The Good Morning Breakfast
Justice?─── 14:17 Mon, 01 Sep 2014
It seems that prison isn't the only form of rehabilitation - see how these judges got creative with their sentencing
Strange but true: Weird punishments issued by judges to criminals around the world
Busted: Wayne Bamford pleaded for a fine so he wasn't confined to his home with his mother
Drug-busted builder Wayne Bamford begged magistrates to fine him and not give him a home-curfew... because he couldn't stand listening to his mum's constant gossiping.
Bamford, 28, who'd pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, told Blackpool JP's he'd rather pay up than have to spend his nights home alone with his ma.
“You don't know what it's like living with her,” he whined. She just rattles on all the time, gossiping.”
But, after calling the court clerk a variety of obscene names, Bamford was unable to persuade them to change their punishment... and was given a 28 day, 10pm to 7am curfew and fitted with an electronic tag.
It's not unusual for offender to try and talk their way out of “harsh” punishments, and sometimes they succeed.
But others find themselves facing justice of a most unusual kind...
Bamford, 28, who'd pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, told Blackpool JP's he'd rather pay up than have to spend his nights home alone with his ma.
“You don't know what it's like living with her,” he whined. She just rattles on all the time, gossiping.”
But, after calling the court clerk a variety of obscene names, Bamford was unable to persuade them to change their punishment... and was given a 28 day, 10pm to 7am curfew and fitted with an electronic tag.
It's not unusual for offender to try and talk their way out of “harsh” punishments, and sometimes they succeed.
But others find themselves facing justice of a most unusual kind...
Sex ASBO
When a woman was said to have driven neighbours from their homes by her loud sexual activities, a judge decided to take a direct approach and tackle the problem at its source.
Natalie Gentle, 28, from Plymouth, was given an Asbo preventing her from inviting any men to her home in the evenings, except her brothers and the emergency services.
She was also banned from pole dancing, lap dancing and being drunk in public.
Punishment is a real drag....
Natalie Gentle, 28, from Plymouth, was given an Asbo preventing her from inviting any men to her home in the evenings, except her brothers and the emergency services.
She was also banned from pole dancing, lap dancing and being drunk in public.
Punishment is a real drag....
Dressed to impress: The two men could choose between a fine or an hour in drag
Jason Householder, 23, and John Stockum, 21 ended up in court in Coshocton, Ohio for throwing beer at a woman in her car.
Judge David Hostetler gave them a choice of punishment - 60 days in jail or an hour of walking through the town in dresses, wigs and makeup. They chose the dresses.
The punishment was meant to teach the men to respect women, but it may have just taught them how to walk in heels.
Food for thought
Fast food: Janis Nords was banned from six London postcodes after eat-and-run incidents
A student who racked up thousands of pounds in unpaid restaurant bills in a series of eat-and-run thefts was banned from eating at fancy restaurants for a year.
Janis Nords was given a banning order by a judge preventing him from entering six of London's most expensive postcodes, with a judge telling him: "They are the places that have all the expensive restaurants."
The 27-year-old's total unpaid food bill topped £5,800.
Criminal ring
Text-book: A judge arrested 42 people after a phone went off in a courtroom
When a mobile phone went off in Judge Robert Restaino's courtroom in New York State in 2005 he demanded to know who was responsible. When the offender didn’t step forward to confess, Restaino arrested the entire courtroom.
Forty-six people were thrown in jail. Thirty-two of them posted bail but the rest were handcuffed and bussed to another prison.
Restaino ordered them to be released later that day, but the damage had been done; the judge was relieved of his position.
Slumthing to think about...
Slumming it: A landlord was sentenced to house arrest in one of his dilapidated properties
A dodgy landlord who owned more than 40 run-down properties in Cleveland, Ohio was sentenced to six months’ house arrest... in one of his own slums.
Nicholas Dionisopoulos was also fined $100,000 for numerous building code violations.
He was only allowed to leave the property to fix up his other houses, to attend church or for special family events.
Jason Householder, 23, and John Stockum, 21 ended up in court in Coshocton, Ohio for throwing beer at a woman in her car.
Judge David Hostetler gave them a choice of punishment - 60 days in jail or an hour of walking through the town in dresses, wigs and makeup. They chose the dresses.
The punishment was meant to teach the men to respect women, but it may have just taught them how to walk in heels.
Food for thought
Fast food: Janis Nords was banned from six London postcodes after eat-and-run incidents
A student who racked up thousands of pounds in unpaid restaurant bills in a series of eat-and-run thefts was banned from eating at fancy restaurants for a year.
Janis Nords was given a banning order by a judge preventing him from entering six of London's most expensive postcodes, with a judge telling him: "They are the places that have all the expensive restaurants."
The 27-year-old's total unpaid food bill topped £5,800.
Criminal ring
Text-book: A judge arrested 42 people after a phone went off in a courtroom
When a mobile phone went off in Judge Robert Restaino's courtroom in New York State in 2005 he demanded to know who was responsible. When the offender didn’t step forward to confess, Restaino arrested the entire courtroom.
Forty-six people were thrown in jail. Thirty-two of them posted bail but the rest were handcuffed and bussed to another prison.
Restaino ordered them to be released later that day, but the damage had been done; the judge was relieved of his position.
Slumthing to think about...
Slumming it: A landlord was sentenced to house arrest in one of his dilapidated properties
A dodgy landlord who owned more than 40 run-down properties in Cleveland, Ohio was sentenced to six months’ house arrest... in one of his own slums.
Nicholas Dionisopoulos was also fined $100,000 for numerous building code violations.
He was only allowed to leave the property to fix up his other houses, to attend church or for special family events.
Correctional house of God
Running out of patience with repeat offender Pachino Hill, 29, Judge Christine Dalton sentenced the man to eight weeks of church, along with counselling and probation.
Divine intervention: Continual re-offender Pachino Hill was sentenced to eight-weeks at church
It was holy unhelpful – for within 10 months, Hill, of Davenport, Ohio was in court again for a stabbing and fatal car crime.
Running out of patience with repeat offender Pachino Hill, 29, Judge Christine Dalton sentenced the man to eight weeks of church, along with counselling and probation.
Divine intervention: Continual re-offender Pachino Hill was sentenced to eight-weeks at church
It was holy unhelpful – for within 10 months, Hill, of Davenport, Ohio was in court again for a stabbing and fatal car crime.
Doing porridge... or not
Not horsing around: A judge was deadly serious when he imposed dietary restrictions on Melissa Dawn Sweeney
A woman who neglected her horse so badly it had to be destroyed landed in court in Houston, Texas charged with animal cruelty.
Melissa Dawn Sweeney, 28, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, the first three days with nothing to eat but bread and water — which was “more than her horses got,” according to Judge Mike Peters.
He also ordered that a photo of the malnourished horses was to be posted in her jail cell as a constant reminder of what she had done.
Not horsing around: A judge was deadly serious when he imposed dietary restrictions on Melissa Dawn Sweeney
A woman who neglected her horse so badly it had to be destroyed landed in court in Houston, Texas charged with animal cruelty.
Melissa Dawn Sweeney, 28, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, the first three days with nothing to eat but bread and water — which was “more than her horses got,” according to Judge Mike Peters.
He also ordered that a photo of the malnourished horses was to be posted in her jail cell as a constant reminder of what she had done.
Driven to remember
Jennifer Langston had to keep image of car crash victim in her wallet for five years
Drunk driver Jennifer Langston, 27, caused an accident that killed Glenn Clark and put his pregnant wife in a coma.
Langston, of Butler, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to just 30 days in jail but ordered to carry a photo of Clark so that she could reflect on her actions.
When the picture provided by the victim’s mother turned out to be that of Clark in his coffin, Langston protested... but Judge George Hancher insisted, and she was forced to carry the photo with her for five years.
Jennifer Langston had to keep image of car crash victim in her wallet for five years
Drunk driver Jennifer Langston, 27, caused an accident that killed Glenn Clark and put his pregnant wife in a coma.
Langston, of Butler, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to just 30 days in jail but ordered to carry a photo of Clark so that she could reflect on her actions.
When the picture provided by the victim’s mother turned out to be that of Clark in his coffin, Langston protested... but Judge George Hancher insisted, and she was forced to carry the photo with her for five years.
- Mirror.co.uk
