03 November 2023 , 21:59
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It is outrageous that a sex killer was given a reduced sentence on the grounds that his victim’s suffering was lessened because he had first beaten her senseless.
The law is wrong. And if it was applied correctly by the Court of Appeal, then it must be changed. Jordan McSweeney inflicted 46 injuries on Zara Aleena during a sickening, vicious and merciless nine-minute assault caught on CCTV.
The stomach-churning argument for cutting his minimum term from 38 to 33 years – that she didn’t suffer “additional mental or physical suffering” because she was unconscious – is an insult to decent people everywhere. Zara’s family are absolutely right that the message it sends to women is, as they put it, disheartening.
The Government has committed to changing the law to give whole life orders to murderers who commit sexual offences and we hear a lot from ministers about imposing tougher sentences for terrible crimes. Now they must change the law so that knocking somebody unconscious doesn’t earn a few years off a sentence.
On the brink
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s threats to Israel leave the Middle East on the brink of an even greater bloodbath. The terror group based in Lebanon warned that “all options remain on the table” and that they are not afraid of US intervention.
Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe
Much of the world is holding its breath, hoping the Iranian-backed militants don’t join Hamas in a bigger confrontation. Israel says there will be no temporary ceasefire in Gaza until all the hostages are freed.
If Qatar holds any sway with Hamas, could this just possibly give its negotiators a way forward to halt the staggering loss of life in this terrible conflict?
In our lives...
The CGI video of surviving Beatles Paul and Ringo playing their final song with the late George and John is a masterpiece. Imagine if the Fab Four were still with us... then remember that their music will always be the soundtrack to our own history.