An unidentified Scottish lad will spend twelve months in prison for his role in the hateful murder of James Kerr. The 15-year old had been walking through a park when he encountered Kerr, a local politico. The boy later told two friends – the previously sentenced David Meehan and Martin Soutar – that Kerr had “tried” it with him. While we don’t know what that means exactly, Meehan and Soutar didn’t like it one bit. The trio then tracked down Kerr, the 15-year old pushed him to the ground and the older boys beat him to death. Team work!
During the course of the trial, the 15-year old admitted that Kerr had not, in fact, sexually assaulted him. His lie lead to to the attack, which lead to Kerr’s death, yet the judge simply wagged a finger at the youth:
It is necessary to keep in mind that you are only 15. However, the primary consideration must be that you committed an unprovoked and homophobic assault upon a man who had not molested you and was not presenting any danger to you. This offence is so serious that, despite your age, a custodial disposal is the only appropriate way of dealing with you.
Now, we don’t mean to question the court’s judgment, but one year doesn’t seem “appropriate”.
WWH
Unlike in this country, there they seem to treat juveniles as juveniles – as it should be. It would also appear that while he’s a complete dirt bag, he didn’t kill any one.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
I totally disagree with you, WWH- no surprise there. What is surprising is that you find no middle ground between incarceration in the Scottish system and the American system of trying juveniles as an adult when certain criteria are met.
You must be ignorant…..of the fact that in Europe, age 16 is sometimes the age where many consentual acts are legal. This case was complicit in the final act – the death of a man in a hate crime.
The purpose of juvenile justice is rehabilitation, and is not what your system provides, which is punishment for crime and capital punishment. I am surprised that such a patriot as yourself and supporter of centrism would not accept these outcomes?
The Scottish adjudication is too lenient, and the US adjudication would have been as harsh as the only other nations in the world who murder their criminals still. Let’s see….ah yes….the country you continuously deride with ignorance and arrogance….Canada…..would have treated him as a juvenile and involved him in certain programmes whose outcome would be a rehabilitated and compassionate human being.
WWH
I used to work for Canadians. I know more about you people than you may think. I think Juvies should be treated as such. Sounds pretty liberal to me. I don’t “continuously deride” Canada at all. I have no idea where that came from. It’s just that your single-payor health care system sucks. I’m for universal healthcare, just not with long lines and shitty service.
maverick69
um Ladies,
Can we stop the fighting here?
The kid got off easy.
Now lets see what happens to that ass in Juvie
matt123
horrible. We should fight for our gay right and life.
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