theses cases never crossed his desk' - Jimmy Savile, the famous guy connected to Princess Diana and the multiple multiple cases of grooming gangs, yeh right 'never crossed his desk' my arse!! The man is dangerous, with no morals, no principles, no sense of what is right or wrong, he has no soul! What concerns me the most is his total lack of any connection to the indigenous people of this country but then he has been connected to Lord Ali for a long long time!
I do hope she stays alive whilst in prison. Given the appalling state of UK prisons I have serious concerns that she may not. I have just read about the death of a man (Peter Lynch) imprisoned who was present at the Rotherham riot, though he did not himself commit violence. Apparently he shouted 'scum' at the police, as well as holding up a placard. He had serious physical health problems. He is reported to have committed suicide. This may be correct, but I do wonder whether he had received adequate medical care in prison, or whether he was actually murdered.
Our courts are now, basically, a criminal injustice system.
I can't disagree that Connolly has been made an example of. I can't imagine Amnesty International starting a letter-writing campaign on her behalf, but perhaps others will. I remember all the people in progressive circles who wanted Nelson Mandela out of prison despite the ANC's actions being more than angry words.
There seems to be a worrying habit amongst those accused of these thought crimes to plead guilty. You wonder of the defence lawyers are giving them the correct advice? You'd also conclude that these people are not hardened criminals because if they were, they'd undoubtedly have said No Comment and left it to the police and the CPS to do some work to obtain their conviction. The sentences can hardly be said to be any less for a guilty plea.
Totally agree—saying you don't care isn't incitement. Even if she had called for violence, I doubt anyone would actually act on it; she’s not exactly influential. You could argue that with his position as a Councilor, Ricky Jones deserves a harsher sentence. That said, I don't think he should be jailed either. BTW, I'm on a week X ban for sarcastically telling someone to put their head in the oven to make this very point. 🙄
Having worked within the legal system for the best part of 30 years, I despair as to what it’s become.
There is no way Lucy’s words appear to incite a call to arms.
They were clearly written through frustration as to what’s happening to our country…..she showed no intention of actually carrying out those actions, I doubt she could have.
Living in their ivory towers leaves these judges out of touch with the little people, I’ve met a few over the years…
There is no way Lucy should be behind bars, she’s a Starmer prisoner!
Hi Paul, I think you hit the nail on the head. The sentencing in this case, and some of the others from the rioting, is political in nature, not judicial. Political trials do not bode well for the future.
We also seem to have forgotten the protocol that politicians should not control the courts (or the police for the that matter in the Taylor Swift blue light situation). The Tories were constantly frustrated by the Met when they wanted the police to clamp down on anti Semitic Gaza protesters and the police simply refused. It was the same with the JSO protests and yet when Starmer and Cooper demand harsher sentences the judiciary jump to their demands.
It's like the Shrewsbury 6 all over again but in reverse.
I have just come across two things online relevant to this case.
Re the Southport killer:
'Rudakubana was not asked to enter any pleas, although a trial date of January 20, 2025 was set by the crown court. Judge Menary remanded him into youth detention accommodation ahead of a plea hearing on October 25.
Merseyside Police's Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said last night: "Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West."'
Then, regarding Lucy Connolly, from the Huffington Post:
"A devastated mum has said it is 'disgraceful' that a GP has only been given a warning by the General Medical Council, despite failing to properly examine her 19-month-son two days before he died.
Lucy Connolly had taken toddler Harry to an out-of-hours GP service in Northampton on April 29, 2011 as he was suffering from severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
The little boy had already been admitted to Northampton General Hospital twice in the preceding six days. He was seen at the out-of-hours service by Dr Aboo Thamby, who decided he did not need to be admitted to hospital despite being, according to his mum, lifeless and unresponsive.
Instead, Dr Thamby advised Harry's parents to get him to eat some rice and yogurt.
Two days later, the little boy's dad, Ray, found him dead in his bed. A post mortem revealed he died of dehydration and acute kidney failure after suffering from an inflammation of the colon.
Mrs Connolly and her husband subsequently reported Dr Thamby to the GMC, who concluded that he 'failed to put himself in a position to make an adequate diagnosis by either examining the patient or by eliciting and acting upon an appropriate history'.
The GMC ruled that his 'inaction meant that an opportunity to save the child was lost'.
At the inquest into Harry's death last year, a narrative verdict was recorded by county coroner Anne Pember who catalogued a series of 'failures' and 'catastrophic' errors made by the doctors and nurses who treated the little boy.
Harry's mum says she is outraged by the GMC's decision to allow Dr Thamby to continue to work as a GP.
"I think it is disgraceful. I don't see how giving him a warning makes any difference," she told her local paper.
"He gave me the wrong medical advice and did not examine Harry properly. Since the day Harry died he has been allowed to continue working as a GP. He has never apologised to us."
The heartbroken mum also added that 'nobody seems to be held accountable for the 'catastrophic errors which were highlighted by the coroner'.
The GMC ruling against Dr Thamby also made reference to another patient who he 'failed to take an adequate history or arrange for an examination' of.
A spokesman for the Northamptonshire out-of-hours service said Dr Thamby no longer worked any shifts there, but Kingsthorpe Medical Centre, said Dr Thamby was still practising there and would 'continue to do so'.
I worked in a prison as a parole officer. Prisons are full of working class people and many of them have had terrible starts in life. There are many in prison for non payment of fines, some for murder who hit someone once but that one punch lead to death, and some for killing friends and others in car accidents because they were not paying attention. There are many, many sad tales of people who probably do not deserve to be there, and have compelling mitigating circumstances, and there are many made an example of at sentencing depending on societal norms and trends, and I actually often support that. Society cannot tolerate riots, and Lucy actively promoted them as they were happening. There are the same examples of extreme sentences in the 2011 riots, under the conservatives against young working class people, and I don’t think they were political prisoners, in the same way as I don’t think Lucy is, the law has to come down hard during rioting. Perhaps her sentence is too harsh, but in my view there is a bigger political issue with sentencing which is working class people tend to get hammered, women move up the tariff far faster than men ( because they are breaking norms by being a criminal, and Lucy may fall into this) and they often have compelling stories about why they end up in prison, and nobody argues their corner.
Ian Acheson's book 'Screwed' paints a picture of what are often appalling physical conditions, as well as serious dangers to prisoners and staff alike. The prison system is a highly dysfunctional one, brought about by top-down 'command and control' by bureaucrats who have not got a clue about prisons. That dysfunctional system was implemented by politicians, in particular the Blair Government. I get the impression that, for many people, sending them to prison is now like committing them to a period in a hell realm. Prisons need to be safe places, for staff and prisoners, so that rehabilitation can happen in those for whom rehabilitation is a possibility. I also wonder how many prisoners have serious mental health difficulties.
When I started working in a prison in my 20s I did assessments, and was shocked and amazed by how many men had been physically and sexually abused by parents and family members. Around 50% had addiction problems, often self medication for terrible mental health problems. There are also a lot of ex forces in prisons suffering from what they had witnessed. And most were really poor, and in for things like shoplifting. There were some who were really dangerous and I was pleased they were in there but most were not. And yes the cells were often cold, the food terrible, and it all costs a huge amount per prisoner. Holding pens for troubled working class people. Sadly some feel safer in prison the more they are in there, they get boundaries and are terrified to leave, life as an ex con can be very harsh.
Back in the 1980s, as a psychologist I worked for a while in a 'regional secure unit' for people with mental health problems. I remember my first visit to the local prison, where I met up with its doctor, who took me on a tour of it, and we discussed the mental health issues of the prisoners. I remember him describing a prisoner who, whenever he was released, walked down the street from the prison and immediately and publicly stole something, in order to get back in prison. The early eighties was the time when long stay psychiatric hospitals were being closed, and their patients placed 'in the community'. I used to ask 'what community?' and suspected that many people with serious mental health problems would end up in prison.
As well as physical and sexual abuse there is also emotional abuse in childhood. This also can have long term harmful psychological consequences. Often children come to blame themselves for the abuse they suffered, with effects that persist into adulthood - such as irrational guilt and self hatred. These emotions can lead people to commit crimes in order to be punished.
Also, my impression in the past was that ex soldiers, and in particular those with PTSD, tended to get inadequate help once they left the army.
Well said Paul, I take it you don’t use the phrase “political prisoner” lightly. But I think you explain clearly that it’s an appropriate phrase to use in this situation. Seems similar to the case of the man who died in prison yesterday for another misjudged use of words, without and violence involved, also given almost 3 years.
I agree and it’s nice to see someone from the left give an honest appraisal. Having been a cop for 30 years and retired for 10 I see so many things in the law and justice arena that just don’t add up. I haven’t kept abreast of new laws, no need and I’m so pleased to be out but common sense should highlight to anyone that recent events and Court judgments seem to be swayed by an invisible influence. Two tier policing and sentencing is clearly visible to me, forces are led by DEI experts who’ve probably never felt a collar and the judiciary, well, pedophiles walk free yet words alone can lead to harsh sentencing. The truth may come out one day.
Pure, Labour evil, Leftism on display for the world to see. Nasty, spiteful, violent, unhinged, inhuman, ignorant...what a load of morons we have ruling over us.
Leo Kearse did a good video on this. I hope this costs Labour 100 seats and PERMAMNENT damage. https://youtu.be/RflmaX_ezoM?si=PELyB9fg3y0KnQmZ
Well said, Paul. The sentence was wholly disproportionate. I think it is reprehensible that our judiciary is conniving in a political witch hunt against the ridiculously overblown threat of the rise of the "far right". In fact it is counterproductive as these sorts of sentences merely serve to fuel grievances. At best she could have been sentenced to do some form of community Service. The poor lady has obviously been traumatised by the death of her child.
I not only think Judges were influenced, although the majority of them are lacking in a moral compass like Starmer, I also think the solicitors acting for these people gave bad legal advice. A principled solicitor, there are only a few, would have fought this. A not guilty claim would have forced a trial and no jury would have convicted this woman. A 'proper' legal case sought. Instead pressure applied by our 'dodgy' PM over shadowed all these cases and these people in prison for texts or shouty actions are indeed policital prisoners.
All this by a man who was the Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of Savile, Ali Fayed and the numerous cases of grooming gangs to which 'he' turned a blind eye. His claim 'theses cases never crossed his desk' - Jimmy Savile, the famous guy connected to Princess Diana and the multiple multiple cases of grooming gangs, yeh right 'never crossed his desk' my arse!! The man is dangerous, with no morals, no principles, no sense of what is right or wrong, he has no soul! What concerns me the most is his total lack of any connection to the indigenous people of this country but then he has been connected to Lord Ali for a long long time!
Great comment
I do hope she stays alive whilst in prison. Given the appalling state of UK prisons I have serious concerns that she may not. I have just read about the death of a man (Peter Lynch) imprisoned who was present at the Rotherham riot, though he did not himself commit violence. Apparently he shouted 'scum' at the police, as well as holding up a placard. He had serious physical health problems. He is reported to have committed suicide. This may be correct, but I do wonder whether he had received adequate medical care in prison, or whether he was actually murdered.
Our courts are now, basically, a criminal injustice system.
Like you and others, Paul, I find the sentencing in this case, very troubling. Where is the compassion, hasn't she suffered enough?
I can't disagree that Connolly has been made an example of. I can't imagine Amnesty International starting a letter-writing campaign on her behalf, but perhaps others will. I remember all the people in progressive circles who wanted Nelson Mandela out of prison despite the ANC's actions being more than angry words.
There seems to be a worrying habit amongst those accused of these thought crimes to plead guilty. You wonder of the defence lawyers are giving them the correct advice? You'd also conclude that these people are not hardened criminals because if they were, they'd undoubtedly have said No Comment and left it to the police and the CPS to do some work to obtain their conviction. The sentences can hardly be said to be any less for a guilty plea.
I think you’re spot on with the ‘poor advice’ remark. What has filtered down from the top?
Possibly a message that if they plead not guilty the key will be thrown away
Totally agree—saying you don't care isn't incitement. Even if she had called for violence, I doubt anyone would actually act on it; she’s not exactly influential. You could argue that with his position as a Councilor, Ricky Jones deserves a harsher sentence. That said, I don't think he should be jailed either. BTW, I'm on a week X ban for sarcastically telling someone to put their head in the oven to make this very point. 🙄
Excellent article again Paul.
Having worked within the legal system for the best part of 30 years, I despair as to what it’s become.
There is no way Lucy’s words appear to incite a call to arms.
They were clearly written through frustration as to what’s happening to our country…..she showed no intention of actually carrying out those actions, I doubt she could have.
Living in their ivory towers leaves these judges out of touch with the little people, I’ve met a few over the years…
There is no way Lucy should be behind bars, she’s a Starmer prisoner!
Hi Paul, I think you hit the nail on the head. The sentencing in this case, and some of the others from the rioting, is political in nature, not judicial. Political trials do not bode well for the future.
We also seem to have forgotten the protocol that politicians should not control the courts (or the police for the that matter in the Taylor Swift blue light situation). The Tories were constantly frustrated by the Met when they wanted the police to clamp down on anti Semitic Gaza protesters and the police simply refused. It was the same with the JSO protests and yet when Starmer and Cooper demand harsher sentences the judiciary jump to their demands.
It's like the Shrewsbury 6 all over again but in reverse.
THE THUG WHO WALKED FREE AFTER THAT ASSAULT IS TYPICAL OF THE UK TODAY.THE 41 MUM SHOULD BE FREE D AT ONCE.
I have just come across two things online relevant to this case.
Re the Southport killer:
'Rudakubana was not asked to enter any pleas, although a trial date of January 20, 2025 was set by the crown court. Judge Menary remanded him into youth detention accommodation ahead of a plea hearing on October 25.
Merseyside Police's Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said last night: "Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West."'
Then, regarding Lucy Connolly, from the Huffington Post:
"A devastated mum has said it is 'disgraceful' that a GP has only been given a warning by the General Medical Council, despite failing to properly examine her 19-month-son two days before he died.
Lucy Connolly had taken toddler Harry to an out-of-hours GP service in Northampton on April 29, 2011 as he was suffering from severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
The little boy had already been admitted to Northampton General Hospital twice in the preceding six days. He was seen at the out-of-hours service by Dr Aboo Thamby, who decided he did not need to be admitted to hospital despite being, according to his mum, lifeless and unresponsive.
Instead, Dr Thamby advised Harry's parents to get him to eat some rice and yogurt.
Two days later, the little boy's dad, Ray, found him dead in his bed. A post mortem revealed he died of dehydration and acute kidney failure after suffering from an inflammation of the colon.
Mrs Connolly and her husband subsequently reported Dr Thamby to the GMC, who concluded that he 'failed to put himself in a position to make an adequate diagnosis by either examining the patient or by eliciting and acting upon an appropriate history'.
The GMC ruled that his 'inaction meant that an opportunity to save the child was lost'.
At the inquest into Harry's death last year, a narrative verdict was recorded by county coroner Anne Pember who catalogued a series of 'failures' and 'catastrophic' errors made by the doctors and nurses who treated the little boy.
Harry's mum says she is outraged by the GMC's decision to allow Dr Thamby to continue to work as a GP.
"I think it is disgraceful. I don't see how giving him a warning makes any difference," she told her local paper.
"He gave me the wrong medical advice and did not examine Harry properly. Since the day Harry died he has been allowed to continue working as a GP. He has never apologised to us."
The heartbroken mum also added that 'nobody seems to be held accountable for the 'catastrophic errors which were highlighted by the coroner'.
The GMC ruling against Dr Thamby also made reference to another patient who he 'failed to take an adequate history or arrange for an examination' of.
A spokesman for the Northamptonshire out-of-hours service said Dr Thamby no longer worked any shifts there, but Kingsthorpe Medical Centre, said Dr Thamby was still practising there and would 'continue to do so'.
I worked in a prison as a parole officer. Prisons are full of working class people and many of them have had terrible starts in life. There are many in prison for non payment of fines, some for murder who hit someone once but that one punch lead to death, and some for killing friends and others in car accidents because they were not paying attention. There are many, many sad tales of people who probably do not deserve to be there, and have compelling mitigating circumstances, and there are many made an example of at sentencing depending on societal norms and trends, and I actually often support that. Society cannot tolerate riots, and Lucy actively promoted them as they were happening. There are the same examples of extreme sentences in the 2011 riots, under the conservatives against young working class people, and I don’t think they were political prisoners, in the same way as I don’t think Lucy is, the law has to come down hard during rioting. Perhaps her sentence is too harsh, but in my view there is a bigger political issue with sentencing which is working class people tend to get hammered, women move up the tariff far faster than men ( because they are breaking norms by being a criminal, and Lucy may fall into this) and they often have compelling stories about why they end up in prison, and nobody argues their corner.
Ian Acheson's book 'Screwed' paints a picture of what are often appalling physical conditions, as well as serious dangers to prisoners and staff alike. The prison system is a highly dysfunctional one, brought about by top-down 'command and control' by bureaucrats who have not got a clue about prisons. That dysfunctional system was implemented by politicians, in particular the Blair Government. I get the impression that, for many people, sending them to prison is now like committing them to a period in a hell realm. Prisons need to be safe places, for staff and prisoners, so that rehabilitation can happen in those for whom rehabilitation is a possibility. I also wonder how many prisoners have serious mental health difficulties.
When I started working in a prison in my 20s I did assessments, and was shocked and amazed by how many men had been physically and sexually abused by parents and family members. Around 50% had addiction problems, often self medication for terrible mental health problems. There are also a lot of ex forces in prisons suffering from what they had witnessed. And most were really poor, and in for things like shoplifting. There were some who were really dangerous and I was pleased they were in there but most were not. And yes the cells were often cold, the food terrible, and it all costs a huge amount per prisoner. Holding pens for troubled working class people. Sadly some feel safer in prison the more they are in there, they get boundaries and are terrified to leave, life as an ex con can be very harsh.
Back in the 1980s, as a psychologist I worked for a while in a 'regional secure unit' for people with mental health problems. I remember my first visit to the local prison, where I met up with its doctor, who took me on a tour of it, and we discussed the mental health issues of the prisoners. I remember him describing a prisoner who, whenever he was released, walked down the street from the prison and immediately and publicly stole something, in order to get back in prison. The early eighties was the time when long stay psychiatric hospitals were being closed, and their patients placed 'in the community'. I used to ask 'what community?' and suspected that many people with serious mental health problems would end up in prison.
As well as physical and sexual abuse there is also emotional abuse in childhood. This also can have long term harmful psychological consequences. Often children come to blame themselves for the abuse they suffered, with effects that persist into adulthood - such as irrational guilt and self hatred. These emotions can lead people to commit crimes in order to be punished.
Also, my impression in the past was that ex soldiers, and in particular those with PTSD, tended to get inadequate help once they left the army.