Originally Posted by TDT

As post title!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4058795.stm

Originally Posted by djuk

A "real" life sentence too, which obviously is great. But - as much as the murder itself disgusts me, how is it so different to any other brutal murder?

Originally Posted by Mr Justice MOSES

On sentencing, the Honourable Mr Justice Moses told Beiber "you must spend the rest of your life in prison".

He told Bieber:

“On 26 December 2003, you armed yourself with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 15 bullets. You were sitting in a parked BMW which you knew had been stolen when it was seen by two police officers. At some stage you cocked that gun so that it was ready to fire.

“The two police officers, PC Broadhurst and PC Roper, treated you with conspicuous fairness and consideration. You repaid their courtesy by killing PC Broadhurst and attempting to murder PC Roper. You shot them both, hitting one in the chest and the other in the back to avoid arrest and discovery of the loaded gun.

“But you were not content with shooting them to escape. As PC Roper was running from the car you shot him again, hitting him near the right shoulder, and shot at PC Banks as he too sought to escape, missing his body, but striking the equipment he wore. Those shots were not fired to make good your escape; they were attempting to get away. They were fired to kill them.

“There is no better evidence that your intentions were not at this stage merely to escape than your behaviour to PC Broadhurst. As he lay severely wounded at your feet, seeking to protect himself and asking you not to shoot him again, you aimed your gun at his head, inches away and shot him. You then calmly moved away.

“Later, you fetched further ammunition and re-loaded your gun so that you could again fire that pistol to make good an escape.

“I and the jury have been able to observe your attitude to the murder of PC Broadhurst. You have shown no remorse for, or even understanding of, the brutality of his murder. On the contrary, you have maintained a cool and detached reaction as you attempted to explain the overwhelming evidence against you.

“On Count 1, the sentence I am required by law to pass is life imprisonment. But I am also now required by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to consider the seriousness of this offence, having regard to the principles identified in Schedule 21. I must announce in open court my conclusion as to the gravity of this offence and the consequences of that conclusion as to the term of imprisonment which must be served before the Parole Board could consider release.

“Parliament has recognised that the killing of a police officer in the course of his duty normally leads to the conclusion that the seriousness of the offence is particularly high, and in determining the minimum term the appropriate starting point is 30 years. But that is only a starting point. There is one particular aggravating feature which is not allowed for, in the fact that you killed a police officer in the course of his duty. That aggravating feature is that you did not need to shoot him through the head. You had already disabled him and he was defenceless. You could have escaped then. But you chose to wait and fire a second shot at point blank range. It must be acknowledged that he might have died as a result of your first shot, but you made certain of his death.

“I regard this aggravating feature of such significance as to lead to the conclusion that the murder of PC Broadhurst was so grave that I must order that the early release provisions shall not apply and you must spend the rest of your life in prison.

“In relation to Counts 2 and 3, the circumstances of the offences and in particular the fact that you shot at two unarmed police officers in the course of their duty, drives me to the conclusion that these are very serious offences and that you might remain a serious danger to the public for a period which cannot at this time be reliably estimated. In those circumstances I shall pass a life sentence on each to run concurrent with the life sentence on Count 1. I am required to specify the minimum term being half of what I would have passed had I been ordering a determinate sentence. The determinate sentence would have been one of sixteen years; the minimum will be eight years, less the time you have already spent in custody.

“On Counts 4 and 5 you will go to prison for eight years, those sentences to run concurrently - I make no separate order in relation to Count 6.

“No member of a police force is attested as a constable under Section 29 of the Police Act 1996 until he has declared and affirmed that he will, in the office of constable, serve with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, and to the best of his power cause the peace to be kept and preserved. Three constables, PC Broadhurst, PC Roper and PC Banks, on Boxing Day last year were doing no more and no less than performing their duties with all those qualities they had sworn to display. We could hear them. In protecting our community PC Broadhurst lost his life and his colleagues but narrowly escaped with theirs.

“To shoot and kill an officer in such circumstances, doing no more than trying to serve us all, is an attack on all of us, and whilst it is a tragedy for family, friends and colleagues which we cannot share, it is a loss to us all. Those three officers deserve our praise and our gratitude because there is no more important task imposed upon the state than that it protect its citizens and that duty is fulfilled by men such as PC Broadhurst, PC Roper and PC Roper and PC Banks.”

Originally Posted by Vegescoob

However there are moves afoot in Brussels to abolish true life sentences. Once this country ratifies the EU Constitution forget about life sentences meaning life and then those with life sentences will successfully appeal aided by their expensive (taxpayer funded) lawyers.

Originally Posted by Brendan Hughes

Can you back this up please?

Originally Posted by Nathan L

The death penalty is too quick and too good for this guy IMHO.

Originally Posted by TDT

I had the priveldge of meeting Ian. He was a credit to the job and to humanity in general. I consider myself privilged to have met him. The Police service and the world is a poorer place without him.

Ian, you were one of the best, may you rest in peace mate.

Clicky

I hope that on the 26th December everyone will take a moment to think of Ian and those he left behind.

Originally Posted by ChavSaz

makes you wonder what our country would be like if scum like him wasnt allowed in!


....safe!