Quote:
Originally Posted by mr ploppy
Not so long ago people were getting jail sentences for stealing 50p bottles of water.
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... while engaged in a riot. It was the riot that was the cause of the jail sentences (as I think you are well aware, if you're honest about it
).
Quote:
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Meanwhile, even the MPs who actually did got prosecuted for fiddling thousands on their expenses walked free.
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Not quite sure where you've got your information from, but every one of the MPs who were prosecuted for false accounting were imprisoned. From the
Wiki article on the subject:
Quote:
Criminal charges
See also: R v Chaytor
Keir Starmer, Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales announced on 5 February 2010 that three Labour MPs, Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine, and Conservative peer Lord Hanningfield would face criminal charges of false accounting (s. 17, Theft Act 1968) in relation to their expense claims. He said that the Crown Prosecution Service had concluded that "there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges and that it is in the public interest to charge the individuals concerned".[134][135] All four denied wrongdoing and said they would fight the charges. A joint statement from Morley, Chaytor and Devine said "we totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence and we will defend our position robustly", while Hanningfield said "all the claims I have ever made were made in good faith".[153][175]
David Chaytor
David Chaytor appealed along with Jim Devine and Elliot Morley to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom that his actions were protected by parliamentary privilege. The Supreme Court ruled against them and he subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of false accounting, and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.[176]
Eric Illsley
Eric Illsley pleaded guilty to charges of false accounting and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 12 months imprisonment.[177]
Elliot Morley
Elliot Morley admitted two charges of dishonesty and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 20 May 2011 to 16 months imprisonment.[178]
Jim Devine
Jim Devine pleaded not guilty and was found guilty on two counts but cleared of a third (relating to £360) on 10 February 2011.[179] On 31 March 2011 he was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment[180].
Lord Taylor of Warwick
Lord Taylor of Warwick pleaded not guilty to six charges of false accounting, but was convicted at Southwark Crown Court on 25 January 2011.[181] On 31 May 2011 he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
Paul White, Baron Hanningfield
Lord Hanningfield pleaded not guilty to six charges of false accounting, but was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court on 26 May 2011.[182]
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