Comment: Time to get tough on drunk louts
It is sometimes hard to reconcile the descriptions of defendants in court with the crimes they have committed.
In the case of Ricky Fugill of Filton, the judge described him thus: "You are a young man who has not been in trouble before. You owned up as quickly as you could. You are in work and I accept this is completely out of character."
Sounds like a nice enough young chap who perhaps made a mistake.
In fact, he thought it appropriate to drink eight pints of lager.
He then attacked Jack Puddon who had accidentally bumped into one of his companions (and who had apologised for doing so).
The assault involved repeated punches as well as a kick to the head as Mr Puddon lay on the ground. All of this left Mr Puddon with several injuries, headaches and dizziness. Frankly, he was lucky.
A misplaced kick and we could have been looking at something considerably more serious. This newspaper has frequently reported on cases where people have suffered terrible injuries in street fights.
Most tragically was the case of Joe Dymond-Williams, who died after being kicked in the head outside a bar in central Bristol.
Fortunately for Mr Puddon, the attack by Fugill did not have such a serious outcome. But as long as our drinking culture exists, attacks like this will happen.
This is why the courts must make a severe example of the hooligans who carry out such assaults.
But it has not happened in this case. Fugill was given just 80 hours' community service, a curfew and ordered to pay £250 compensation.
The public will find it hard to accept the judge's remarks that such assaults "will not be tolerated" when such apparent leniency has been shown. The message must be that drunken louts who kick innocent people in the head will pay dearly for their crime. An opportunity has been missed here.
7 Comments
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by Jonno, Gloucestershire
Wednesday, September 09 2009, 7:22PM
“Jon, Bristol, I find a "Daily Mail-type rant" far better than your "Viz-type" complacency, arrogance and immaturity.
Maybe this isnt "scot free" but it isnt far off. This punishment does not suit this crime. Courts need to be held to account.”
by Busty Eva, BS1
Wednesday, September 09 2009, 4:40PM
“Most tragically was the case of Joe Dymond-Williams, who died after being kicked in the head outside a bar in central Bristol.
eh Jon, Bristol?”
by Jon, Bristol
Wednesday, September 09 2009, 3:44PM
“No one has "got off scott free" at all, but don't let the facts get in the way of good Daily Mail-type rants.”
by Louise, Filton, Bristol
Wednesday, September 09 2009, 11:40AM
“I just cannot believe this young man has got off scott free with his disgusting behaviour. Youths today take no responsability for their actions at all and are growing into spoilt, nasty, human beings! They just think somebody else will come along and sort out their mess for them! How are they ever going to learn any different if they keep getting away with it like this? My father would have given me a good hiding if I ever behaved badly and then I didn't do it again, it's done me no harm what so ever either! What is this world coming to?!”
by ., .
Wednesday, September 09 2009, 9:06AM
“Does it not go deeper than this ? the problem is the mentality of young men : "lets go out & get p++++d" : alcohol becomes the conducter for violence : on the one hand as a victim you dont read the situation well & then cant take flight, or as an aggressor cant read the situation well & lose your temper and cause a situation. Either way alcohol distorts your reality & taxpayers pay the cost of an already stretched NHS patching people up. Then some poor souls lose their lives : 1 punch &/or an awkward fall & its murder/manslaughter.
& the most amazing juxtoposition : how many drinking holes in Bristol & how cheap is it & how entrenched in our behaviour is it.
Perhaps taxes on alcohol should reflect the costs of the woeful after effects of it.
Putting people in prisons also cost us as taxpayers, because we dont make them sew mailsacks anymore we simply avail them 3-star accomadation.”