Protecting the public is something that covers a wide area. Part of this includes whether or not someone is granted bail prior to being dealt with at court. A lot of you will know that the application process seems to fall directly in favour of the suspect. A pretty good reason or reasons have to be given to incarcerate someone whilst they are awaiting trial.
How many of you have seen your suspect fail to turn up when they are duly ordered to by the legal process, not once but sometimes more, and appear to treat the system with contempt on many occasions. Hence the system of opposing bail is regularly asked for but often refused or comes with conditions that are regularly ignored.
There has been some serious discussion over the right of suspects to be granted bail recently. There was the case of Met inspector Garry Weddell, 47, who was accused of strangling his wife and trying to make it look like suicide. He was freed by Judge John Bevan and later shot dead his mother-in-law, before later killing himself. Judge Bevan cannot, apparently, recall why he granted bail. Weddell had remained in custody until September when he was freed on conditional bail by Judge Bevan in a hearing at Ipswich crown court. At the hearing, Weddell’s brother Geoffrey, a barrister, offered surety of £200,000 and persuaded the judge that the officer was not likely to commit any further crime, abscond or interfere with witnesses. This proved not to be the case. An inquiry is underway to find out exactly why, despite CPS objections, Weddell was granted bail.
The bail issue has been further highlighted following reports that there is a 300% rise in the number of suspects being granted bail in an effort to relieve the pressure on already overcrowded prisons. But as a result of the prison overcrowding crisis, Judges and Magistrates have been urged by the Government to release them.
Adam Swellings was freed on bail for a charge assault and was one of a group who kicked to death father-of-three Garry Newlove.
Could it possibly be that there are only bail granting policies and no outside influences on the system and no financial implications in the decision making processes that concern bail and the efforts to protect the…………………………………….protect the…………………protect the public. This decision is made on each individual case on the individual merits and is the decision of the Magistrates or Judge overseeing the individual case. The reasons appear to be subject to other influences and the Police or CPS cannot decide who is suitable for bail and who is not. I suspect that there are some people out there who might disagree with this, not least the families of some of the real victims.
That’s it, to protect the public, that’s right. Protect the public. That’s what a refusal to grant bail is for, to protect the public. After all, this is one of the reasons why a refusal to grant bail is asked for, because there are serious reasons why bail should not be granted. To protect the public, amongst other serious reasons. I’ve said it enough so you should be convinced.
Tough on Crime………………. ? People in custody on remand will be claiming compensation for something next.
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