Weeping criminal spared jail sentence
A man who was spared a prison sentence because he cried in the dock has admitted that he was weeping for himself and not his victim.
Daniel Hardman, 21, broke down in court after he was sentenced to six months in prison for attacking a pub landlord.
Judge Denis Clark at Liverpool Crown Court called him back and suspended the sentence after seeing his remorse.
Hardman, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, told the BBC that he did not deserve to be in prison.
He will now serve 200 hours community service for pushing a glass in the face of licensee Christopher Glover at the Wheatsheaf pub in Leigh last September.
He caused a gash to the 35-year-old's lip which had to be glued shut. The attack was witnessed by Mr Glover's children.
Hardman also admitted witness intimidation - threatening the victim about the impending court case.
Mr Glover said the judge's decision was ridiculous.
Hardman told BBC Radio Five Live he was crying for himself because he did not want to go to prison.
Asked if he was upset about his victim, he replied: "No, I was just more bothered about going to prison."
Asked how he would answer critics who said it was a soft sentence, he said: "I don't deserve to be in prison. At least I don't think so, not with what people get away with nowadays."
Mr Glover said the judge had "given a green light" for people to attack landlords.
He added: "My job is hard enough as it is without people thinking they can attack me and then get away with it by turning on the waterworks in court.
"A lot of people would have given him a hiding, but I can't do that because I would lose my job, whether I cried or not.
"I did things by the book, and he's totally got away with it. That's British justice for you."
Judge Clark said he had seen "genuine regret and remorse" in Hardman.
Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/5153600.stm
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Originally Posted by psxgalaxy
its just going down the pan, for fucks sake. is there anybody out there who can turn it around?make this place a safe place to live in and our young ones to grow up in.
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