101 year old paedophile jailed for 13 years

I think KatyK it is because sentencing is a mix of punishment for the crime and protection of society from said perpetrator. In this ghastly man's case the sentence needs to be long in both categories, and yes, I agree that his age is no defence. He did not take his victims' ages into account, and neither should the judiciary. He will spend his last time on earth on his own, no family, no friends, loathed by fellow inmates and guards.

I have never understood the term 'will be released when no longer considered a threat to society'. (Not in this case, just generally) Surely prison is meant to be a punishment for the crimes committed. Some tried to say people such as Myra Hindley were no longer a threat to society. She probably wasn't but that's not the point really is it? Or is it just me?

Jallma, I suspect he was one of those paedophiles who lives within a large family, abusing within that family and within his community. He has been convicted of abusing the children of his earlier victims which isn't uncommon with this type of sex offender.
Yes, send him to prison. I'm in favour of reducing the prison population. We need to develop better community sentencing, rather than cutting the probation/youth offending teams. Prison is hugely expensive and should be reserved for violent or dangerous offenders. Yes, I suspect he still poses a threat kittylester - old age doesn't seem to deter this type of offender.

I believe that RH is doing very nicely thank you.

We went past the gaol he is in not that long ago.
I sent some malevolent thoughts his way.

Of course, we do not know if some of the abused children were his own children and grandchildren.

Monica it does depend, he may be living in a cold house, may not have family members around, may be warmer, well fed and have company who knows how it plays itself out I wonder how Rolf Harris and the rest of the clan of abusive OAP s are doing

Nothing has been said about whether he has family and he seemed capable of walking in and out of court and of understanding the trial (otherwise he could not have had one) so I think he will be very conscious of his loss of liberty and inability to lead the life he is accustomed to leading. His capacity to make any decisions for himself will have gone, he will deprived of the comfort of his home environment and the presence of familiar objects.

He should be eligible for parole in under 5 years.

I read the remark about the difference between prison and a care home as an ironic one, meaning that prison could be better than some care homes - the food for a start.
He could still serve his time if he is well looked after and the other prisoners are not allowed near him.

What he did to those children was even more "unfair given their age". He has got away with it for a long time, now it has caught up with him. Good.

Someone said he may find a difference between prison and his care home but I doubt it I expect he will be well looked after maybe in a hospital wing or something cushy You could hardly do much to a 101 year old
I think the fact that he shows no remorse is the key to it all really not so much his age

As *annsixty says: he committed the crime, he must do the time. Just because he managed to live so long and was caught so late is no excuse for clemency.

He showed no pity for the youth of his victims. Why should we show pity for his age?

I notice that Christinefrance mentioned this criminal too in her post.

He threatened some of these children with a knife while he raped them - some were the second generation of the same family, just toddlers at the time.
He should never have been let out - ever again.

It was reported today that another serial paedophile has been let out of prison and allowed back near to where he committed his crimes despite pleas from the victims.

Sentences do need to be tougher and longer.

We have discussed this over the dinner table tonight. My views are exactly as expressed here. A younger family member did not agree and thought house arrest should be enough. If you committed the crime you must do the time is my philosophy, it is never too late for justice to be done.

Playing devil's advocate - he is going to cost a fortune in prison because he will presumably be in a secure hospital rather than on a general wing. And, is he a danger to society now?

I agree never too late for justice with these sorts of crimes.

Just read about the man in Yorkshire released after 10 years when the judge said he should die in jail. He has raped 4 year olds and possibly committed up to 40 such crimes.

Good, his age is nothing to do with it. He is guilty and needs to be sentenced accordingly.

Well, he really is going to find out if prison is better than conditions in a care home! Perhaps that's why he doesn't care. He thinks he'll be better off!

Hopefully this will be a lesson to all potential paedophiles - never think you can get away with such evil.

Apparently he has not shown any remorse so I hope he rots there,

I think, depending on the severity of the crime, a sentence for a crime of this kind should be 20 years upwards to whole of life.

Of course, this probably will mean whole of life in this case thank goodness.

Only 13? It is never too late to catch up with evil and for justice to be done.