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Was Ronnie Biggs parole decision right?

The Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has been refused parole by Justice Secretary Jack Straw. Is it the right decision?

Mr Straw rejected the Parole Board’s recommendation to release Biggs, 79, who is in hospital after breaking his hip in a fall, saying he was "wholly unrepentant" and had a tendency to "breach trust."

Biggs was given a 30-year sentence after helping to attack a mail train in 1963, but escaped after only 15 months in jail, spending more than 30 years on the run in Spain, Australia and Brazil.

Biggs' son Michael called for Mr Straw to review the decision. "This is not justice," he said. He said his father was in a "life-threatening" condition.

Was the Justice Secretary right to refuse parole? Or should Ronnie Biggs have been released? When do you think a prisoner should qualify for parole?

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Published: Wednesday, 1 July, 2009, 16:16 GMT 17:16 UK

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:50 GMT 11:50 UK

"Please all those saying he should be deprted to Brasil . . We do not want him back ..you got him ..you keep him.. and please keep his son too. . we have enough problems without those two back here." jeremy chaundy

Then you shouldn't have let him stay in the first place. He was able to profit from his crimes in Brazil and his son's mother is Brazilian. I have nothing against the ordinary people of Brazil, but Biggs knew which side his bread was buttered on when he came back the U.K.

[dudeiancan]

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:43 GMT 11:43 UK

Only money brings any real retribution.
Maddof gets 150 years because of the massive fraud yet murderer's, rapists, GBH'ers etc gets 'life' with 'buy-one-get one free' option.
Biggs stays in and I wish along with any family that are unrepentant and remorseless for the ugly crimes their low-level criminal relative has done.

[FawltyPowers]

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:34 GMT 11:34 UK

Let the old fart go. Keeping him locked up is no longer economically viable nor does it serve any purpose other than revenge. He is too old now to get into similar mischief. Or is he?

Donald King

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:32 GMT 11:32 UK

"the legal ystem is messed up and we need to fix it..starting with him!

Adam Stasiak, Darlington"

I'd prefer it if the first thing that was fixed was to give appropriate sentences to those who are now committing violent crimes.

Biggs is neither here nor there in all this. He is a nonentity. He is no threat to me or my family. The violent scum that the justice system recycles back onto the streets in no time at all are a threat. Biggs is only a distraction from the government's ineptness.

[Dave__G], Camborne, United Kingdom

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:29 GMT 11:29 UK

If Ronnie Biggs cannot speak, owing to his stroke, how does Jack Straw know that he is "wholly unrepentant"?

mark despot, london

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:27 GMT 11:27 UK

Ronnie Biggs, he's old an done his time GET HIM OUT NOW !
what problems he going to cause now.
If Straw keeps him locked up till he die's say's a lot about our cocked up justice system,

Chris Bowden, Stockport

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:24 GMT 11:24 UK

"At 79 who is he a threat to? He now lives in the prison of his own body let him out to die elsewhere then the taxpayers dont have to pick up the bill.

Bryant Woodworth"

So if you're old enough, you can commit ANY crime you like, since you're too frail to jail.

You 70-something?

Mark, Exeter, UK

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:23 GMT 11:23 UK

"a theft of £2.6m is chump change these days,

rcd nelson "

Can I have £2.6M?

And it wasn't chump change when it was stolen. A house cost thousands, not hundreds of thousands in those days.

Mark, Exeter

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:20 GMT 11:20 UK

"The sentence didn't match the crime in the first place so let the guy go. He may be infamous now but he was a very small cog apparently.

[KENTISHWRINKLY], United Kingdom

So if he bashed your relative over the skull & stole a fortune, you'd what...give him service in the community, sweeping streets??

William Fletcher"

Biggs didn't bash anyone.

[Dave__G], Camborne, United Kingdom

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:17 GMT 11:17 UK

Too right - he has lived a luxurious life, only returning to Blighty for the free health care he will receive even though he has contributed nothing.

Awwww so he's old - tough - if you can't do the time. don't do the crime. Had he sevred his time he would have been out years ago - so his own fault.

Mark James, Worcester, United Kingdom

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:15 GMT 11:15 UK

No.It is not right.They should have punished when he did the crime.Instead they let him enjoy and boast for his crime in those days.Now he is paying for his deeds after getting older, then why government wants to show to public, if you do crime you should be punished and pay for the crime.I should say these laws are useless.Better check the legal system.

vinod patel

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:14 GMT 11:14 UK

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. He got off scot-free for a long time. Now it is time to pay the piper, sick or not...he owes.

[dazzatrada]

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:12 GMT 11:12 UK

Ronnie Biggs is only still inside because Jack Straw overuled the parole board's decision to free him.

Pure politics, when you consider the pathetic sentences now handed out to murderers, you no, the usual 10 years and out in 3!!

No one is saying Ronnie Biggs shouldn't serve a sentence for his crime of robbery but 30 years??

Gary Bruce, Bampton, United Kingdom

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 09:57 GMT 10:57 UK

Is there really any point, from a justice system perspective, to have an 80-year old banged-up in a prison when there are so many really nasty peope getting off with little or nothing. 10 years for murder, 2 years for an unprovoked stabbing, 2 years probation (and that's a joke in itself) for beating up an OAP and stealing a couple of quid.
Straw, get a life......let him out, he's hardly a threat to anyone, in fact it's nothing to do with keeping the public safe...it's about revenge.

[antolik]

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Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 09:53 GMT 10:53 UK

If the Reports about the state of Bigg's health are true, then he will now be permanently requiring Hospital treatment, so just what is the point of whether or not he is "Imprisioned!" in a Hospital Ward along with further cost to the Tax-Payer in providing Prison Guards and Security in an effort to ensure that Biggs now dying doe's not go over "The Wall" again.

As for Jack "the Lad" Straw, I alway's said you were a plonker, and if this is the best you can do, then your Actions prove it.

[LondonHarris]

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DEBATE STATUS

Total comments:
2189
Published comments:
1993
Rejected comments:
196
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