Etonian paedophile spared jail sentence

Lol, I don't think it's just money in this case - it's about the attitude to people from certain classes.

Ah, but are the sentences comparable too?

Because he's rich.

I'm not sure, actually. I think it has more to do with class than money. If an upperclass boy goes off the rails (he did much worse), it is unexpected, therefore, people assume there are "circumstances". If the son of a single mother on benefits goes off the rails, well that's "normal", and we have to do something to stop him in his tracks. I would expect a judge to know better, but at the end of the day, they are only people too. He obviously sympathised with the father, to whom he can relate professionally, so perhaps that influenced the sentence.

He is a paedophile. It's neither an upper-class or a working-class phenomenon. Maybe if he was involved in gang crimes, I would be more surprised considering these factors.

As he was 17 at the time of the offence I presume the courts treated him as a child, however at 17 he's well above the age of criminal responsibility. I wonder what similar offences would attract as a sentence, they've obviously made a case with his mental illness. The press have obviously jumped on this because of where he went to school. I'd rather a custodial sentence for his crimes, either way though, his life is pretty much ruined before its begun. I doubt even having a well connected father will make people want to employ a convicted paedophile.

The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10. In Scotland it is 8 though prosecutions can only be brought against 12+

You almost sound like you feel sorry for him?

People are too fussy with criminals. Why would castration be an outrageous sentence for these kind of crimes? It would probably do more to rehabilitate him than "counseling".

To clarify: There are men who are not willing or do not have the willpower to control their testosterone-driven sexual urges. Removing the source of testosterone is a very simple solution, and should especially appeal to people who don't want to put criminals in prison.

Okay Mr. IjustgotbackfromthemedievaleraandIactuallykindofpreferredit

FYI

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wiring-the-mind/201410/should-we-be-castrating-sex-offenders

• The Ministry of Justice has been rolling out a program to chemically castrate rapists, paedophiles and other sex offenders.

• At the moment, this is a voluntary program for people who wish to be relieved of a sexual drive that they feel is ruining their lives. (And it works!)

• Professor Don Grubin of the University of Newcastle discusses the benefits and potential pitfalls of this technique, with which he has been heavily involved.

• Does medicating rapists suggest that they are suffering from a disease, making them less morally responsible for their actions? (IMO, that's irrelevant, so long as the threat to society is removed.)

FYI, I'd already looked this up. The key word here is 'voluntary', and the key fact is that it is suggested for inmates with literally uncontrollable urges, not for offenders who may well be cured with therapy.

I'm afraid there's a massive grey area between 'feeling sorry for him' and calling for outrageous sentences and for him to be castrated.

If you'd already looked it up, you would know that there is nothing "medieval" about it. It's just medicine.

Is chemical castration really any worse than some of the ways we deal with psychosis?

FYI, I'd already looked this up. The key word here is 'voluntary', and the key fact is that it is suggested for inmates with literally uncontrollable urges, not for offenders who may well be cured with therapy.

Yeah,therapy proved to be sooooo effective.

Consenting to a procedure with debilitating side-effects when there is no other option to improve your quality of life = medicine.
Being forced by the justice system to be castrated when you could feasibly be treated by CBT or else with no long-term side effects = medieval.
And yes, the death penalty is medieval too.

There aren't "debilitating side effects". These people can live a normal life - they can even have children. It is the OPTIMAL solution when you look at it in terms of rehabilitation. I honestly don't know why you think it is so "outrageous". The alternative is to lock people up for life. Personally I think that is MUCH worse, and that is probably why some sex offenders do volunteer for medication.

Please demonstrate how CBT has cured sex offenders. Some research or even just a few case studies would be nice.