Amateur Brain Surgery

It wasn’t until 1999 that the death penalty in the UK was finally fully abolished. The last time the death sentence was passed was in November 1965 on Dave Chapman who was subsequently reprieved and his sentence commuted to life in prison. Later that same month the Murder Act was passed, effectively abolishing the death penalty. However, it remained available for treason and piracy until 1998 but was never used.

Sources close to the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, have disclosed that the death penalty is currently being seriously discussed and considered as a possible deterrent for the violent crime that appears to be on the increase. Supporters say that the death penalty might best be used in cases of mindless violence and murder and would serve to assuage the grief experienced by the families of victims. They argue that the death sentence should only ever be used in cases where there is overwhelming evidence to support a conviction and there is a clear need for a powerful deterring message to be sent to others who may consider similar acts of violence.

We are only 4 weeks into 2008 and already there have been several stories of mindless violence leading to death and serious injury throughout the British isles. Typically these incidents involve young people in groups or gangs, booze or drugs (or both) and some minor incident that results in a cowardly attack upon an individual carried out by a group or gang of youths.

The murder of Gary Newlove outside his home in Warrington is just one tragic example of such a crime. Beaten and kicked to death in front of his daughter outside his home by 16-year-old Jordan Cunliffe, 17-year-old Stephen Sorton and 19-year-old Adam Swellings, along with other teenagers who were acquitted of the crime. The Newlove family are understandably devastated by this act of extreme cowardice and mindless thuggery. Swellings was on bail at the time, one of the conditions of his bail being that he should keep out of Warrington. Instead he teamed up with a gang of friends to drink and cause disturbance to local residents who had been suffering, due to the anti-social behaviour of these youths, for some time. Swellings was instrumental in initiating the attack upon Gary Newlove and in encouraging others to kick and stamp on Mr Newlove leading to him suffering brain damage which put him in a coma for 2 days before he died.

This case is a good example of where the death penalty may be effectively employed as a deterrent. Swellings should be put to death as an example and the process should be heavily publicised in order that every young, cowardly thug knows what will happen to them if they get drunk and go too far.

Personally, I have never been a supporter of the death sentence due to the possibility of getting it wrong and killing the wrong person. However, the apparent increase in violent incidents in which the perpetrators go too far, leading to death and serious injury, suggests that a strong and clear message is required in response. I think that hanging Adam Swellings and then presenting his body from a gibbet in a prominent location would deliver that message. Many would consider this practice to be barbaric and inhumane but the removal of this individual from society would ensure that he could never commit any further crimes and by publicising his execution others would be deterred from engaging in acts of violence.