Ok .. in simple terms... complaints in this, and other threads over "justice" (?)... although vigilante might be more appropriate sometimes... always revolve around inadequate punishment and the "letting off" of people ... even when not proven guilty.
So .. some FACTS .. not suppositions or conversations on the "outrage bus"
1. The police in the England & Wales do NOT, and CANNOT, prosecute anyone. They investigate an incident and pass the papers to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for an adult, or the Youth Offending Team (YOT) for a youth (under 18), the YOT will confer with CPS on some matters but not all. IT IS NOW OUT OF POLICE HANDS.
2. The CPS/YOT will read and analyse the police file and decide the charges, if any. No one else has any input
3.The case will then proceed via certain levels, Magistrates Court or Youth Court, Crown Court and at any time the case can be dropped by CPS or the Defendant can plead guilty at which case things stop. If the case goes to Trial and a Guity verdict is passed a sentence can made.
4. Both Magistrates Courts and Crown Courts are limited BY LAW to the sentences they can pass, and the Structured Sentencing Rules they
MUST apply. There is very little "wriggle room" in those rules.
5. The Sentencing Guidlines Council produce the rules .. and that is a body set up by Parliament ... yup .. the government that was voted in lead by a certain Mr Blair, so lets have no rubbish about "our Dave" being soft .. the damage was done way before him.
6. Youth Courts/YOT are also controlled by the same rules.
7. The Press you all like to quote, and apparently believe, exist to sell newspapers, and therefore print what you want to read, which is a long way from the truth in many cases. It does not make good sense for them to print "The magistrates were not allowed to sentence this man to 10 years for assault as Mr Angry wanted but under the guidlines could only fine him for spitting".. but the headline "man who spat on child let off lightly" will sell more papers.
8. Finally, the Police, Judges, Magistrates, YOT, CPS, even the MP's who draft the rules are all Human Beings and quite capable of making mistakes ... I note the Outrage bus like to blame "THE police" THE government" "THE courts" .... these items don't exist as thinking entities .. but are a collection of people doing their best within the rules they are constrained by.
If you want it different go to Syria and see what a Dictatorship is like.
For those who might be interested ..
http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/sentencing-guidelines.htm