Six months in jail for serial bike thief - but prison term highlights sentencing disparity

I logged a woman using her mobile phone on my helmet cam but the police are not interested.

I reported a motorcyclist in 2011 for dangerous driving and harassment. The motorcyclists behaviour was done with intent and supported by video (helmetcam)evidence.

The police or CPS chose to ignore the behaviour and charged the motorcyclist with riding without insurance.

It seems that wilfully dangerous driving and threatening behaviour is permissible in the eyes of the law.

These guy's are just scum like the toerags who buy from them.

courts have always, generally, given heavier penalties for crimes against property versus crimes against the person. the whole legal system is more about property rights than personal ones.

There is clearly significant political reluctance to impose custodial sentences on drivers for careless/dangerous driving, as drivers vote (in most cases at least). Consequently, sentences for cycling-related property offences of this sort can seem out of line.

Recognising this, part of the answer may lie in revised sentencing guidelines which mandate a ban for such offences, at least for recidivists.

Another part may be to dust off the medieval concept of deodand whereby an item which is used in the commission of a crime is forfeit to the Crown. (NB: Originally it was just where the item involved led to the death of an individual but it could be broadened in scope.) Now if you knew that a conviction for careless driving would, as a minimum, mean the loss of your beloved BMW, that might presumably change your attitude?

One drawback of course is that, to be fair, the rule would need to apply equally to cyclists. And the loss of a bike is of course something which many of us may find difficult to countenance, especially (say) for the "victimless crime" of running red lights....

The more of this sort of thing I read the more I think it should be an eye for an eye. You ran down a cyclist? You're made to ride along while someone rams into you in a 4x4. There, justice served. You repeatedly nick people's bikes? You have you method of transport removed, bus pass, car, legs, whatever.

Could have been worse. a guy in Darlington crashed his pickup into 2 other cars whilst on his phone.

Despite having 11pts already, his lawyer pleaded hardship, and give the guy 6 more and did NOT ban him.

The courts seem to be a complete lottery, and extremely lenient towards bad and danerous drivers with form.
Without question the driver in Wales should have gone down for a lot longer.

Cut his hands off. Then he won't do it again.

I suppose there's some consolation in the fact he wasn't congratulated by the judge on his bravery while stealing the bikes.

The guy we reported on in the North Wales case had already been banned once from driving, had no insurance and was driving an unroadworthy car… that seems like a repeat pattern of behaviour to me. He got 8 months for leaving a woman he'd fatally injured dying in the road.

There are two concepts affecting the sentencing levels here. One is intent and the other is repeated offences.

Many of the cases of drivers causing harm are charged as 'careless driving' with a lower level of intent needed. It's rare (and difficult to prove) that a driver deliberately ran into a cyclist and so the offences are charged at a lower level, resulting in a lower sentence.

In this case, it is also a function of the serial offending. None of the cases I've read about of causing harm by careless/reckless driving seem to make reference to any previous offences or a prolonged pattern of behaviour. General disregard for the law over a period of time is something the courts take very seriously, and it is reflected in the sentencing.

The real issue here seems to be the requirement for proving the required level of intent/awareness of the offence being committed - it makes it very difficult to prosecute driving offences according to the level of harm they cause. That's why people argue for strict liability....

What did he do with the bikes? He either dumped them or sold them, but if he sold them, who's buying?