Christmas squatter is jailed for six months - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Doozle;27049695]The trouble with this is, what happens after six months, he's turfed out where he still has no money or home. [/QUOTE] Shelters, low income housing. I'm sure there are options, just getting the message across is hard.

Hopefully his time in prison won't be too nasty.

[QUOTE=Strongbow;27049614]Glad he's getting sent for jail. Squatters are bullshit. People just feel sorry for this one because he was a jobless tramp. This shit happens all the time and some times the actual owner of the house has a LOT of trouble trying to get back in and the cops will not/can not do shit about it. Someone enters my house without my permission like that and they have to be punished for it. You seem to have all forgotten about [url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1017029-Man-leaves-home-for-a-week-15-Italian-squatters-3-dogs-and-2-cats-move-in.?]this thread[/url]?[/QUOTE] you sound like a spoiled kid who has no idea what it's like to be poor/no empathy for those who are suffering and need help

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049854]you sound like a spoiled kid who has no idea what it's like to be poor/no empathy for those who are suffering and need help[/QUOTE] To be honest, it's nigh-on impossible not to get mad at people who do things like this: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322246/Man-leaves-home-week-decorated-15-squatters-in.html[/URL] yeah, the mail, there are other sources

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049854]you sound like a spoiled kid who has no idea what it's like to be poor/no empathy for those who are suffering and need help[/QUOTE] There's a difference between not being empathic and wanting to protect what is rightfully yours...

but the person in this article was doing very little wrong in my opinion

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049276]so 6 months of jail for squatting? excessive punishment tbh he shouldn't have even received jail time[/QUOTE] 6 months doubtful. Times are hard, especially in the UK at the moment, but it's if the owners decided to press charges, the court and Magistrate has an obligation in seeking that the correct verdict is handed down, with sufficient sentencing. I'm sure 6 months is a minimum really. For stealing and squatting, he could probably get something up to 5 years.

Trying to survive, EH? TO JAIL WITH YOU!

[QUOTE=Led Zeppelin;27049901]There's a difference between not being empathic and wanting to protect what is rightfully yours...[/QUOTE] and "protecting what is rightfully yours" in this case means sentencing the suspect to jail for 6 months? a suspect who lost his home and job and went in the house when it was freezing outside. and he also left the place exactly how it was, not stealing anything, etc. so it's obvious that he just wanted to get out of the -10C degree weather, and he didn't have any intention to do malicious things. jail is NOT an appropriate punishment in this case. one size fits all doesn't fucking work.

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049963]and "protecting what is rightfully yours" in this case means sentencing the suspect to jail for 6 months? a suspect who lost his home and job and went in the house when it was freezing outside. and he also left the place exactly how it was, not stealing anything, etc. so it's obvious that he just wanted to get out of the -10C degree weather, and he didn't have any intention to do malicious things. jail is NOT an appropriate punishment in this case. one size fits all doesn't fucking work.[/QUOTE] Perhaps in this case where he was forgiven, but should a homeowner decide to press charges against a squatter, no matter the circumstances, he/she should have the right to.

[QUOTE=Strongbow;27049614]Glad he's getting sent for jail. Squatters are bullshit. People just feel sorry for this one because he was a jobless tramp. This shit happens all the time and some times the actual owner of the house has a LOT of trouble trying to get back in and the cops will not/can not do shit about it. Someone enters my house without my permission like that and they have to be punished for it. You seem to have all forgotten about [url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1017029-Man-leaves-home-for-a-week-15-Italian-squatters-3-dogs-and-2-cats-move-in.?]this thread[/url]?[/QUOTE] Because the situations are totally comparable :jerkbag: It'd be one thing if the owner pressed charges, but come on those are two different scenarios.

What's funny is, he gets another place to sleep and gets another warm bed with hot food. Except the government pays for it.

[QUOTE=Led Zeppelin;27050025]Perhaps in this case where he was forgiven, but should a homeowner decide to press charges against a squatter, no matter the circumstances, he/she should have the right to.[/QUOTE] they can press charges, but the judge is ultimately in charge of the sentence. in this case, the judge should've considered all the circumstances and decided not to jail the suspect, but he had to be a dick and do it anyway. [editline]29th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=HeadshotDCS;27050334]What's funny is, he gets another place to sleep and gets another warm bed with hot food. Except the government pays for it.[/QUOTE] yes because jail is such a lovely place

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049854]you sound like a spoiled kid who has no idea what it's like to be poor/no empathy for those who are suffering and need help[/QUOTE] Hah. You have no idea. I've given my life savings to my mother to ensure that the bills for the house can be paid. Every penny I earn I give to my mother to get rid of the debt that was created by my father when he cheated and left. Spoiled I most certainly am not. Nor a child as chances are I'm older than most here. As Led said I will protect what is rightfully mine to the end and fuck anyone else who tries to take what little I have left. [editline]29th December 2010[/editline] Oh and everyone here saying they'd be fine with it... strong chance you would not if it actually happened to you. How can you trust someone who broke into your house? You'd constantly be worried of what he may have done/taken. They may not have found out what he has taken.

[QUOTE=JDK721;27050594] yes because jail is such a lovely place[/QUOTE] Better than freezing to death.

[QUOTE=JDK721;27050594]they can press charges, but the judge is ultimately in charge of the sentence. in this case, the judge should've considered all the circumstances and decided not to jail the suspect, but he had to be a dick and do it anyway. [/QUOTE] Good thing you'll probably never be one. Judges are supposed to have only the law influence their judgement, not whether the guy was going to freeze his ass off or not.

I disagree with JDK on this one, a jail sentence isn't excessive. While nothing was stolen, this man violated the apartment owner's privacy and that's a type of theft in and of itself. The LENGTH of the jail sentence is excessive, the fact that he's going there is not. [QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;27051571]Good thing you'll probably never be one. Judges are supposed to have only the law influence their judgement, not whether the guy was going to freeze his ass off or not.[/QUOTE] What do you know, I disagree with the opposite extreme as well. Judges use the law to determine their judgement (or in most cases, a jury does); they use the both the law AND the circumstance to determine the sentence.

jail sentence is excessive there are plenty of alternatives to jail. committing a crime doesn't automatically justify jail time.

Given the circumstances, I would have offered to let him stay if I had found him in my house.

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;27051571]Good thing you'll probably never be one. Judges are supposed to have only the law influence their judgement, not whether the guy was going to freeze his ass off or not.[/QUOTE] you have no idea what you're talking about. a judge can look at the circumstances of the case and decide to impose a lesser sentence. there's a reason there are minimum and maximum sentences for a crime.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27051640]I disagree with JDK on this one, a jail sentence isn't excessive. While nothing was stolen, this man violated the apartment owner's privacy and that's a type of theft in and of itself. The LENGTH of the jail sentence is excessive, the fact that he's going there is not. What do you know, I disagree with the opposite extreme as well. Judges use the law to determine their judgement (or in most cases, a jury does); they use the both the law AND the circumstance to determine the sentence.[/QUOTE] What makes a good man go neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality? [IMG]http://www.casualentropy.com/images/Zapp.gif[/IMG]

[QUOTE=JDK721;27051767]jail sentence is excessive there are plenty of alternatives to jail. committing a crime doesn't automatically justify jail time.[/QUOTE] Reparations can't be paid directly to the victim in this case, it's not like theft of a physical item where you can pay back the value + appropriate compensation [editline]29th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Turnips5;27051858]What makes a good man go neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality? [img_thumb]http://www.casualentropy.com/images/Zapp.gif[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] Tell my wife I said hello.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27051923]Reparations can't be paid directly to the victim in this case, it's not like theft of a physical item where you can pay back the value + appropriate compensation[/QUOTE] that doesn't justify incarceration

[QUOTE=JDK721;27049688]whoops point still stands that ANY jail time is excessive punishment[/QUOTE] It's really not punishment for this guy. He gets a bed, food, and possibly a few other accomodations.

[QUOTE=Janizaurd;27053274]It's really not punishment for this guy. He gets a bed, food, and possibly a few other accomodations.[/QUOTE] uhh, jail for six months is pretty bad. it's not a vacation at the Hilton.

Maybe he wanted to go jail...

Could have asked to stay before he broke in. [editline]29th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=JDK721;27053363]uhh, jail for six months is pretty bad. it's not a vacation at the Hilton.[/QUOTE] Only if you're gay.

[QUOTE=JDK721;27050594] yes because jail is such a lovely place[/QUOTE] You really don't get it. He's homeless. Being homeless is not the same as a camping trip or a weekend outdoors. He has nothing. No family ties, no place to call his and, and only the clothes on his. Do you really think prison is going to punish him, or feel like punishment at all? Prison punishes people by REMOVING what they had from life, removing them from the life they know in general. They will be GIVING him more than he had to start out with.

[quote]But after Lewandowski waived his right to a pre-sentence report, the district judge said his theft and wrongful entry was without justification.[/quote] Wait, what? He was homeless and starving, and it was below freezing outside. Since when is survival not a "justifiable" defense?

[QUOTE=Ultra Violence;27056608]Wait, what? He was homeless and starving, and it was below freezing outside. Since when is survival not a "justifiable" defense?[/QUOTE] Since breaking into somebody's place without their permission wasn't the only option.