UK laws applied in other countries. How does that work then?
This thing we do where we try people in the UK for crimes committed abroad worries me. Things like this happen. It's hard to look at these things and not think these people deserve it. But, let us look at it in a wider scope. Where is the line drawn. Kiddie Porn? Seems there have been people prosecuted in the UK and jailed for screwing kids abroad. Sounds OK so far. How about possession of ammunition. A jail sentence in the UK. Legal where you are at the time but bring back photos to your friendly neighborhood tittle tattle photo processing system and you never know where it could end up. I'm interested in exploring things like speed limits. Germany has no restrictions in some places. Take your missus there, race along a road, crash and she is killed. Cleared in Germany, return to the UK and go to jail in the UK for dangerous driving? I'll keep my eyes open for more on this sort of thing.I don't think this is right. Extradite to the country so they can try them but if it's legal there then there is no way you should be allowed to prosecute here in the UK. That, unfortunately, also includes screwing kids abroad. Start of a slippery slope if you allow some things and not others.
posted by Bag @ 12:08 am
2 Comments:
Don't you think spending £3m on the trial of an Afghan warlord who terrorised Afghans in Afghanistan was money well spent!?!
He has subsequently been imprisoned in the UK for 20 years at an annual average cost of only £35k.
No, I most certainly do not. I remember reading this at the time and shook my head. OK, the guy is scum but what has that to do with us? Why should we try and imprison him in the UK?
Upside:
1) We look tough and good on the international front.
2) Em, Err, Nope can't think of anything else.
Downside:
1) It has not made any UK life safer. If fact it has likely made it worse as now we are a real threat to them.
2) Journalists impartiality is now under question. If I was a warlord or anything I would make sure to include journalists among the list of witnesses. Hope they have good insurance coverage.
3) I take it the officials involved had solved all crime in the UK before they went off looking for other things to do. Clearly these guys had nothing to do for us poor taxpayers.
4) When do we investigate the Afghan, US, Chinese, Korean etc. leadership? The small fry get it again.
5) Only a couple of thousand others to go. Gordon Brown can borrow another couple of billion for this alone. I'll be paying for the next 50 years but who cares.
6) His prison costs will likely be more than average due to language, culture etc. than the usual £35K. In five years he will be sent back to take a new role as their representation to the UN or something.
So, bottom line, Bliar looks good on the international court. We, again, get all the downside.
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