Archives for July 2008
Soft Justice
There's growing concern that offenders in England and Wales are getting away with serious crimes because police are issuing too many on the spot fines and cautions rather than bringing them to court.
Our reporter Sarah Sturdey investigated 'soft justice', you can read her blog post below.
It's always difficult as a journalist to get a story on air and to get a response from the appropriate authorities without hard facts and statisitcs.
Working in the field what happens on the ground wont become a Home Office statistic for another 18 months. But it was evident when looking into the issue of 'soft justice' that anecdotally there is a serious issue of public interest happening across England and Wales.
Most startling was the fact that defence solicitors were prepared to say their clients were 'getting away with it'. It was feeling held beyond more than a handful.
The same applied to sources saying the courts are 'very quiet', but Clerks to Justices, as civil servants, did not want to respond to a survey to get a substantive picture of whether there has been a drop in the numbers of offenders going to court this year and the Ministry of Justice didn't feel it 'appropriate' to send it out on our behalf.
But this was a story which seemed of such public interest I felt there was enough anecotal evidence and enough representative bodies validating the concern, along with other credible statisitcs from various sources to run with.
The very nature of the story showed that there is scepticism over many of the crime related figures which are given out. Given the response from the public to 'soft justice for serious crime' it has been worthwhile providing a platform for a wider debate about the state of our criminal justice system and whether it is really serving the people it's primary meant for, the victims and the general public at large.
Let the debate begin..................
On the show this morning we heard from Cindy Barnett, the chairman of the Magistrates Association and Steve Wakefield this morning. Steve wrote to his Chief Constable in the West Country after an incident involving his son, where a motorist received a caution for threatening him with a knife. Steve and Cindy spoke to Richard and Shelagh and you can hear the interview below.
Richard also spoke to Digby Johnson, a criminal defence solicitor in Nottingham, about the serious consequences of a soft justice approach and Ian Johnstone, the President of the Police Superintendents Association who says out of court punishments still have their place, but may be given too frequently. You can listen to the interviews below.
Driving off without paying
We've been investigating the growing problem of motorists who fill up their tanks and drive off without paying. 5 Live's reporter Rowan Bridge has been to Bristol to speak to those affected. Read his report below
Jason in Fife says "In Florida you have to pre-pay for your fuel. It was really simple so I dont see why it cant be done here too"
Putting the boot in...
This morning, Rachel Burden presented live from Loft Hall Farm in Orsett in Essex - where a car boot sale was in full swing.
ADHD - always controversial
We discussed the condition ADHD on the programme this morning. It always proves controversial
My son had all the 'symptoms' of ADHD. I called it mischievous or naughty-dealt with it - not easy esp as am lone parent of two sons, but no drugs and no codswallop! Ill? Nope. Not enough parental discipline! Jude
Adhd has not been proved to be a genetic disorder. Psychiatrists continue to encourage medication of these collections of behaviours and brain wash the p ublic into believing it is in the child s best interest. It is not bad behaviour it is a complex reaction to their environment. Liz , psychologist, devon
Ritolin is prescribed as a panacea for badly behaved children- adhd is down to poor behaviour-ian-secondary school teacher-birmingham
The pressure from parents and teachers to give a tab to solve doing anything is huge. It's not the doctors i spend all my time trying 2 persuade parents not 2 drug their children. Its used 2 pass the 11+ in our area! Helen
The things people do!
We ended up talking about what you did at the weekend this morning.
It all started cos Matt Williams' mum was working at Royal Birkdale at the weekend - and a couple of my brothers were there too.
We heard the unusual - and the mundane
This weekend I went camping with my husband 2 children & brother& sister-in-law @ Clent Hills We rode the Cliff Railway @ Bridgenorth A relaxing time despite the children waking @ 5am! Liz, Northants
Weekend activities? Nordic Walked 100km across South Downs in 23 hrs 1 min with 2000 fellow adventurers, and raised +6k for the gurkha welfare trust and oxfam! Helen in amersham
Drove from epping essex to chesterfield to play golf in a very friendly golf society played a blinder and won the day! Jay in epping
I took my airdedale terrier to be clipped, cost me 30 quid, could buy a set of clipping tools for that, not sure if he'd turn out like a poodle but it'd make the weekend more interesting :-) graham from burnham
Auf wiedersehen, Osnabruck...
After more than 60 years the British Army is finally closing its base in Osnabruck, north Germany.
There are 15,000 families living on the site as well as barracks housing 1,000 single soldiers.
The official exit date for British Troops is Saturday the 19th July. We'll be talking about this on Saturday's breakfast show with Phil Williams and Rachel Burden and we'd like to hear from you if you've ever spent time on the base in Osnabruck.
The best TV or film robot ever?
.... we'll be talking about this at about 06.50 on Friday morning. Which is your favourite?
(and can you name the three above?)
Favourite on screen robot - Bumblebee from the Transformers movie. Or Kryton from Red Dwarf, if you're talking all television. Very very funny! Andy.
My favorite film robots are Huwie, Dewie and Louie from the 70's film Silent Running. To me they set the format for the likes of R2D2 Wall-e etc. Ed in Aylesbury
My favorite screen robots are Hewey, Dewey & Louis from the fabulous film Silent Running. The only human in the film is Bruce Dern & the robots steal theshow. Not a dry eye in the house. Pete Timney.
My favourite robot - maximillian from the black hole. He was dark and sinister, r2d2's polar opposite! Tony in leatherhead.
ORAC from blake's seven is my fave. . . In the late seventies, a transparent box with flickering lights felt like the future. I wish he cld meet my ipod. Nick
Sport at dawn
Golfers at Royal Birkdale will start tee-ing off at 06.28 this morning....
Now, for the early risers amongst us, it's nice to see others getting up for work bright and early....but is it the earliest start of a world class sporting event?
Sport starting early? Travelling to any Sunderland away fixture in London! Mike, Sunderland
Hi sheilla Ironman events start at 530 am normally because they are a minmum 12 hours long and a max of 17 hours alan . Croydon
Early start - Rallying from Rose in Carmarthen
It's a wet start to the day for our team of Mark Pougatch, Mark Roe and Vassos Alexander
In a flap over a bat...
We spoke to Steve Thorpe about raising a baby bat at home. He sent us these pix.
Listen to the interview with Steve. You'll hear from his bat Boris too.
Your life in a cliche
Paula Radcliffe says that she faces a "race against time" to make the Olympics because of injury.
Of course, a race against time just about sums up her job. Which cliche sums up your life.
Helen "Travel" Blaby says hers is "the road to nowhere".
Mine and Richard's could be "talk is cheap"
We've heard plenty of others
Chris, High Wycombe: window cleaner "no gain without pane"
Roger from Merthyr Tydfil. Im a postman and it beats walking the streets.
i'm a midwife. i've had a busy day at the orifice. val. london
I'm a retired dentist but am definitly not down in the mouth. Shay.
What did you learn at the weekend?
Richard Bacon told us this morning he learnt at the weekend how to shear a sheep, while in Perthshire.
Which led us to ask what you learned at the weekend?
I learnt that a bowl of conkers in a room keeps spiders away. Pam in Portsmouth
I have learnt that I dont get excited when my girlfriends mother comes to visit for 3 days (today) john in chester
I did the 26 mile london bikeathon and learnt that padded shorts are a must. i was also overtaken uphill by a rider with a prosthetic leg and learnt the challenges we set ourselves are nothing compared to others. Tony on the a3 near guildford .
I learned that telling a girl that she looks like Claire Grogan can get you a date. Muzz
I learned this weekend that when you're sat in the sunshine, watching a local rugby match, with a beer in your hand & a beautiful ex rugby-playing, kick- boxing fashion model cuddling into your side, who is totally devoted to you - even a 39yr old with 3 previous failed marriages can realise that it's neve r too late to find true love for the 1st time!
Happiest minute (or 2) of your life?
Kevin Pietersen said his standing ovation at Lord's was the happiest two minutes of his life.
Lots of people are telling us theirs
Best 2 mins meeting the daughter I gave up for adoption in 1971 & finding that I have 3 grandchildren BJ in Wolves
Happiest moment of my life meeting brian wilson at the royal albert hall in 2002 robert cambs
I am hoping that one of my happiest moments will be at 9.00 this morning when my daughter comes back from her driving test-please cross everything for he r. Love your programme. Lynn in sunny newbury
Happiest moment? 28 march 1988 845 am i stubbed out my last ciggie! 20 yrs later i am healthy wealthier and wiser! Helen Norfolk
M.E. - the facts
The programme has been contacted by the charity Action for M.E.
It was after a discussion on the progamme about the illnesses suffered by troops in the Iraq war.
At one point a guest referred to M.E. as "a form of depression".
The charity's chief executive, Sir Peter Spencer, wrote to us to say that the comment "shows a profound level of ignorance about this chronic, debilitating illness which affects 250,000 people in the UK. It is most definitely not a form of depression. It is formally recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a neurological illness in which the immune system appears to be disabled following a viral infection or some other precipitating event.".
Find out more information about M.E:
Are you a flirt?
Anne Widdicome is quoted in the papers this morning saying no-one has flirted with her in 10 years.
Which got us wondering when we'd ever flirted with anyone famous.
MATT WILLIAMS Flirted with Jennifer Lopez when he was on Radio 1. He asked her what her plans were for tonight - which got a very frosty reception.
RICHARD BACON claimed he asked Britney Spears to marry him when he interviewed her after the break-up with Justin Timberlake. She said yes - and then even both signed a contract - but her minder ripped it up. "I think I'm better off out of it".
HELEN BLABY's famous flirt was with Lenny Henry
Mine was tennis star Goran Ivanisevic - which completely bombed.
The smell of the greasepaint - the roar of the crowd!
There's a bit of a row in the studio this morning about musicals. Do you love em or hate em? We're told they are more popular than ever - but opinion in the 5live studio is split.
Richard said "I often think I hate musicals but I see them and I like it"
Matt said "can't stand em" .
Dominic - who's doing the Money News today "It's just not normal what they do on stage"
Welcome Richard!
Richard Bacon is with us on Breakfast for a few weeks - as Nicky takes his holidays. He bought me a stale muffin this morning - so we got off to a good start. I didn't waste it.
Badgers - no cull?
It seems there won't be a cull of badgers in England - despite farmers being worried they spread TB to cattle. Is that the right decision?
Hi 5live In 2003 i lost 106 of my pedigree cows with TB! Just prior to me loosing my cows, i found NUMEROUS dead&dying badgers on my farm! I have so much evidence that the sick badgers were passing on this disease to my cows! Also from an animal loving person,it is distressing watching how hard a death a badger has, when its infected. We MUST cull badgers in TB 'Hotspots'! Both to save MY cows, &to protect the healthy badger population! Andy near Belfast
The decision on the badger cull blows Gordon's boast about taking tough decisions out of the water. New Labour, No Guts! Roy(BEDS).
The Golden look?
We heard this morning how Britain's athletes are getting their kit for the Beijing Games. Their blazers, trousers, camcorders and sunglasses have been handed out....read more here.
Jay-Z, Noel and Breakfast
An interview Noel Gallagher gave to 5live Breakfast had a huge influence on the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday night. He'd told us that Jay-Z shouldn't be headlining the festival - and that became an argument that raged across the media - until Jay-Z took to the stage and sang Wonderwall!
You can click here to see the video that was played before Jay-Z took to the stage - replaying bit of our interview. Beware - there is some very strong language
Matt does a Murray
Matt's at Centre Court - and has tried to re-enact Andy Murray's tie-break leap!
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