Smarties
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I hang my head in shame. Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs stays in jail - Yahoo! News UK
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Have to disagree.
If he stayed in prison, as he should have, then he would be a free man now.
He broke the rules - at least twice.
If he stayed in prison, as he should have, then he would be a free man now.
He broke the rules - at least twice.
Mudster
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I agree with Jack Straw, not somthing I ever expected to find myself saying.
The others did the crime and paid in time. Biggs didn't, he did a runner and enjoyed the youth of his life therefore the price He now pays is higher.
I don't subscribe to Robin Hood theroies about this or any other of the train robbers, they were hardened criminals that would resort extreme violence if necessary. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
The others did the crime and paid in time. Biggs didn't, he did a runner and enjoyed the youth of his life therefore the price He now pays is higher.
I don't subscribe to Robin Hood theroies about this or any other of the train robbers, they were hardened criminals that would resort extreme violence if necessary. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
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230K
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Hi
Apparently he has done 10 years, same as the rest of the train robbers who escaped.
Its only money he stole at the end of the day.
Real criminals steal lives!!! And get less of a sentence.
I think he should be freed!!
230K
Apparently he has done 10 years, same as the rest of the train robbers who escaped.
Its only money he stole at the end of the day.
Real criminals steal lives!!! And get less of a sentence.
I think he should be freed!!
230K
glojo
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He celebrates being involved in a heinous crime... sympathy for criminals comes pretty low down on my list of things to do... We should not forget the degree of violence used on that night and the potential for a major rail disaster.
He deserves as much compassion as that shown to the crew of the train... No compassion at all... None. They bludgeoned the train driver with an iron bar and this person never worked again.... Ever!! His life was ruined, hisfamilies life was ruined, yet where is our sympathy for them? Whereis your sympathy for a train driver that was just doing his job and was beaten so badly, he was never able to work again.
Yes we should have sympathy, but sympathy for who?
We live in a crazy, crazy world
andy_k
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I think the idea of a prison sentence is that you get time off for good behaviour and proving to the parole board that you are remorseful for your actions and that you are a reformed character. I think the moment you decide to help yourself to 35 years 'parole' living a celebrity lifestyle and sticking two fingers up at the establishment whilst the rest of your gang are serving their sentences you give up the right to any form of time off for good behaviour.
He only came back because he is old, dying and could only get the health care he needed in the UK so let him stay in prison whilst he's being treated.
He's not (or never was) a celebrity, he's a crook
I've no sympathy, do the crime do the time.
I've just watched the news and he is very poorly, in a hospital what difference to him does it matter now if he is 'free' he isn't going anywhere but another hospital and the doctors and nurses will be giving him the best care regardless.
Just cause he is old and frail sorry I think he should stay behind 'bars'
I've just watched the news and he is very poorly, in a hospital what difference to him does it matter now if he is 'free' he isn't going anywhere but another hospital and the doctors and nurses will be giving him the best care regardless.
Just cause he is old and frail sorry I think he should stay behind 'bars'
230K
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He stole some money and a guy got hurt, compare this to Fred the Shred from RBS.
He "stole" loads of money and loads of people may never work again!!! Has Fred the Shred shown any compassion or remorse??
Did he commit a heinous crime??
Just a thought
230K
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Smarties
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Guys you really need to think this through and get things in perspective. Ronnie Biggs has served a third of what was an outrageous 30-year sentence, with no basis other than politically motivated and set by the establishment. OK, 'the great train robbers' were thieves yes, but that is all. sadly a man, the train driver was coshed, (which was reprehensible) and fell hitting his head, he was to die of natural causes (luikemia) unrelated to the injury, some 7 years later in 1970...he was later to tell the wife of one of the learned defence who was assisting in a book, that he was treated like a gentleman by the robbers but was advised by police /crown/employers, if he said anything like this in evidence his pension would be affected!
The sentences given by a politically motivated judge merely reflected the times of massive change, a vulnerable government (christine keeler / mandy rice davies / profumo scandel). Spies and murderers were only receiving 10 & 15 yrs and these chaps get 30yrs? Yes they were robbers and one or two escaped, but I can understand why you would want to faced with 30yrs incarceration...it was a crime of dishonesty, nothing more. So if Ronnie Biggs’s punishmet fits the crime, What are you to do with white collar crimanals posing as M.P’s, Bankers and public servants tea leafing vast amounts of other peoples money, leaving the country bankrupt and on the verge of collaps and pensioners and retired folk without a substainable income, chop off their heads and mount them on stakes outside the tower of London. I have cited this case before, but an incident local to us a 5 or so years ago, saw a young thug viciously attack his girlfried, kicking her repeatady in the head, inflicting severe brain damage, she can no longer talk, walk, speak or feed herself, and left a young baby effectivly Motherless, he was paroled after serving 4 years! Oh yes, I can realy see how an 80 year old Ronnie Biggs deserves to rot in prison for his part in such a heniuos crime.
The sentences given by a politically motivated judge merely reflected the times of massive change, a vulnerable government (christine keeler / mandy rice davies / profumo scandel). Spies and murderers were only receiving 10 & 15 yrs and these chaps get 30yrs? Yes they were robbers and one or two escaped, but I can understand why you would want to faced with 30yrs incarceration...it was a crime of dishonesty, nothing more. So if Ronnie Biggs’s punishmet fits the crime, What are you to do with white collar crimanals posing as M.P’s, Bankers and public servants tea leafing vast amounts of other peoples money, leaving the country bankrupt and on the verge of collaps and pensioners and retired folk without a substainable income, chop off their heads and mount them on stakes outside the tower of London. I have cited this case before, but an incident local to us a 5 or so years ago, saw a young thug viciously attack his girlfried, kicking her repeatady in the head, inflicting severe brain damage, she can no longer talk, walk, speak or feed herself, and left a young baby effectivly Motherless, he was paroled after serving 4 years! Oh yes, I can realy see how an 80 year old Ronnie Biggs deserves to rot in prison for his part in such a heniuos crime.
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Ronnie Biggs should not be afforded clemency on the basis that others are given lesser sentences.
That would make society pander to the lowest common denominator and then anarchy would prevail.
In my opinion, tougher sentencing needs to be put into place to serve as a warning to criminals that they will be removed from the society they harm if they commit the crime and are caught.
The sentences should be enough to discourage the offence in the first place.
I'd scrap the parole system anyway. Good behaviour should be mandatory, breaking this should lead to a longer period in prison.
That would make society pander to the lowest common denominator and then anarchy would prevail.
In my opinion, tougher sentencing needs to be put into place to serve as a warning to criminals that they will be removed from the society they harm if they commit the crime and are caught.
The sentences should be enough to discourage the offence in the first place.
I'd scrap the parole system anyway. Good behaviour should be mandatory, breaking this should lead to a longer period in prison.
trapperjohn
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I have cited this case before, but an incident local to us a 5 or so years ago, saw a young thug viviously attack his girlfried, kicking her repeatady in the head, inflicting severe brain damage, she can no longer talk, walk, speak or feed herself, and left a young baby effectivly Motherless, he was paroled after serving 4 years! Oh yes, I can realy see how an 80 year old Ronnie Biggs deserves to rot in prison for his part in such a heniuos crime.
Yup the law has got it wrong in the case you cite Smarties. Lets face it, Biggs a small time crook (1 crime as far as I know) He only had to say "sorry" and he would have been out. He is in there by his own hand and will stay there by his own hand. Him and his fellow gang members were no Butch and Sundance. Anybody been coshed lately and fell on a metal floor?
Yup the law has got it wrong in the case you cite Smarties. Lets face it, Biggs a small time crook (1 crime as far as I know) He only had to say "sorry" and he would have been out. He is in there by his own hand and will stay there by his own hand. Him and his fellow gang members were no Butch and Sundance. Anybody been coshed lately and fell on a metal floor?
davethemus
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he has terminal skin cancer all over his body and is blind, surely he should be allowed to die at home.
cl55 amg
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let him die in prison, he committed the crime now let him serve the time. Just because other thugs get let of light does not mean we should make the same mistake every time. If he had been a good boy he would be out, he wasn't so let him serve his time.
flango
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That privelidge is reserved for decent human beings, no remorse then no deal let him rot in there, what did he expect when he came back from Brazil a sympathetic British Public? Its the poor train driver and victims of that night we should be thinking of not people like this and his outspoken son
verytalldave
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I firmly believe that he came home because he thought he would be treated with a degree of compassion and that he would be "free" after a short spell in prison.
He miscalculated badly, both the government and public opinion.
I am on the side of "do the crime - do the time" REGARDLESS of any other criteria.
His age or health have got NOTHING whatsoever to with it.
If I was related to the driver who was coshed that night, I know where my sympathies would lie.
All Biggs has to do to help secure release is to say sorry. Something he refuses to do. You cant tell me he hasnt told a few porkers in the time since 1963. Surely one more wouldnt hurt. Even if it is only a fib to help secure his release. So what? I doubt whether he has personal principles which prevent him from always telling the truth. So there has to be another reason why he wont say this one little thing.
But if he wont even help himself by doing this almost inconsequential deed, then I have be on the side of the "keep him inside" brigade.
Let him publically admit remorse, then perhaps I might - just might - change sides.
He miscalculated badly, both the government and public opinion.
I am on the side of "do the crime - do the time" REGARDLESS of any other criteria.
His age or health have got NOTHING whatsoever to with it.
If I was related to the driver who was coshed that night, I know where my sympathies would lie.
All Biggs has to do to help secure release is to say sorry. Something he refuses to do. You cant tell me he hasnt told a few porkers in the time since 1963. Surely one more wouldnt hurt. Even if it is only a fib to help secure his release. So what? I doubt whether he has personal principles which prevent him from always telling the truth. So there has to be another reason why he wont say this one little thing.
But if he wont even help himself by doing this almost inconsequential deed, then I have be on the side of the "keep him inside" brigade.
Let him publically admit remorse, then perhaps I might - just might - change sides.
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speedybiker
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He shouldn't have run off then should he?
He was laughing at the justice system for years........ Why should he be given special treatment, he has shown no remorse?
He only came back for free health care
He should serve his full sentence, end of.
The do good brigade will argue that he is a frail old man, he wasn't frail when he committed the crime.
He wasn't frail when he was living a life of luxury in the sunshine-throw the key away
He said they only gave the train driver a tap. Some tap.
He laughed long enough at law enforcement, had a reasonably good life in Rio de Janeiro and was a criminal ......... why should he be released?
Does old age mean that we get special dispensation? I don't think so.
He committed a crime, a man nearly died through his actions, he pays the price
Anyway, they weren't just robbers they were ruthless criminals that would have committed murder if they had to.
Alex
He was laughing at the justice system for years........ Why should he be given special treatment, he has shown no remorse?
He only came back for free health care
He should serve his full sentence, end of.
The do good brigade will argue that he is a frail old man, he wasn't frail when he committed the crime.
He wasn't frail when he was living a life of luxury in the sunshine-throw the key away
He said they only gave the train driver a tap. Some tap.
He laughed long enough at law enforcement, had a reasonably good life in Rio de Janeiro and was a criminal ......... why should he be released?
Does old age mean that we get special dispensation? I don't think so.
He committed a crime, a man nearly died through his actions, he pays the price
Anyway, they weren't just robbers they were ruthless criminals that would have committed murder if they had to.
Alex
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Smarties
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Prison is about rehabilitation NOT retribution…that is the official line. How is it possible to rehabilitate an 80 year old man, who cannot talk, walk, and is feed through a tube. It is interesting to learn the views of all the hard-line members of this forum, I can only guess their reactuoion when they heard of those other vile robbers posing as city executives, that have left the country on the verge of bankruptcy, pensioners without a sustainable income, house repossessions at an all time high and job loses occurring at an alarming rate, their actions have effected millions. Also, for the uninitiated, Ronnie Biggs, whilst a member of the gang, was not actually involved in the ‘Raid’ on the train, his job was to find a standby train driver, and mind him on the night. Incidentally, to this day that train driver has never been caught or named by the gang. Ronnie Biggs did offer to give himself up in the 70’s and wrote to the then home sectary, asking if a degree of clemency maybe considered from the original 30 year sentence, the home secretary’s reaction was to send Slipper of the Yard out to Brazil, in an attempt to extradite him. Jack Straws, observation that he courted publicity, hides the real fact, that as a non Brazilian citizen, RB was not allowed a work permit and giving interviews to the worlds press etc, was the only way to make a living and raise his Son, Michael. I’m not saying that Ronnie Biggs is a saint, far from it, but he has no place being incarcerated at his time of life and given the fact that He has now already served, what would be considered today, a ludicrously long term. 10 years is more than enough for the part that he played.
