What Price Justice?

Tweet

This was the heading on the front of our local newspaper Thursday evening. I am in Sheffield UK. The article goes on to talk about a couple in their late 30's who had been hauled into court for theft of fireworks and benefit fraud. These two people claimed benefits in excess of £32,000 ($60,000).The judge - who in my opinion should be kicked out - told them it would be a further burden on the taxpayer if he sent them to jail. It would cost too much to keep them in jail. The man was given a 12 months sentence suspended for 2 years and ordered to do 350 hours of community service. The wife was given a 9 month sentence also suspended for 2 years and told to do 300 hours community service. When their home was raided the police found 1 ton of stolen fireworks and £16,000 in counterfiet cigarettes. When the Benefits Agency investigated - they found the couple were living together although they had claimed they were not. One savings account had £65.500 ($124,450) in it - each of them had seperate savings accounts at other banks with over £6,000 ($11,400) in each account. During the time they had been claiming benefits a total of £172,332($327,430) had been paid into their accounts - most of it from unidentifiable sources. Their home bought in 2004 had been vastly improved and extended. Vehicles worth more than £20,000 were parked outside their home and tickets for a vacation worth over £3,000 were found. It came out in court that the man is now for the first time in his life working. He was ordered to pay £20 ($38) a month back to the benefits agency. I ask you -the judge needs his head examined. At £20 a month it would take 133 years to pay back what they falsley claimed. Whats your opinion on this fiasco?