IF YOU DELIBERATELY BURN A TEENAGE GIRL TO DEATH

...by throwing petrol on her and then setting it alight, and then you shut her in her bedroom so she has no chance of escaping or calling for help, should you ever be allowed to walk the streets again?

Mad Judge Lord Bracadale thinks you should.

Well, it's a point of view!

He's given Stewart Blackburn 21 years for that. Assuming he keeps his nose clean, he'll be under 40 when he is let back out, doubtless with a taxpayer-funded change of identity to assist his reintegration into society.

Jessica McCagh was 17 years old when she died in agony.

We recently discussed the case of Craig Hodson Walker, who was shot dead. His killers will serve a minimum of 34 years.

In the comments, one John B pointed out that 'There's a lot of rot been talked on this (blog) about sentencing and arbitraryness'.

I don't know about John, but on a purely qualitative basis I think most people - if forced to choose - would prefer to be shot than burned alive. There seems to be at least some arbitrariness at work here*.

But that's not the point.

Set someone on fire and let them burn to death: Never See Daylight Again.

Shoot a young man dead during the commission of a robbery: Never See Daylight Again.
Cricket bat and stab your boyfriend to death as he lies in bed: Never See Daylight Again.

*Yes it's Scotland, so what?

FOXY LOXY