One of the Boys that killed a Goth Girl in a Park admits he's guilty

[Black Spiral Dancer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/l...re/7287772.stm

Last year, a Goth Girl and her boyfriend were walking through a park when a group of 5 "youths" jumped on them, causing fatal wounds to the girl and putting her boyfriend in a coma.

One of the boys has admitted to killing her, another has admitted to manslaughter. The rest deny it.

There has been an outcry about this, as the only reason they were beaten up was that they were "alternative". A collection was made during the Whitby Goth Weekend in October and the weeks leading up to it, and there is now a bench dedicated to Sophie, as where it is placed was one of her favourite places (near the Whale Bones.)

Lets hope they string the cowardly feckers up! Though, I doubt it.

[Bikerpunk]

I wanna go to England and show chavs what kerbstomping is.

[Donald Rilea]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/l...re/7287772.stm

Last year, a Goth Girl and her boyfriend were walking through a park when a group of 5 "youths" jumped on them, causing fatal wounds to the girl and putting her boyfriend in a coma.

One of the boys has admitted to killing her, another has admitted to manslaughter. The rest deny it.

There has been an outcry about this, as the only reason they were beaten up was that they were "alternative". A collection was made during the Whitby Goth Weekend in October and the weeks leading up to it, and there is now a bench dedicated to Sophie, as where it is placed was one of her favourite places (near the Whale Bones.)

Lets hope they string the cowardly feckers up! Though, I doubt it.

Remember reading about this last year, BSM.

All I can say is that I hope her family will find some comfort and justice, whatever the trial's out-come, that at least the boy who admitted killing her finally got some guts enough to admit it, and that the boys' sentences will be life imprisonment, or something along those lines.

[Velvet-Tongue]

I remember reading this and am happy that atleast a little justice will be served. Very sad story indeed.

[Bikerpunk]

England CONSTANTLY fucks up sentencing.

"You have committed the brutal beating death of a mild mannered, pacifist father of five. Your sentence begins in two minutes and will last until a quarter to three, at which time you are free to go down to the pub."

[Kidthorazine]

yeah, while I don't believe in the death penalty, I do think they need harsher sentencing for stuff like this.

But yeah i read about this earlier, pretty fucked up incident.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

The Goth community has rallied around Sophie's family, and even the club we go to in Newcastle had a whip-round and we raised enough money to pay for the plaque on the bench.

We're trying to bring to the public the fact that Hate Crimes happen, and they are wanting to get a law that they can use to stop people from doing this again. It will also protect the Chavs from being beaten up for being chavs, but it will be these things have to be put up with if we want justice.

Yes, BikerPunk, the law is very lenient on offenders, even gaol (using the true English spelling) is not a punishment. They get more in there than I have, and they get it rent free! I think we should have a Capital Punishment, for cases where there is no doubt about what happened. Anyone that takes a life, should pay with their life.

[Bikerpunk]

Can't I just shatter some jaws first?

(insert PARTY HARD animated GIF based on American History X here)

[Thurbane_316]

England CONSTANTLY fucks up sentencing.

"You have committed the brutal beating death of a mild mannered, pacifist father of five. Your sentence begins in two minutes and will last until a quarter to three, at which time you are free to go down to the pub."

Unfortunately Australia has a fair bit of that kind of sentencing as well. Judges bleat on about how horrible the crime is (for the public record), then proceed to hand out p!ss weak, minimum sentences.

You're more likely to face serious jail time for defrauding the welfare system over here than you are for a brutal assault, **** or child molestation.

The judges here are pretty much untouchable, and basically don't have to answer to anyone.

The system is very, very ill.

[Bikerpunk]

Unfortunately Australia has a fair bit of that kind of sentencing as well. Judges bleat on about how horrible the crime is (for the public record), then proceed to hand out p!ss weak, minimum sentences.

You're more likely to face serious jail time for defrauding the welfare system over here than you are for a brutal assault, **** or child molestation.

The judges here are pretty much untouchable, and basically don't have to answer to anyone.

The system is very, very ill.

Well, you see, defrauding the government hurts the government. They will ABSOLUTELY punish that.

Here's a test for you. Go out and punch Joe Sixpack full on in the face. The cops will show up. Disinterested. "Where did he go, and did he leave a signed confession and directions to where he is now." Police report, here's your case number, scratch nuts, go get donuts.

Now get the drop on a cop and knock him unconscious. Not that I have done this. But there WILL be APBs. Dusting for fingerprints, shaking down any potential witnesses. The force WILL NOT SLEEP until the FOE is BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

[Tinman]

My mates in the police in manchester and hes sick of picking up the same old scum bags who get soft sentences because "theyve had a hard life" and some bleeding heart lets em off light, how bout the victim of there crime, im pretty sure there life aint no bed of roses either, british justice is a joke, thats why theres been a rise in D I Y justice, and a new undercurrent of gangs accross britain, u dont have to be in one these days ur simply put into one coz of ur dress sense or musical taste, its just sad, bring back national service is a good start but i also back a change in how we punish those found guilty of crimes, im a great beliver in the ounishment should fit the crime, if u kill someone u should spend the rest of ur life in jail, life for a life

[Velvet-Tongue]

I think the main reason for light sentences in many countries is the sheer cost of housing an inmate for life/death row. In America right now we have the highest amount of prisoners/civillian ratio in the world (except perhaps for China but they'll drag you off into the back fields and give you an AK47 sentence with a kick into a hole if you make them angry).

America has went away from alot of programs/reintegration etc due to studies showing it had very little effect on recidivism. Now we're aimed more at punishment which does very little at all. With Reganas war on drugs + hard 2 strikes/3strikes laws we're amazingly overcrowded and it makes the country look bad because of it. We've had states go bankrupt (California) because of prisons. I believe it costs anywhere from 100 to 1000+ dollars a day to house inmates. Not to mention the national billions spent to pay private prison companies to build/staff and run prisons/pay for lawyers etc.

Starting to babble but, to me that seems like the reason. Pressure on judges to keep the prison population low and carry on Englands national image as a low crime nation. Course I don't know any judges so I could just be talking out my rear.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I saw more transcipts from the court case in the newspapers today and couldn't feel angry. I am certain that at least one lad at work would have been laughing at the death of Sophie, and I was just waiting for him to say something.

One bloke actually asked if I knew the 2 that were attacked, but I didn't, but we do know her aunt.

Sophie's mother was at Whitby Goth Weekend to see what the Goth community had done to honour her, and she was very touched. They were selling small black rose pins to help raise money for the bench, and there were many dedications. To be honest, I don't know any goths (myself included) that haven't had a similar kind of thing happen to them. As it was, I was lucky my sight wasn't permanently damaged.

I really hope the English rule of "not telling the public what the names of minors that have committed hideous crimes" will be taken away, so that the little tickturds are named & shamed.

Maybe they could put the 5 of them in a ring of Goths and let them see what it's like to live in fear fo their lives, for the few minutes it would last.

[Head Wreck]

actually i do know a guy who ckocked out a copper (accidentaly mind) and the copper didnt press and said "my own fault for trying to grab him from behind when he's trying to defend himself from 7 guys"

whats amusing is the policeman was wearing riot gear and probably had the shock of his life.

i can never understand why someone would wish harm on thier fellow human just for being differant, even though i have myself been beaten near to an inch of my life myself (and hence my rugged good looks :P).

i just cant understand.

one thing though.

i do not agree on a death penalty. those that can be rehabilitated should have the chance to. its just a shame that the kids who did this are going to an all expenses paid leasure camp for the duration of thier sentance

[Velvet-Tongue]

i can never understand why someone would wish harm on thier fellow human just for being differant, even though i have myself been beaten near to an inch of my life myself (and hence my rugged good looks :P).

i just cant understand.

It speaks really good on your character that you have that mindframe. I wish the rest of the world did too but the world has a huge percentage of ignorant, uncultured people. The whole fear of the unknown etc seems to play a big role in it. Or maybe they were just stupid kids who wanted to abuse and hurt people that could not defend themselves. There should be serious punishment to correct such a sociopathic mindframe in these kids. A slap on the wrist and letting them go back to their ways with prison cred is not the method I'd use.

Now im starting to feel mad : \

[Mr Karl]

don't understand it either, don't need to either, however I don't think people who commit such crimes should shown any mercy, no matter how sorry they are about it. The only way they can atone for something like that is setting a good example and taking that drop with dignity.

[Wickedanima]

The thing that pissed me off the most, and its mostly fustraition, is that I only heard this from a lj friend to-fucking-day. The American Press would have crawled up the story's ass with a microscope if the kids had listen to Marilyn Manson, and the victims had been 'normal', but... seriously. I would love to hear what the 'mainstream' thinks the state of things is in the day where they let kids beat the SNOT out of other kids for wearing weird cloths.

Did y'all hear about the kids in Asia that rallied to beat up some 'emo' kids that hung out in their area?

This stuff is all just... cruising under the raidar. It just... infuriates me!

Also, there are some goth's that have started a support 'community' inspired by what happened to Sophie:

http://bizarremagazine.proboards88.com/index.cgi?

[Black Spiral Dancer]

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....&in_page_id=34

They've finally sentenced 2 of the "boys" this week. They got life imprisonment. The others will be sentenced later next month.

All I can hope is that if they ever eventually get released, that they will be able to fit a bowling ball in their arseholes!

[cheshire centauri]

The thing that pissed me off the most, and its mostly fustraition, is that I only heard this from a lj friend to-fucking-day. The American Press would have crawled up the story's ass with a microscope if the kids had listen to Marilyn Manson, and the victims had been 'normal', but... seriously. I would love to hear what the 'mainstream' thinks the state of things is in the day where they let kids beat the SNOT out of other kids for wearing weird cloths.

Did y'all hear about the kids in Asia that rallied to beat up some 'emo' kids that hung out in their area?

This stuff is all just... cruising under the raidar. It just... infuriates me!

Also, there are some goth's that have started a support 'community' inspired by what happened to Sophie:

http://bizarremagazine.proboards88.com/index.cgi?

If i was that girl's parents i would want support from family and friends and not from a group of people who identified with her choice of music and clothes.


This was a violent crime and it deserved a tough sentencing. i think talking about this event in terms of goths, emos and the victimization of these 'alternative' groups spoils the real tragedy here which was the violent, senseless murder of a young girl.

[DoomTart]

The thing that pissed me off the most, and its mostly fustraition, is that I only heard this from a lj friend to-fucking-day. The American Press would have crawled up the story's ass with a microscope if the kids had listen to Marilyn Manson, and the victims had been 'normal', but... seriously. I would love to hear what the 'mainstream' thinks the state of things is in the day where they let kids beat the SNOT out of other kids for wearing weird cloths.

That is exactly what I have been thinking. Recently a 13 year old boy, Lawrence King, was shot in the head at point blank range, in school, by a 14 year old school mate. Normally you would think the press would be all over it, but there has been a conspicuous silence after a few short stories that omit a large portion of the facts. Lawrence was possibly gay and/or transgendered and was being bullied; one of the bullies finally killed him. Another school shooting, but this time it wasn't the 'freak' or 'outcast' that opened up a hail of bullets, it was the 'normal' one. This type of story just doesn't work--doesn't need to be told--as it doesn't support the theory that if you are different, if you don't conform to the accepted norms of society, you are more inclined to violent acts. So the press is either silent or censored.

Oh, I have heard a few blurbs on the news about the 14 year old shooter, that we all must remember and understand that his life has also been ruined.

[Amelia G]

I think the main reason for light sentences in many countries is the sheer cost of housing an inmate for life/death row. In America right now we have the highest amount of prisoners/civillian ratio in the world (except perhaps for China but they'll drag you off into the back fields and give you an AK47 sentence with a kick into a hole if you make them angry).

America has went away from alot of programs/reintegration etc due to studies showing it had very little effect on recidivism. Now we're aimed more at punishment which does very little at all. With Reganas war on drugs + hard 2 strikes/3strikes laws we're amazingly overcrowded and it makes the country look bad because of it. We've had states go bankrupt (California) because of prisons. I believe it costs anywhere from 100 to 1000+ dollars a day to house inmates. Not to mention the national billions spent to pay private prison companies to build/staff and run prisons/pay for lawyers etc.

Starting to babble but, to me that seems like the reason. Pressure on judges to keep the prison population low and carry on Englands national image as a low crime nation. Course I don't know any judges so I could just be talking out my rear.

America currently has 1% of our population incarcerated. There is not other nation on earth, including China, which does that. Had the Russians done that during the Cold War, we would have pointed to it as evidence that they were evil. I think it is bad for our society and it makes me embarrassed. I feel like I should be able to do something to fix the problem. When I was in Maryland recently, the Baltimore Sun had an article about this where various politicians were starting to make rumblings about legalizing a lot of drugs and minimizing a lot of drug sentences, in order to fix the incarceration problem. I am not an expert, but, according to the History Channel, the War on Drugs was started by Nixon specifically to silence his opposition because, in America, he could not directly silence the counterculture's anti-Vietnam war etc. messages.

[One Eyed Cat]

America currently has 1% of our population incarcerated. There is not other nation on earth, including China, which does that. Had the Russians done that during the Cold War, we would have pointed to it as evidence that they were evil. I think it is bad for our society and it makes me embarrassed. I feel like I should be able to do something to fix the problem. When I was in Maryland recently, the Baltimore Sun had an article about this where various politicians were starting to make rumblings about legalizing a lot of drugs and minimizing a lot of drug sentences, in order to fix the incarceration problem. I am not an expert, but, according to the History Channel, the War on Drugs was started by Nixon specifically to silence his opposition because, in America, he could not directly silence the counterculture's anti-Vietnam war etc. messages.

The Soviets killed a much higher percentage than 1% of their population. Regardless, it is still embarassing. I've outlined areas (drugs specifically) that should be decriminalized. This would make the % go down significantly. I would add a number of commercial sexual and other consensual crimes to the list.

The prisons should be for tangible crimes against person and property.

OEC

[Bikerpunk]

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....&in_page_id=34

They've finally sentenced 2 of the "boys" this week. They got life imprisonment. The others will be sentenced later next month.

All I can hope is that if they ever eventually get released, that they will be able to fit a bowling ball in their arseholes!

"life" in the UK means they'll be out in five years.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

Quick update for you: The mothers of the convicted killers have gone into hiding since the case, because they were revealed as having laughed and joked at the fact their children had murdered a girl and almost killed her boyfriend. They have been refusing to answer questions from any newspaper.

As for prison, once they are old enough to be released from the Young Offenders facility, they will be put in a high security prison, with other murderers. They may go in claiming to be hard men because they've killed someone. The moment the guards backs are turned, they will get a visit from the prison hard man, who will show them what a real killer can do. I have this on good authority from a friend that this is exactly what will happen. Also, the limit of their prison sentence will be set next month. The Judge was so appauled with their actions that I think he will probably put quite a hefty time limit (they'll probably have to serve at least 20 years) and odds are, they will have their first application for parole refused, possibly the second as well.

[Byronic_Hero]

I wanna go to England and show chavs what kerbstomping is.

Amen Bro...Only I would take it further and re-instate the death penalty combined with public humiliation/torture...I really believe this is the ONLY deterrent in a society filled with ppl who seem to think they can get away with ANYTHING. Why just last week I heard of some guy getting shot only a few blocks away from where I live...Man, it's pathetic...I'm so sick of hearing about it...It's time to round these mofos up and set the example for EVERYONE to see...Just like the Romans did...

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I'm waiting for a Goth Vigilante group to form to get revenge. Maybe they'll be called the "Lancaster Bombers", and go around firebombing groups of Chavs while they drink their cheap alcohol on street corners.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

Sophies mother gave permission for the last photograph of her daughter. Warning! You may not forget these pictures in a hurry.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...icle970063.ece

[Bikerpunk]

I propose we export some good old fashioned USA vigilanteism to the UK.

A few fractured Chav skulls and this shit is over.

[a_small_death]

I wanna go to England and show chavs what kerbstomping is.

I say we get a whole band of merry pirates for this. Fun for the whole family.

[Obscuria.com]

Chavs = Douchebags.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I've heard the 2 lads that were convicted have posted a video on Youtube boasting about it.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

Unless you guys have heard already, the 2 shits that were found guilty have been sentenced. The 15 year-old got 18 years, and the 16 year-old got 16 years. There will not be any time off for good behaviour. That is the minimum amount of time they will serve before they can be considered for parole, and I have it on good authority that when a violent crime is involved, the parole hearing is merely a formality, and will be denied. Also, even if they are in the same prison, they will never be allowed to contact each other during their sentence. They won't even be put in the same wing.

Plus, once they are old enough, they will be sent to a adult prison, and the usual one for violent offenses is of course Durham Prison. One of my friends knows a few of the guards in Durham Prison and they are Metallers, so I have a feeling they will "fall down a lot of stairs"

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I was also at the Sophie Lancaster Bench Dedication Ceremony on Saturday. It was quite touching to see Sophie's mother there, along with about 500 Goths showing their respects.
A single black balloon was released in Sophie's memory in front of the bench from the top of the West Cliff of Whitby, and it was blown out to sea.

[Solace_in_the_snow]

one of my close friends was beat to death in washington because he was gay.

[Bikerpunk]

I STILL say they'll be out in five years claiming victimhood.

[Tinman]

Ur probbaly right B P, lets hope the old , u reap what u sow is true for them at least

[Bikerpunk]

It won't happen. PS Warrington WINS.

[Black Spiral Dancer]

I STILL say they'll be out in five years claiming victimhood.

Nope, the actual sentence is Life, the judge said that they have to serve AT LEAST 16 & 18 years. They may end up in isolation, but they will serve their full time.

[Bikerpunk]

Nope, the actual sentence is Life, the judge said that they have to serve AT LEAST 16 & 18 years. They may end up in isolation, but they will serve their full time.

The Daily Mail says they'll be out in five years.

[Head Wreck]

its harder and harder to stick toy vigilantism is not the answer.