I read the article and thought it was a light sentence.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/23...drugs-bust.html

Scroll down to the comments after reading it and you’ll see I wasn’t the only one.

I agree, no deterrent at all.

The problem is that it costs an awful lot of money to incarcerate an offender , and the consensus is that it exposes a minor criminal to the influences of some very hardliners resulting in further crime down the line . Now I am in no way condoning the actions in this particular case but until society gets it's act in order on how to deal with the drug issue , magistrates are left in the unenviable position of assessing a damage limitation sentence .
We expect the police to deal with motorists who still use their phones , fly tippers , anti-social behaviour on a friday night , shoplifting , the list of petty crime is endless but we expect the boys in blue to deal with it all , even though they are as cash strapped as the rest of us. It would be interesting to know the total number of criminal acts committed per annum as I personally observe a legal breach daily and most of these are motorists who think the law does not apply to them but try telling that to a pedestrian who has to take avoiding action because someone has run a red light .
My point is that we all need to get our own houses in order and then we can concentrate resources on the real bad boys .

Wouldn't disagree. Where the perpetrator has done no lasting damage to anything or anyone what's the point of locking them up at great expense. Far better to try and extract a few bob or a bit of unpaid public work. Keeps taxation down at least.

My point really was that the comment at the end of the article appears to have been written by the offender and he obviously agrees he got off lightly.

Indeed, but it's part of the bigger story. Less drastic penalties for first time / lesser offenders helps reduce the Police workload. Take shoplifting. Way back, those caught shoplifting were dealt with severely and suffered shame; now Police don't even attend. So in this case, he keeps his job, pays a few bob into the community and that's that. Leaving Police resource free to deal with the few real nutters roaming around.

Breaking news this lunch time. Councils will be permitted to raise an extra 'rate' to increase police budgets! Is our Theresa running scared?

Bet your little heart skipped a beat when you read that .

Yes, £12 per household, got to pay for all the police commissioners and their staff's Christmas bonuses.

Indeed, just goes to show, you just can't trust the Tories at all!

Should read " can't trust any politicians at all" to be accurate.

Not totally accurate - councils will have no choice in the matter - PCCs are the ones to be empowered to implement a raise of up to £12 per household.

So we aren't going to know yet then, the PCC is a Tory so there is no telling what he'll do!

Declare war on North Korea? Outlaw liberals? Turn into Superman? You never know!

You certainly don't!

And to top this, it appears WBC is to be included in the 100% business rate retention pilot.
Isn't it wonderful, Tiny Tim will get his dinner after all.

I would like to correct the impression that I might have been giving over the past few months that Mrs May and her camp followers were little better than knuckle dragging Neanderthal types intent on simply extracting as much as they could from the population before disappearing with their ill gotten gains. When in fact, Mrs May is a reincarnation of Queen Boudica leading an awesome government of great talent who are set fair to deliver an even Greater Britian whom the nation's of the World will beg to trade with. But I won't.

Jeremy Corbyn thinks he will win an election in 2018.....
Be careful what you wish for.

Im hoping he wins. I just want to see all the mass hysteria and huge disappointment that will follow. Be funny beyond words.

I'm so glad, I hope so too. We could do with cheering up and a good laugh will do that. I
Thanks for turning what you presently see as a lemon into lemonade.

You do realise what millenials think? I interviewed one who thought they should "start" on 50k. They have unrealistic dreams that are going to be torn asunder. He is building a movement that will only result in civil unrest and calamity. But hey ho. You reap what you sow.

Except labour lemonade is just piss in a tall glass.

At least its sterile, unlike the Tory s**t we've been fed for the last few years....

Hollywood did a film about that called 'Field of (broken) dreams' "If you build it you will weep"

"Diane, how many votes do we need?"

"Well Jeremy my little stud muffin,. We need another two million, or it might be seventy five, or there abouts".
There'll be hipsters and millennials begging on the street for their next maple and pistachio latte. Such fun.

Yeah, but didn't you realise that he was hoping he didn't get the job or pay rise you were interviewing for. It would have meant giving up the benefits you lot still dole out!

Come on lads, make up your minds; laugh or weep? Is this the new Tory philosophy? 'Ooh what should we do Theresa'

I'm firmly in the laugh camp. I really am. I think its hilarious. A Corbyn government will be the defining moment of the 21st Century. It will end the UK. He seems to have stopped talking abot Venezuela for some reason. Any idea why? I understood he thought it was a brilliant example of where we should be heading.....

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/...m-a3607621.html

I'm with you, a right scream, all those poor little betrayed Millenials, faces all crumpled up, bottom lips trembling, just like when they found out there was no Santa Claus.

But there is a Mother Theresa. 'Mummy, Mummy, I'm too scared to walk out on my own Mummy because there aren't any nice Policemen anymore'
'There, there dear, Mummy will make it better'.

What a scream when the darling boy gets to see the beak for dropping his fag butts or driving his mobility trolley on the pavement. 'Mummy, Mummy, there are too many Coppers with nothing to do, Mummy, Mummy'...

Not sure which alternative will be the funniest!

Little Timmy is going to be quite upset when mummy has to flog his inheritance to pay for her health care.

Do you not think you guys and your generation milked the system enough? All the stuff you've had handed to you on a plate and you're all still happy for the Tories and the well off to milk the system, but the future generation and the current workforce aren't allowed a fair deal? I just don't get it? You got bailed out for toxic mortgages, endowments and bad pension schemes. You all had access to free education and healthcare, and you could get a mortgage and buy a house on a normal wage.

You're all happy with the bribes for votes situation when you're getting free stuff. You all seem happy for the NHS to be stripped and dismantled, you're happy for the forces and public services to be cut back more and more, but don't say a word when mps get a massive rise? Or the queen gets millions to sort her house out, whilst making sure she isn't paying tax? Same with Branson he's pro Brexit so his behaviour is fine. Doesn't pay tax, sues the NHS and hes a hero. Someone struggling to feed their family and can't afford heating buys a packet of fags and you all lose your minds. Instead of allowing 16 year olds to vote we should stop the over 60s because most of them don't contribute, there futures are limited and they're not relevant in today's society!

Oooh! Someone woke up with a stiffie! No payrise again? Missus said no? What a child. Its the system mate, pure n simple, heard it all before, many times, the ranting of a millennial at its finest. Its almost as if labour had never had a chance to put things right isn't it? Oh wait! They have many many times and did they? No, lined their own fat pockets, time and time again.
Yes labour will win the next election, yes little malcontents like you and your sweaty Ilk will jeer and chuckle like the circus fools you resemble. But in four years, maybe eight, when the reality sinks in, when the left along with their puppet masters the unions have wrecked the country, wrecked education, wrecked the NHS, wrecked the banking industry, wrecked commerce then you might just realize the utter damage you've done not only to your kids lives but to their kids lives as well.
You have no idea, living in la la land! Seduced by a glittering jester who preaches equality from a stage at 'Glasto' poor, poor fools.

The Monster Raving Tories will beat them to it. However, what I think Strafin might be doing now is regretting being a former Tory member.


As opposed to the ‘strong and stable’ government we have now.

Why don't you take your own advice and just go? Particularly as we'll have to stand alone, we can do without running the next generation down at every opportunity. If you really felt that that generation are so useless, why did you vote Brexit?

What a load of piffle. And what's with the 'all'? No one has ever bailed me out and I have certainly not had any free stuff. If ever I DO have to rely on the state, it will have been from what I have paid in for over 45 years. If you think being over 60 makes you irrelevant, then you are an utter, utter fool. I am over 60, paid into pensions/tax/NI/ VAT/Corporation tax. I have a bloody right to help if it ever came about! As for giving children a vote, NEVER. They have no experience, are subject to peer pressure and believe all the BS labour policies are somehow going work just dandy. Kumbaya cloud cuckoo land of la la's. If we had a lot less immigration, for example, the NHS would be in better shape. We wouldn't need all the extra housing required for the same reasons.

Strong and stable certainly doesn't describe your mind does it. Libtard.

X2 - fair points but I bet you have had help, child benefit for example? You've also had the benefit of a free NHS and free education and economic policies that allowed you to buy a house. I'm obviously not going to tar absolutely everyone withbthe same brush I'm being generic but on this forum now there's a few elderly white men who think that other people gaining anything in life is somehow detrimental to them. They need questioning from time to time. I appreciate your reasoned response.

Je Suis Charlie - great response. I disagree so you launch a personal attack, fail to address any points whatsoever and you use language like "libtard". You are irrelevant and you are exactly the demographic of people ruining this country. When people don't feel they have a voice that's when extremes happen. That's why we have trump, and it's why we will end up with Corbyn

Andy Capp, no regrets it was a differentbparty then, but I certainly question what I was thinking back then! It does help me to understand though how any party machine can suck people in.

So, swivel eyed loon is hilarious, but libtard is offensive. All hail the king of free speech! The right to say anything so long as it agrees with MY views. Typical lefty.

Where did I say swivel eyed loon was acceptable? But I probaably would argue that it is more acceptable if my defence and usual response was to resort to name calling. But it isn't...tempting though it is.

But I'm sure you will agree, surely, that that term is used by members of this forum almost daily in response to anyone who dares to lean to the right. So it's understandable if the 'goose / gander" tactic is used?
In my turn I must say I disagree with this assumption that over sixties are irrelevant, I find it insulting and silly, like the young man who tried to tell me that my generation simply don't understand technology. To which I replied "which generation do you think gave it to you?"

Yes, the age fight is interesting. Not only did we 'give' technology, we also gave education; so arguably ingratitude could be considered our fault! Does this also mean the 'sex and drug crazed' 60's style adolescence did actually cause permanent damage?

I don't agree at all that because someone has called you a loon that another forum member should be allowed to use language that is derived from the word ******. Its classic two wrongs dont make a right territory!

Regarding the over 60s, most of them are retiring or due to retire and have a limited shelf life. If we are going to complain that the young shouldn't get a vote or the left is comprised of only students wanting free stuff then I think it should go both ways. But the current generation of sixty plussers, in my experience are gripping on to nostalgia and a time that they are used to. I work in catering and currently in have to allow people to work in pounds and ounces because some simply refuse to learn the metric system. A huge percentage of them can't use i pads and they just haven't moved with the times. I know there are some forward thinkers out there and i am generalising but so was Charlie when he made his claims.

Since when was imperial weights and measures outlawed ? It was the result of bodged attempt to "European " us by a political elite who thought they knew best , ( ring any recent bells ? ). We now have 40% of the Country using only metric , 40 % imperial and 20% illiterate. Well done ! As for using an ipad , why should anyone if they do not have need to ? The future requires people who can lay a brick , build an engine or grow food ,not ponce about in front of some electronic gizmo
Maybe compulsory euthanasia for the over 55s is the way forward ?

I recall very little, if anything being "handed to me on a plate".

Not me! Mine fell well short and had to extend my mortgage to repayment for many extra years
See above.

Not me. In fact no one has bailed me out for anything!

As do the current generation. And by the way nothing is free, you mean at point of delivery.
Yes at around 14% interest.

Interesting view of the future Sir William. World trade means we will doubtless need only to know how to unload already constructed vehicles and such like. Robotic builders are being trialled right now, but potentially alongside machines that will assemble prefabricated construction material. Food; sure, potentially though in big sheds and serviced like outside agriculture by increasingly robotic machine....so, apart from digging footings, tidying around or looking after the frail, apart from 'poncing about in front of some electronic gizmo' is likely to be the only trade left!

She just spends most of the time trolling. She will rarely try to debate sensibly.

Says the queen of the one liner trolling attempts. No rational debate, no free thought, just endless mindless mashing the keyboard.

The over sixties have paid their due sonny, in coin and in blood, all this agism about they don't understand this, and they don't like iPads! I mean, WTF are you on? You've screams about people who who don't pay enough tax bit idolise some of the worst offenders, Amazon, Apple, Starbucks! Workers rights huh? What about the rights of the workers who put those iPads together? In conditions so bad some of the factories have netting round them to catch the jumpers? Just remember that all these bright young things will be over sixty one day, then what? You really are a snide individual aren't you. Part of the "where's my share" whiney generation.

See what I mean Strafin?

Another classic From the queen of rhetoric. Is your forehead getting sore yet?

Please stop attributing things to me that aren't true. I don't idolise some of the worst offenders. I don't idolise any big business really. Going back to your previous post, imperial measurements were outlawed as a unit of sale years ago, but metric came about in the seventies - 40 years ago. That's where my issue is, yet you think I should still be able to use the old ways rather than you dinosaurs moving with the times. I feel the same about people who refuse to learn computers and yes ipads too.

You can't say the over sixties have all paid their dues anymore than you can say all youngsters haven't got a clue. You're just a bitter and twisted old man angry at the world because its changed and you haven't. Some of the posters on here have given a sensible and reasoned response to my original post and for that I thank them. Biker1, X2, andy capp and the others. Your response sums up everything that is wrong with your generation, but I do accept following this discussion that you are but 1 man, and even though you want to, do not speak for your entire age group. Some of them are alright.