We Hate the European Union for Their Anti-Death Penalty Position.

Half of Poles support PM’s call to restore death penalty after killing of 8-year-old

May 17, 2023 | Law, Politics, Society

Around half of Poles support the prime minister’s call for the return of the death penalty following the recent death of an eight-year-old boy at the hands of his stepfather, a poll has found. Those in favour of restoring capital punishment marginally outnumber those opposed to it.

The poll by United Surveys on behalf of the Wirtualna Polska news website asked: “Do you agree with the position of Prime Minister [Mateusz] Morawiecki, who said after the death of 8-year-old Kamil that ‘personally I am in favour of restoring the death penalty for the most brutal crimes’?”

It found that 48% agree with him (including 34% who say they strongly agree) while 46% disagree (including 35% who strongly disagree). Among supporters of the United Right (ZP) ruling camp, 76% agreed. Among opposition supporters, the figure was 32% while for undecided voters it was 48%.

Morawiecki has long made clear his support for the death penalty. In January this year, he said that there should be a “rethink” of its “premature” abolition in the 1990s. He admitted that, though a practising Catholic, on this issue he disagrees with the church’s position.

Morawiecki also acknowledged that Poland is committed to maintaining its ban on capital punishment under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

Yet support for the death penalty has remained relatively high in Poland since its abolition in 1998. Between that year and 2004, support was consistently above 70%. That fell to 60% in 2011, the last year that state research agency CBOS conducted polling on capital punishment.

In 2020, an institute attached to the justice ministry conducted a survey of 5,000 members of the public on attitudes to punishment. It found 43% in favour of the death penalty with 41% opposed, reported the Rzeczpospolita daily.

The death this month of eight-year-old Kamil has brought the issue back into the spotlight. He was hospitalised with burns and broken bones allegedly caused by his stepfather’s physical abuse and later died from those injuries. The stepfather and Kamil’s mother have been arrested.

After his death, a minister in Morawiecki’s chancellery, Michał Wójcik, declared that Kamil’s murderer “deserves the death penalty”, with the prime minister himself expressing the same opinion soon after.

Others, however, have argued that the government should instead focus on fixing failings in the system that allowed the abuse of Kamil to continue despite signs that it was taking place. Justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro has promised that those who failed in their duty to intervene will be held to account.

Main image credit: Maciek Skowronek / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Daniel Tilles

Half of Poles support PM's call to restore death penalty after killing of 8-year-old Those in favour of restoring capital punishment marginally outnumber those opposed to it.

Yorkshire's most brutal double murderer dies in prison

Raymond Whittaker has died in prison
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Raymond Whittaker was jailed for killing two people
Raymond Whittaker was jailed for killing two people (Image: Hull Live)

One of East Yorkshire’s most brutal killers has died in prison, reports confirm.

Raymond Whittaker killed two people inside a house on a quiet street in Bridlington just days before Christmas in 1999. The murder was described as a chilling gangland-style killing.

Whittaker, was later jailed for 23 years, meaning he would never see freedom again, aged 36 at the time. While in prison Whittaker had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 16 years ago - a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord. It was confirmed that Whittaker died by a prison ombudsman report published this month reports Hull Live.

Read more: Huddersfield dad's heartbreak at 'precious' daughter's dramatic change after brain tumour

Whittaker's victim Patricia Price, 44, was found lying dead in an upstairs bedroom of her home while Ian Clark, 35, lay slumped downstairs in the living room. Both had been shot in the back of the head in a cold and calculated manner, in the quiet area of Stamford Walk in Bridlington on December 18, 1999, by Raymond Whittaker.

The pair were discovered by Ms Price's partner who returned home after a night out - leaving even senior detectives shocked by the violence of the deaths.
Patricia Price and Ian Clark were shot in the head
Patricia Price and Ian Clark were shot in the head (Image: Hull Live)

Patricia Price's partner had alerted the police and paramedics, who found 44-year-old in an upstairs bedroom and 35-year-old Ian Clark in the ground floor living room. A post-mortem examination revealed they had been shot in the head at point-blank range, possibly more than once.

Ms Price, was known for her connections with drugs, as she grew up in Bridlington. However, Mr Clark, who had been brought up in Wakefield seemed to be less well known. It is understood he had been staying at Ms Price's home.

A local shop owner described how everyone was talking about how such a violent crime could take place in the normally peaceful seaside town. He said: “This is a really nice estate, which makes something like this seem even worse. Nobody deserves anything like this. I think it has shocked people around here.”
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Distress at the time was so great among residents the estate’s Church Army clergyman, Captain Chris McCarthy, invited them to talk over their feelings. Police officers braved the bleak weather to continue their detailed search for a murder weapon and scoured garages, gardens and hedges for clues.

It was reported that Ms Price was seen with two men shortly before she and Mr Clark died. Police launched high profile appeals to find those responsible and finally arrested a man on February 4, 2000, later named as James Chopswood Morrison.

They then made the unusual step of naming a second man, Raymond Whittaker, who escaped at the time of arrest. He was tracked down in London and arrested a few days later. Whittaker, 36 at the time, and Morrison, 42 at the time, both of no fixed address, were charged with the killings.
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Morrison pleaded guilty but Whittaker denied the murders throughout a Sheffield Crown Court trial which took place in 2002. Whittaker was found guilty of the double murder by a jury following the trial. A third man, from Bridlington, was acquitted of aiding and abetting. Whittaker was also sentenced to 20 years in prison after earlier being found guilty of the attempted murder of businessman Trevor Shine, in Surrey - meaning Whittaker would be jailed for at least 23 years and would not be eligible for parole until 2025.

American, Trevor Shine, escaped death when the lead bullets from the duo’s home-made gun failed to pe*****te his brain by just 5mm. Whittaker and Morrison believed Mr Shine had a substantial amount of cash in the house, but the pair fled the scene with just £20 from his wallet and credit cards.

Mr Justice Christopher Holland told them their offences reflected their obsession with guns. He said: “What happened in Bridlington amounted to ex*****ons and ex*****ons for their own sake. It could not have conceivably been seen fit to silence those at Stamford Walk. Robbery was a hazard of their trade.”
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The two killers were branded “pure evil” by the detective who led the murder investigation. Mr Justice Holland told Whittaker: “I have never heard a word of remorse coming from you.”

Detective Superintendent Peter Morriss said Morrison and Whittaker were two supremely callous individuals with a capacity for untold violence who had shown no mercy for their victims. The cold, calculated ex*****ons were two of the most violent crimes he had come across in his 26 years with Humberside Police at that time.

He told the Mail shortly after the trial in 2002: “There was no other intention in the minds of Morrison and Whittaker than to kill Ms Price and Mr Clarke. I believe they had decided long before that they were going to kill whoever was in the house. Once inside, they showed no mercy.
Scene of the double murder in Stamford Walk, Bridlington in December 1999
Scene of the double murder in Stamford Walk, Bridlington in December 1999 (Image: Hull Live)

“The sheer evil of what had taken place was difficult to comprehend. The level of violence was totally disproportionate to the material gains.

“Morrison and Whittaker got £20 and a cash card, yet two people are dead. It makes you wonder what goes on inside the heads of these people.”

Whittaker died in September 2022, three years before he was eligible for parole, reports confirmed in March. Whittaker was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 2006 - meaning the symptoms get gradually worse over time. In June 2008, he was moved to HMP Wakefield.
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By 2012, Whittaker was bedbound and required healthcare staff to carry out all his care. On February 8, 2022, a prison GP referred Mr Whittaker to a neurologist for support with pain caused by nervous system damage due to MS. On March 29, healthcare staff at Wakefield were advised to begin palliative care for Whittaker.

In September 2022 his condition deteriorated when he suffered a chest infection. On September 26, he was given antibiotics and oxygen therapy and began to recover. Due to Whittaker’s palliative status, he was not taken to hospital and on September 27, a nurse noted that Mr Whittaker’s breathing appeared laboured and there were longer pauses between his breaths, indicating that he was approaching the end of his life. He died later that day.

The prison ombudsman carries out an investigation into all prison deaths. While there was nothing controversial around Whittaker’s death, questions were raised as to why releasing him on compassionate grounds was not considered once he was diagnosed with MS.

Assistant ombudsman Louise Richards said: “Mr Whittaker became bedbound, due to his multiple sclerosis, in 2012. We saw no evidence that his eligibility for ERCG was considered at that time.

“We consider this should have been done regardless of whether Mr Whittaker expressed a desire to remain in prison. We are concerned that staff might not have been aware that the early release on compassionate grounds policy covers prisoners who become incapacitated, as well as those with terminal diagnoses.”

Ms Richards recommended the Governor at Wakefield Prison should ensure that staff are aware of the eligibility criteria for early release on compassionate grounds and make applications for early release on compassionate grounds as soon as a prisoner becomes eligible.

Yorkshire's most brutal double murderer dies in prison Raymond Whittaker has died in prison

Germany cannot control crime in their own country, yet want to interfere with others???

NEW RESOURCES: Human Rights and the Death Penalty DPIC has added a series of human rights pages to its website, reframing three aspects of the death penalty – race, conditions of confinement, and ex*****ons – in light of human rights norms and treaties. The conditions of confinement page discusses ongoing practices that vary from the United…

EXCLUSIVE: Child killer who r***d and murdered his seven-year-old niece then sued Government claiming he should be allowed to vote in prison is released after 45 years behind bars
• Peter Chester got a life sentence in 1977 and has had 11 parole bids rejected
By Exclusive By Andy Gardner For Mailonline
Published: 00:34 AEST, 6 April 2023 | Updated: 01:21 AEST, 6 April 2023

Monster who r***d and murdered his seven-year-old niece is released In 1977 Peter Chester r***d and murdered his niece Donna Marie while she slept in her bed. The monster was given life but is now free, having served 45 years and gained parole on his 12th attempt.

Russia hawks exploit blogger’s death to demand ex*****ons and an even harsher crackdown on dissent
By Tim Lister and Josh Pennington, CNN
Published 1:08 PM EDT, Wed April 5, 2023
Vladlen Tatarsky was one of Russia's most outspoken and ultranationalist military bloggers.
Vladlen Tatarsky was one of Russia's most outspoken and ultranationalist military bloggers.
/Telegram/Reuters
CNN —

The killing of Russian military journalist Vladlen Tatarsky has set off angry demands among politicians and commentators in Russia for the return of the death penalty, and for a merciless crackdown on dissent through greater use of terrorism and treason charges.

Tatarsky was killed when an improvised device exploded during an event in St. Petersburg on Sunday. A 26-year old suspect, Daria Trepova, is now in custody in Moscow and charged in connection with his death, under a section of the Russian criminal code that deals with terrorism.

One of Russia’s most popular television hosts, Vladimir Soloviev, said that Trepova “should be shot,” along with her husband, who is living abroad.

“Drag him by his ears back to Russia and put him up against the wall,” Soloviev said on his show.

Soloviev also said that other Russian dissenters living abroad “should be thrown into sacks, brought back to Russia” to “rot in prison” or “be shot.”

On another popular Russian show called “60 Minutes,” one senior regional official, Andrey Gurulev, said he longed for the “days of Stalin…when the enemies of the people would get a pick and an axe and have fun waving it at a [Siberian prison camp].”
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The head of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is from St. Petersburg, visited the café where the explosion occurred on Tuesday and joined the chorus demanding a return of the death penalty.
Tatarsky was killed when an improvised device exploded during an event in St. Petersburg on Sunday.
Tatarsky was killed when an improvised device exploded during an event in St. Petersburg on Sunday.
Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

“There needs to be a return to the death penalty and the toughest measures in relation to those who participate in this kind of internal squabbling,” he said.

The demands from hardliners go beyond the already severe measures taken in Russia to stifle dissent and free expression. Dozens of NGOs and independent media outlets have been declared ‘foreign agents,’ a law that was expanded in December “to a point at which almost any person or entity, regardless of nationality or location, who engages in civic activism or even expresses opinions about Russian policies or officials’ conduct could be designated a foreign agent,” as Human Rights Watch has put it.

Hundreds and likely thousands of civic activists have left the country since the invasion began. Anti-war protests were met with force and mass arrests.
A well-known Russian military blogger, Vladlen Tatarsky, is seen in this undated social media picture obtained by Reuters on April 2, 2023.

Putin's digital footsoldiers: How bloggers became a key cog in Russia's war machine

Another figure prominent in demanding draconian punishment for dissent and opposition is former president and current security council head Dmitry Medvedev.

In November, he recalled how traitors were dealt with during World War II. “The verdict to such scoundrels was the same: ex*****on by firing squad without trial. Right at the scene of the crime… If you are a traitor who committed such a crime… you’ve given up your right to life.”

He suggested that “if necessary, the legal positions of the Constitutional Court of Russia can be changed.”

After the killing of Tatarsky, Medvedev said on Telegram that “terrorism is back on our streets,” and blamed those championed in the west as “fearless knights of justice and anti-corruption,” a not-so-veiled reference to jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny.

“These scoundrels not only openly wish defeat for Russia and the destruction of our homeland, but they are now executing their own compatriots,” he said.
Former president and current security council head Dmitry Medvedev has also been demanding draconian punishment for dissent.
Former president and current security council head Dmitry Medvedev has also been demanding draconian punishment for dissent.
Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

“There is no negotiating with terrorists,” Medvedev continues. “They should be exterminated like rabid dogs… forgiveness and compassion do not apply to them.”

There does appear to be a concerted effort to combine internal and external opponents of Russia as culpable for Tatarsky’s killing.

The official national anti-terrorism committee claimed Monday that the “explosion was planned by the special services of Ukraine with the involvement of agents from among persons collaborating with the so-called Anti-Corruption Foundation Navalny, of which the detained Daria Trepova is an active supporter.”

Ukraine has said little about the explosion, beyond blaming in-fighting in Russia. Navalny’s organization is already categorized as extremist and banned in Russia, and one of its senior figures has denied it was involved in any way in Tatarsky’s killing.
A screengrab of Masha Moskalyova, 12, describing the police search of her home in Russia's Tula region to Activatica, an online portal supporting grassroots activism in the country.

Russian man whose daughter made anti-war painting sentenced to two years in prison

A senior politician with the governing United Russia party picked up the theme, demanding that “stringent measures” must be taken against the informal opposition in Russia.

Andrei Isaev, deputy head of the “United Russia” faction in the Duma, said such opposition was “despite being relatively ideological, progressively turning into a gang of murders and terrorists during the war.”

“There need to be stringent measures taken in relation to this gang of spies, murderers and terrorists,” he said. “This is treason. All these people related to such organizations, should be prosecuted a traitors. This is a matter of honor to detain the heads of these organizations no matter where they are.”
The head of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, joined the chorus demanding a return of the death penalty.
The head of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, joined the chorus demanding a return of the death penalty.
Getty Images

The charge of high treason in Russia was broadened in 2012 to include consultations or any other assistance to a foreign state or international or foreign organizations. It is already being used against opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Already detained on other charges, he was accused of high treason in October last year. His lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov, said the high treason charges related to Kara-Murza’s public criticism of the Russian authorities in international forums.

Currently, according to Article 59 of the Russian Criminal Code, the death penalty may only “be imposed for especially grave crimes affecting life. The death penalty may not be imposed on women, persons under the age of 18, and men who have reached the age of 65 at the moment of sentencing.”

The last person to be executed in Russia was a convicted serial killer in 1996.

Russia hawks exploit blogger's death to demand ex*****ons and an even harsher crackdown on dissent | CNN The killing of Russian military journalist Vladlen Tatarsky has set off angry demands among politicians and commentators in Russia for the return of the death penalty, and for a merciless crackdown on dissent through greater use of terrorism and treason charges.

‘Dead Man Walking’ author issues a call to action to Ohio’s faith leaders to end the death penalty

‘Dead Man Walking’ author issues a call to action to Ohio’s faith leaders to end the death penalty SIster Helen Prejean, author of the 1993 book "Dead Man Walking," and internationally known activist to end state ex*****ons, issued a call to action for Ohio's faith leaders to take the lead to end capital punishment.

Belarusian Lawmakers Approve Bill On Death Penalty For High Treason
Belarus's House of Representatives approved the second and final reading of the bill on February 21. (file photo)
Belarus's House of Representatives approved the second and final reading of the bill on February 21. (file photo)

The Belarusian parliament's lower chamber, the House of Representatives, approved the second and final reading of a bill on February 21 that envisages the death penalty for high treason for civil servants and members of the military. The bill must still be approved by the parliament's upper chamber, the Council of the Republic, before authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka signs it into law. Belarus is the only country in Europe that practices capital punishment. Since Lukashenka came to power in 1994, more than 400 ex*****ons have been carried out in the country. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.

Belarusian Lawmakers Approve Bill On Death Penalty For High Treason The Belarusian parliament's lower chamber has approved the second and final reading of a bill that envisages the death penalty for high treason for civil servants and members of the military.

Phillip Austin: Victim's mum fears triple murderer will kill again

Published

3 days ago

Phillip AustinImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Phillip Austin was found and arrested in Cumbria, sitting in a car after apparently slitting his wrists

A woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband before he went on to kill their two children said she feared he would kill again if he was released.

Phillip Austin was jailed for life in 2001 after killing his wife Claire, 31, and their children, Keiren, eight, and Jade, seven, at their Northampton home.

A Parole Board hearing on 27 February will consider moving Austin, now 54, to an open prison.

A spokesman for the board said protecting the public was its priority.

Claire Austin's mother, Carol Quinn, said she hoped Austin would be "kept in".

Austin was jailed at Northampton Crown Court and told he must serve a minimum of 20 years in jail before being considered for release.
Jade and Keiren AustinImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Jade and Keiren were found dead with their mother at their home on Stockmead Road in July 2000

The body of Mrs Austin, who had been beaten, stabbed repeatedly, and strangled, was discovered in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor by her mother and stepfather in July 2000.

Upstairs, the grandparents found Keiren and Jade strangled in their beds. The family's two pet poodles, Dandy and Sooty, were also killed.

When it first emerged Austin - who was handed three life sentences - was due for parole, Mrs Austin's mother Carol Quinn started a petition calling for multiple murderers never to be released from jail.

Austin first became eligible for release in July 2020. At a hearing in April 2021, the Parole Board decided he was not suitable to be freed, but recommended he could be moved to an open prison.

The secretary of state for justice agreed with the family that he should not be moved from a secure prison, and the Parole Board is reviewing Austin's case again two years later.
Claire AustinImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Claire Austin had been beaten, stabbed repeatedly, and strangled

Mrs Quinn said: "He was given three life sentences to be served concurrently, which equate to one life sentence.

"Life sentence - it's a joke. He will do it again, that's what I'm afraid of.

"It's not fair on the general public.

"We just hope and pray that he will be kept in."

A Parole Board spokesman said: "Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

Phillip Austin: Victim's mum fears triple murderer will kill again A parole hearing is due to take place for a man who killed his wife and their two children in 2000.

Murderer Russell Causley released 'from HMP Bristol' after serving life sentence

His victim's daughter previously said she was “disappointed” by the decision to free him again
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Russell Causley was jailed for life for the murder of his wife Carole Packman (Family handout/PA)
Russell Causley was jailed for life for the murder of his wife Carole Packman (Image: PA)

A murderer who has never revealed where he hid his wife’s body has been freed from jail. It is understood Russell Causley left HMP Bristol yesterday morning, where he had been transferred after previously being held at HMP Lewes in East Sussex.

He was handed a life sentence for killing Carole Packman, who disappeared in 1985, a year after he moved his lover into the family home in Bournemouth. He made UK legal history last year when he became the first prisoner to face a public parole hearing.

Causley was released in 2020 after serving more than 23 years behind bars for the murder but was sent back to jail the following year when he breached his licence conditions. The Parole Board ruled last month that he was suitable to be released from prison again.

Read more:Brianna G**y candlelight vigil held in Bristol after fatal stabbing

Yesterday (Wednesday), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed this had taken place. In January, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab – who described Causley as a “calculated killer” who “callously prolonged the suffering” of Ms Packman’s loved ones by “refusing to reveal the whereabouts of her body” – considered appealing against the decision to release him.

But the MoJ later confirmed the Government would not challenge the ruling because there were no legal grounds to do so. Parole Board decisions to release prisoners can only be challenged if there is an error of law or if there is evidence the process has been followed incorrectly – the same threshold as for judicial reviews.
Carol Packman disappeared in the summer of 1985
Carol Packman disappeared in the summer of 1985 (Image: PA)

Causley and Ms Packman’s daughter Samantha Gillingham, from Northamptonshire, previously told the PA news agency she was “disappointed” by the decision to free him again and branded the parole process a “tick-box exercise”, adding: “There’s nothing that I can do about it… We still don’t know where my mother is.”

She still hopes to meet her father, after decades of asking to confront him about her mother’s disappearance. The Parole Board said reviews are carried out “thoroughly and with extreme care” and protecting the public was the “number one priority”.

Killer who never told where he hid wife's body is freed from prison His victim's daughter previously said she was “disappointed” by the decision to free him again

Stephen Daisley
A modest proposal for the death penalty

11 February 2023, 8:00am

Old Newgate Scaffold, c. 1900 (photo: Getty)

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Lee Anderson has changed my mind. I’ve always been an opponent of capital punishment but the Tory deputy chairman makes an irrefutable point: ‘Nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed.’ I could make a number of objections. I could say the death penalty violates the sanctity of human life. I could say it is vulnerable to wrongful conviction and ex*****on. I could say handing power over life and death to a state that locked us in our homes for two years and forced old and sick people to die alone is remarkably trusting, to say nothing of forgiving.

Instead of saying any of that, I’ll say this: fine, let’s bring back the death penalty. Sure, it would be incompatible with our obligations under Protocol 13 of the ECHR and with continued membership of the Council of Europe, but I doubt Anderson would greet withdrawal from either with particular horror. Once we’ve done that, we can pass a capital murder statute defining the circumstances under which the law permits or requires the death sentence and any aggravating and mitigating factors.

As to the method, I say we keep it traditional. Lethal drugs can be difficult and costly to obtain for intravenous injection. Ex*****on by gas, whether hydrogen cyanide or nitrogen, carries risks to those administering the sentence. Shooting is a soldier’s death, not a criminal’s. Electrocution? At current energy prices? We’re not made of money, you know. No, a stout length of h**p will do.
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Julie Burchill
Why I’m glad to see the back of Nicola Sturgeon

This brings us to the question of who will carry out the hangings. There’s probably still a few Pierrepoints kicking around and maybe one can be convinced to return to the family trade. Of course, in these more enlightened times, we understand more fully the psychological toll of an ex*****on on the ex*****oner. The state has a duty of care to its staff and it cannot risk the harm a steady diet of ex*****ons might do to a man. Plus, a designated ex*****oner would be the target of endless legal action and other harassment from anti-hanging activists seeking to disrupt ex*****ons.

Which is where my modest proposal comes in. Yes, you can have the death penalty back but on one condition: instead of a lead ex*****oner, hangings will be carried out by randomly selected members of the public. Ex*****oners would be drawn in the same way that jury members are today. Those with severe incapacities — i.e. people unable to pull the lever or to understand the moral consequences of doing so — would be excused, but every other adult would be liable to a summons for ex*****on duty.

Technicians would be on hand to prepare the prisoner. The citizen ex*****oner would be required only to activate the lever that springs open the trap door, sending the condemned into oblivion. The ex*****oner would, however, see the prisoner’s face before the hood was placed over it and be witness to any last words. Ex*****on service would be mandatory. Your GP couldn’t write a note to get you out of it. Fail to turn up or refuse to pull the lever and it’s a criminal offence carrying a mandatory custodial term of ten years. Like jury service, travel expenses would be covered and, also like jury service, you might be called up more than once.

Now, there are those who like to say, ‘I’d pull the lever myself’, and they might relish ex*****on service as a jolly treat. But they wouldn’t get to pick and choose. They might turn up at the appointed prison only to learn they’re hanging that woman who was in the news for stabbing her husband in his sleep, the one who battered and brutalised her every day for years and threatened to kill the kids if she tried to leave. Or they might get the father who’s been all over the papers for taking a baseball bat to the ringleader of the grooming gang that got its hands on his little girl. She was still in primary school, wasn’t she?

Or maybe they’ll be staring through the noose at that armed police officer who shot and killed a drug dealer during a raid. He said he saw a gun but they never found one. Plus, he put a whole magazine into the guy. But with those old tweets the BBC found, and the local MP organising marches, and the new DPP having one eye on a political career, the poor chap was bound to swing for it.

Those would be exceptional cases, you might say. We need to bring back the rope for monsters like Peter Sutcliffe, Ian Huntley and Rose West. The ones that confess; the ones convicted on forensic evidence; the ones identified by CCTV. Stefan Kiszko confessed; Judith Ward was convicted on forensic evidence; William Mills was identified by CCTV. Which is why, if you want the death penalty back, you should have no hesitation in supporting my ex*****on service proposal. If you have sufficient confidence in the criminal justice system to allow the imposition of the irrevocable sentence, you should have no trouble in carrying it out with your own two hands.

Only the guilty and the truly heinous are ever going to hang, so you wouldn’t have to worry that the bloke you dispatched to the next life might turn out to have been a Timothy Evans rather than a John Christie. This works, too, for utilitarian arguments about there being value in the noose overall, even if a few innocent men go to their deaths. It’s a reasonable point, and ex*****on service gives you the chance to make it right there in the death chamber, not just down the pub or on Twitter or in an interview with The Spectator.

So let’s bring back the death penalty and let’s all of us have skin in the game. If you think that lever needs pulled, pull it yourself.
Stephen Daisley
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Stephen Daisley
Stephen Daisley is a Spectator regular and a columnist for the Scottish Daily Mail

A modest proposal for the death penalty Lee Anderson has changed my mind. I’ve always been an opponent of capital punishment but the Tory deputy chairman makes an irrefutable point: ‘Nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed.’ I could make a number of objections. I could say the death penalty violates the sanctity...