Sentence cut for Basford mum who giggled after attack
A YOUNG mum who giggled after leaving an innocent man fighting for his life has had her sentence cut following an appeal to the country's top judges.
Michelle Roberts, 19, of Zulu Road, New Basford, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent after she and boyfriend Paul Creighton attacked 37-year-old Stuart Flynn.
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Nottingham Crown Court
Roberts, who also admitted producing cannabis and breaching a conditional discharge, was locked up for eight-and-a-half years at Nottingham Crown Court in September.
But senior judges cut her sentence to eight years after ruling that her detention terms should have run concurrently, rather than consecutively. She will be entitled to automatic release after serving four years.
Mr Justice Maddison, sitting with the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and Mr Justice Silber, told the Appeal Court that Mr Flynn was walking home from the pub in April last year when the pair set upon him.
A witness saw Creighton stamp on his head, while Roberts kicked him.
The pair, who have two children together, were seen giggling after the attack, with Roberts pointing and laughing at Mr Flynn as he lay in a pool of blood, the judge said.
Mr Flynn suffered serious brain injuries. In a statement read out in court, he said: "Being attacked has changed every aspect of my life. I lost three weeks of my life in hospital but I do not know how long, if ever, it will take to get back to normal."
Roberts' lawyers claimed her sentences for the three offences should have been concurrent because she is young and had not been in custody before.
Mr Justice Maddison agreed, saying: "We do accept, given the length of the major sentence and the age of the appellant, that it would have been appropriate to impose the other sentences concurrently with each other and concurrent to the eight-year sentence."
The judges rejected an appeal by Creighton, 21, also of Zulu Road, against his indefinite detention term.
10 Comments
by Jbono
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:48PM
“Vox - unfortunately the only sure-fire thing that these non-human philistiens can offer society is ensuring prison officers, probation workers and A&E nurses will remain in employment to deal with their vile crimes.”
by Vox_Populii
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:26PM
“I hate to be a pessimist, but what will these people ever have to offer to society?”
by kent14
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 5:56PM
“the judge should be made to live next door to these scum when they get out of their hotel.”
by ANottsdweller
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 5:36PM
“We really must stop concurrent sentencing. Not only do convicted offenders only serve half of their sentence, they are only punished for one of the offences they have committed. There is no actual punishment for any of the other offences.
How can anyone (apart from criminals) call this justice or even fair?”
by mattgaltress
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 4:54PM
“Philstag3, I think they serve half of the sentence inside, and the other on lisence.
As to some of these comments, I think it's something of a blessing that judges have to decide sentences on the basis of facts and of the law rather than on headlines. If our judges pandered to some of what I am reading in these comments society would be much the worse for it.”
by sime64
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 4:22PM
“@ by countytilldie... I couldn't agree more. We now have a generation of scum breeding scum and untill we have a benefit system that is for people in genuine need of help (as it was always indended for) instead of a lifestyle option for work dodging losers then things won't get any better soon.
What hope have kids born to vermin like Creighton and Roberts got?”
by philstag3
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 2:25PM
“"......sentence to eight years after ruling that her detention terms should have run concurrently, rather than consecutively. She will be entitled to automatic release after serving four years."
I have never understood this, could somebody explain. Why after being given a sentence can people get out earlier? Why can't they serve the sentence that has been given?”
by countytilldie
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 2:00PM
“the sad thing is these poor excuses for human beings have children,how do you think they're going to grow up,with these pair of dead heads as parents.”
by WilliamFT
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 11:07AM
“Your veiled anti-Semitism knows know bounds. Jewish wolf judges know best how to shape the minds of the sheep.”
by chesann
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 10:31AM
“More barmy judges the sentence should have been doubled its time to stop letting these scum out after half a sentence young or old she is scum and should not be free to walk the streets with decent people”