THUGS DESTROYED MY LIFE IN A FEW HOURS
SAVE OUR STREETS - MANCHESTER
Mum tells how yob who crippled son got just 30 months in jail
A DEVASTATED mum horrified an audience as she described how thugs left her 17-year-old son brain-damaged and helpless in a wheelchair.
Mother-of-four Sharon Hughes recalled how her boy, Kile, went out of the door that night with his sister, his girlfriend and a pal.
"A few hours later my life was destroyed," said Sharon. "He will never overcome his disability caused by such a needless attack.
"No-one should ever have to feel and see anything like this happen to someone they love."
Sharon, who feels let down by the justice system, made an impassioned plea to the packed hall at the News of the World's latest Save Our Streets Roadshow in Manchester this week.
She stormed: "Violent crime - by knives, guns or any weapon including fists and feet - cannot be judged lightly. The punishment should fit the crime."
Kile, who hoped to join the Army, was attacked by seven thugs outside a pub. One hit him over the head with a snooker cue and another kicked him in the head.
After brain surgery and more than six weeks in intensive care, he was transferred to a care home where he has been living for a year.
Furious Sharon told more than 150 people packed into Moss Side's community centre how the lenient sentences given to Kile's attackers left her family "sickened".
One was jailed for just 30 months for wounding with intent. Another got a 12-month community order for actual bodily harm.
Sharon said: "It was a violent crime and their sentence wasn't enough. We're serving it - we are victims as well. Why is the law so lenient?"
Another grieving mum, Jean Taylor, was applauded as she demanded: "For first degree murder, life must mean life."
Jean's daughter Chantel, 28, was murdered with a meat cleaver by Steven Wynne and her body dismembered with a saw. She was only able to bury tiny fragments of bone from her daughter's body.
Yet Jean, 59, was devastated to learn Wynne's 21-year sentence had been reduced to 18 years on appeal. She said: "Life should mean life. What kind of society is this when respect for human life has been lost?"
Yet another sad mum Christine Jones told how a "wall of silence" stopped her 18-year-old son Andrew's killer being brought to justice.
The lad was punched to the ground on a night out in Liverpool by a group of men.
Christine, 47, said: "We haven't got any justice because of a wall of silence. Getting away with murder used to be just a saying. Now it's reality."
Former Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross chaired the Roadshow, with a panel which included former archbishop Lord Carey, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling.
Mr Grayling roused outrage in the audience when he refused to apologise for comparing Moss Side to US city of Baltimore in TV programme The Wire.
He claimed his remarks were taken out of context, pledging to revisit the area and meet its community groups.
Also on the panel was Helen Newlove, whose husband Garry was beaten to death by drunken yobs.
She insisted more needs to be done to curb anti-social behaviour fuelled by alcohol.
Helen said: "On TV we make alcohol out to be a pleasant drug use. It isn't. My husband is a result of what happens.
"We have kids of 10 drinking whisky and vodka but we don't do anything to tackle it."
SAVE OUR STREET BATTLE BUS
The News of the World's Save Our Streets Roadshow has now visited 18 communities across the country as part of our ground breaking Save Our Streets campaign.
At every debate our distinctive Save Our Streets van - which carries our specialist audio visual equipment and signage - has been parked outside the venue to signal where people need to meet.
Our thanks to Renault for the use of their van.
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This article has 13 comments
Children have been told by the system that thier parents are responsable for thier actions & not themselves (bad move).
When you are a teenager you automatically (in most cases) rebel against what you know & what you are told, which mainly comes from your parents & your shcool teachers. So when you behave badly & very little is done to you by the authorities, but your parents (the enemy, who try to stop you growing up) are fined, blamed or punished in some way, then its a win-win for the teenager, so they continue with those sort of actions.
When i was younger we were held rsponsible for our own actions, & the punishment was directed at us. That way we learnt reasponsibility & the differance between right & wrong.
Ithink the system has got it wrong when it says that all kids are inocent & that it is the parents at fault. In my opinion it starts in the playground when the bully is aloud to dominate the other kids & turn them into its gang members over time as it seems they have no choice but to join, because they get no protection or support from school staff (neither do the parents of the bullied). Ithink this may be because the school can't admit that it has problems with bullying because it will affect its funding in some way.
When you add the heady mix of hip hop culture, drink & drugs to the mix, we are in a right mess arn't we. All the system wants to do is fine everyone so they can make money out of the problem.
By Jim.. Posted February 9 2010 at 7:34 PM.
There will be trouble. Vigilantes are going to take back the streets. Those who are not brought to justice will die through civil justice. Those in ivory towers know it's a matter of time. My parents took us to Australia nearly 40 years ago. I am so glad they did. Sure the justice system sucks here too, & we're up in arms about it. The vast majority of shooters & bashers are not even Australian, and they don't get adequate sentences. many are pretend refugees, who have no inention of working when they can get the dole. I pray to God that Australia changes its justice system before it ends up like the UK. I wanted to go back, but my mum who goes regular to see my aunt, said "Don't Dawn, it'll break your heart, it's not England any more".
Enough said, sadly.
By Dawn Mather.. Posted November 1 2009 at 4:00 AM.
P.S. Alcohol is the most evil drug available. But they wont ban it because it brings in millions in taxes and is a core component of economic growth and sustainment. THAT is the attitude we have to beat. ALCOHO,THE MONEY ISN'T IMPORTANT...THE LIVES IT DESTROYS ARE!
By Dawn Mather.. Posted November 1 2009 at 4:03 AM.
Andrew... you cannot blame this on schools and kids leaving being ill educated. Thats a moronic statement. These people have no morals and no sense of responsiblilty... why?? because thier parents dont and dont care. Stop blaming the schools blame the real cause.. the parents. Its about time the parents were made responsible for damage and compensation for damage done by minors. Maybe we would see a change. Also let the punishment fit the crime there is no deterant to crimes. 18 years out after 7 with good behavior... then supported by the state as they cant get a job...
It all started in the 1970's whne i was at high school when the excuse always used was... aww they are from a broken home.. these kids became the parents and the grandparents of the vile youth of today... No discipline then no discipline now.
I used to live in manchester I now live in the USA. I am so glad to be away from the UK. I have visted only once in 10 years... what a glum depressing place made worse by the scum walking the streets.
By tbag.. Posted October 12 2009 at 12:15 AM.
The crime against this young man was bad enough,but the support from our so called justice system must to have been even worse.
How meny more times do we have to hear about this sort of violent behavior,before this government and the courts give out tougher sentences and change the law to help the victim and their families.
My heart goes out to Sharon and her family, as they are the ones that will have to pick up the pieces and the full cost of this horrific crime.
I am myself speaking from my own familys experience, as my son was left for dead and went on to have 4 life saving brain operations to try and save his life.my family to this date are still awaiting the outcome of what will happen at the end.
By M. Hughes.. Posted October 11 2009 at 11:27 PM.
You never have to lock the doors in the USA????? Don't they have something ridiculous like 20,000 UNSOLVED murders every year????
By Lolly.. Posted October 11 2009 at 9:13 PM.
Anyone with half a brain has already or is planning to leave that dump.
The native people of the UK are a peaceful bunch but in the last 30 years that has all changed and you really can only blame those in power for not foreseeing or preventing the multi levels of failure we see there.
I'm in a mountain community in Spain with 1 recorded crime in the last 5 years. A drunk broke into the bakers for a loaf of bread.
Good luck and I hope you win the inevitable civil/religious war that's on the cards.
By Kev Goodwin.. Posted October 11 2009 at 9:06 PM.
I left UK 20 years ago. Best decision I ever made, my children have been able to grow in a friendly, crime free environmet where you never have to lock the doors.
Ray J, expat in USA.
By ray jarvis.. Posted October 11 2009 at 1:49 PM.
The reason I left England was because I wanted my children to grow up in a secure but free enviroment. My children have the childhood I enjoyed...walking, swimming camping and shopping even walking to school knowing they dont have to worry about muggers, scum and other idiots. We have a law where u have to live here for 5yrs before u get a penny from the state, u have to work under a permit for that time etc. The problem with England etc is its not "Great"anymore..you can do any crime, come from anywhere and not pay a penny all yr life into the country and still live for free.... there is no respect anymore hey they even change the christian laws to suit yr religion..if fact they will change any law so you can feel yr at home... The scum, killers, rapists and peado's dont really have anything to worry about anymore... soft spell in prison, better food than those working who are still on the breadline etc etc who really is worse off, the crimes or joe public?????
By vicki.. Posted October 11 2009 at 12:25 PM.
There should be a set sentence for serious crimes life for a life, why are we as tax payers paying for these scums of society to be put in jail and have everything they want, they live better than some people outside they want for nothing! also pedofiles should never be allowed out as they always commit again why should peoples lives be recked by these people also any violonce crime there should be max 25 yrs made be then they would think twice before doing crime what is 30 months? i bet that judge would'nt be that leanuient if it was someone from is family.
By beverly davies.. Posted October 11 2009 at 11:04 AM.
Whilst I agree with CK's desire to make the streets safer and for the punishment to really fit the crime he/she demonstrates one of the fundamental ills in our country. That is the standard of education, too many pupils leave "skool" without being able to read and write properly and with appalling standards of numeracy.
By Andrew.. Posted October 11 2009 at 10:44 AM.
Bring back national service!!!!!! If not in full time education or work ... why not??? If they dont learn a thing at least they will learn some respect, maybe even something they want to do for the rest of there lives.... it would also open door's and give opportunities to people who are prepaired to work for something in life instead of f#$%ing up other peoples lives...... the scum generation is already costing the country a fortune.... and im sure the cost dose not come close to the cost of a life!!!!!! They are getting pleanty out of the country and putting nothing at all in to it, just nastyness..... it is beyonde me why or where the respect for your fellow human has gone. 30 months in jail... will do 15.... learning nothing.... just mixing with there own... by that i mean more scum.... most probably back in the system costing the country more money and more heartache!!!!!! I hope more people agree with this.
By CK.. Posted October 11 2009 at 5:50 AM.
Why is it that in this country yobs get such paltry sentences?
To the politicians and judges SHAME ON YOU ALL! What are
you waiting for to severely punish those pieces of scum?
By Ninna.. Posted October 11 2009 at 1:32 AM.