Rough justice?
August 17, 2011
An English court has jailed two people for four years after they pleaded guilty to attempting to incite riots on social networking websites.
The sentences passed on the two men, aged 20 and 22, by a court in the northern English city of Chester are the toughest imposed in response to nationwide unrest last week.
The younger of the men had set up a Facebook page entitled "Smash Down Northwich Town" last Tuesday, stating a particular location for people to gather.
The second defendant had made a similar appeal for unrest the following day in a small town nearby, urging "Let's have a Riot in Latchford." It was stated in court that the second man had been drinking and had removed the page when he awoke with a hangover the next morning.
Although there was rioting in the nearby city of Manchester on Tuesday, the two men's calls appeared to have gone unheeded.
British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday defended the sentencing of the two men, having previously called for tough prison sentences for anyone involved in the unrest.
"They decided in that court to send a tough sentence, send a tough message and I think it's very good that courts are able to do that," he said.
'An over-reaction'
However, there was condemnation from justice campaigners that the outcome had been "disproportionate."
"In the Facebook case we're talking about four years' jail which would normally be associated with serious and violent offences," said Director of Campaigns for the Howard League for Penal Reform, Andrew Neilson.
In another case that has drawn criticism, a 23-year-old student in London with no previous convictions was jailed for six months for stealing a case of bottled water.
"While it is understandable that the courts have been asked to treat the public disturbances as an aggravating factor, this should be balanced against a key principle of criminal justice, that of proportionality," said Neilson.
Youth Olympic ambassador in custody
Other prominent cases include that of a female youth ambassador for the Olympic Games in London next year. The 18-year-old was remanded in custody, charged with violent disorder over an alleged attack on a police car during the disturbances.
Five people died as a result of four days of looting, arson and general unrest that swept through London and other major English cities.
Courts across the country have been working extra hours to deal with the sentencing of offenders.
By Monday afternoon, some 1,179 people had been brought before the courts.
More arrests are expected as London police sift through some 20,000 hours of video footage recorded during the disturbances.
Author: Richard Connor (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Susan Houlton