happyhiker2 men jailed for 4years & three months for felling the tree at #SycamoreGap along Hadrian’s Wall. They seem to have had no reason for doing this other than missing a few brain cells/being drunk. Probably a reasonable sentence but a sad loss for many.
Alan@happyhiker Really sad to lose the tree and that someone would do this, but those sentences seem excessive to me.
They seem to have paid for the publicity generated rather than the actual offence; a lot of trees are cut down unlawfully without anyone being arrested.
@ReCyclist Don’t forget they will be out after half the time, maybe even less the way prisons are and early releases, subject to good behaviour. This was not just any old tree but an iconic landmark tree, famous the world over, creating a unique vista. Its position and the image created was special to many. Hopefully the sentence will send a message that you cannot just destroy thing just because you are an idiot and/or a bit drunk. More idiotic vandals should maybe also get sharp shocks to reduce the negative effects on all our lives that such things cause. Think litter, fly tipping, graffiti, broken bus shelters, chewing gum, abuse of public service workers; the list goes on.
@happyhiker People kill other people with cars and avoid prison altogether.
Is prison there for social vengeance or should the aim be for rehabilitation?
Is society improved when such people serve these sentences ?
@ReCyclist I think it is more about deterrence and/or public safety than vengence. As for rehabilitation, I think there are some who simply cannot be rehabilitated and are simply stuck in a revolving prison door. Whether that is the fault of the system or deficient personalities I don’t know.