Camping Murder

[michel]

A group of teenagers who hacked their friend to death on a camping holiday, leaving a large scythe imbedded in his neck, have been jailed for life.

John Sawdon, 17, Jermaine James, also 17, and Rebecca Peeters, 16, hacked 17-year-old Terry Hurst to death with two scythes during a camping trip at Broomhead Reservoir, near Sheffield last year.

They inflicted more than 80 wounds on their friend, eventually leaving the largest weapon embedded in his neck.

After the initial assault, Terry, who suffered from learning difficulties, tried to run from his attackers but they caught up with him and continued their merciless violence.

All three defendants admitted murder in January. Sentencing, the judge said Mr Hurst must have been "absolutely terrified" and added: "None of you showed any mercy whatsoever."

Sawdon leant back in his chair and scowled through much of the proceedings, but James and Peeters showed little emotion. Sawdon would have to serve a minimum of 15 years before he would be considered for release, while Peeters and James must serve 13 years, the judge said.

What sort of punishment would you think fit for these 'young men' ?
Is the punishment they have received enough?

 

[Quoth The Raven]

Did they give a reason why they did such a horrific thing?

 

[Unedited]

Just reading through that put a chill down my spine. Though part of me wishes these kids would be locked up for life, another part of me is sadden. To think of them having to spend their twenties like that. I guess I'm just too forgiving.

 

[Snowbear]

I guess I'm just too forgiving.

I'm curious ~ would you be so forgiving if the victim was a family member.... or anyone you knew and loved?

 

[retrorich]

I think all of the defendants should have received a death sentence (and yes, I would be willing to "pull the switch").

 

[Melody]

What sort of punishment would you think fit for these 'young men' ?
Is the punishment they have received enough?

Life with no possibility of parole.

 

[Sunstone]

Life with no possibility of parole.

I agree with Melody on this one.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I agree with Snow and Melody as usual.

With friends like these...

Do we know the motive? Thrills, revenge or hate?

 

[michel]

Just reading through that put a chill down my spine. Though part of me wishes these kids would be locked up for life, another part of me is sadden. To think of them having to spend their twenties like that. I guess I'm just too forgiving.

I'm part way with you on this one Unedited. I know people will find it hard to understand, but, to me, 'society' and the 'parents' are presumably to some extent to blame. Why do young men 'turn' like this ? - that is of course the sixty million dollar question.

 

[Melody]

I'm part way with you on this one Unedited. I know people will find it hard to understand, but, to me, 'society' and the 'parents' are presumably to some extent to blame. Why do young men 'turn' like this ? - that is of course the sixty million dollar question.

I would guess in the majority of cases this may be true, but I'd sure hate to see laws passed making parents responsible (as some in the U.S. have suggested doing) because sometimes the person is just born without any sense of right or wrong....or rather knows the difference, but it means nothing to them. They used to call them psychopaths. Now I think the term is sociopath.

 

[Lycan]

I think all of the defendants should have received a death sentence (and yes, I would be willing to "pull the switch").

100% agreement...

 

[No*s]

Life with no possibility of parole.

I'm with you on this one Melody. That's simply a sad, sick situation .

 

[Green Gaia]

It sounds to be that they should be mentally evaluted. No one in their right mind does something like that.

 

[kreeden]

It is hard to judge , without knowing more details . However , I do believe that there are times when capital punishment is warrented .

 

[michel]

It sounds to be that they should be mentally evaluted. No one in their right mind does something like that.

I feel the same way; but, as someone on this thread has asked, would I feel the same if it was my son they killed? I don't know; no one KNOWS how they will react until it actually happens (And I sincerely hope it won't!)

 

[Druidus]

This is not natural human behaviour. These people should be subject to a panel of psychologists, who would determine their mental state. I suspect there was something wrong with their minds. If not, prison is probably a good choice. Death would not be my choice of solution. Was there a stated reason why they did this? Was their state of mind altered?

 

[michel]

This is not natural human behaviour. These people should be subject to a panel of psychologists, who would determine their mental state. I suspect there was something wrong with their minds. If not, prison is probably a good choice. Death would not be my choice of solution. Was there a stated reason why they did this? Was their state of mind altered?

I shall keep trying to find out more, but so far, I only have the news item I posted.

 

[robtex]

Michal you got a link? google didn't produce anything with their names. In the UK when one gets life how long is their typical sentence? Over here in US if they got tried as an adult and got life it would be I think 25-99 years I think the top range 99 would be appropiate with parole considerations starting at 1/3 of the sentence (although I think in tx they would have to serve 1/2 of the sentece before parole considerations).

Definetly they cannot function in society today without being a danger to others and their needs to punshiment and seperation from society but it seems wiser to work a penatly range with options for second opinions as time goes on. A minuimum of 3 to 3 1/2 decades of incarceration with further consideration (not automatic release) given at a later date by members in the penal system including a judge.

While incarcertated and as a condition of future parole should it be granted, at the request of the family (if they deem it as postitive) an apology. An explaniation to the courts of the crime including events preceeding it and motivies for it.

A personal acceptance, in writing, (public record) taking full responsiblty for their own actions and the death of the victim. A skillset must be learned while in prision and labor restitiution must be paid back to society to offset the social work that their actions contribute to.

 

[Druidus]

I think Robtex has a good idea.

 

[Quoth The Raven]

Apparently Terry used to go out with a girl who, when they broke up, started going out with John Sawdon. Sawdon for some reason took a dislike to him after that, and that seems to have been what prompted the whole thing. No-one is really sure why though, because basically they actually barely knew each other.
All of them seem to have been 'troubled' to a degree, however that's hardly an excuse to drag a sleeping person out of a tent, put a plastic bag over their head and drop bricks on it and stomp on it, then when they try to run chase them down and start chopping into them with a couple of scythes you just happened to find in the local churchyard when you were on the way back to camp from grabbing some booze.
And the defence tried to say there was no premeditation.:banghead3