3 ms·

Legally speaking, what could happen to him?

by redox99 3y ago

TheOtherHobbes 3y ago
Assuming the tree is considered to have been worth more than £5000 - quite likely - the maximum penalty for criminal damage is 10 years. As a 16 year old he'd be a young offender so it would be a special youth prison. I'm curious how a 16 year old had access to a chainsaw. My guess is someone - parents or friends - incriminated him.
- helsinkiandrew 3y ago
  > My guess is someone - parents or friends - incriminated him. Given he was 16, there's probably a good chance the muppet posted a video or picture on social media. In some ways what happens legally is the least of his problems. If found guilty he will likely become as reviled as the cat bin woman: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/19/cat-bin-woman-mary-bale https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/19/cat-bin-woman-...
- fathyb 3y ago
  Does that mean that in the UK if someone breaks a maxed-out MacBook voluntarily they risk up to 10 years in prison?
- michaelt 3y ago
  > I'm curious how a 16 year old had access to a chainsaw. Presumably a parent had a chainsaw, kept it in the garage, and the teen had access to the garage. And 16 isn't that young - you can leave school at age 16 and start working full time.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    In farming areas 16 is way past the age when you’d have access to major and expensive farm equipment. A chainsaw is nothing compared to those, but you’d want some assurances they wouldn’t cut themselves (e.g. be large enough to handle it).
lopis 3y ago
Since he's a child, probably not much.
ben_w 3y ago
If the powers in this have actually begun yet (I'm unclear given the future tense), unlimited fines, plus the possibility of… prison time if he doesn't plant another one? That doesn't seem right… https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-crack-down-on-illegal-tree-felling https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-crack-down-...

3 ms·

Legally speaking, what could happen to him?

by redox99 3y ago

Legally speaking, what could happen to him?

TheOtherHobbes 3y ago
Assuming the tree is considered to have been worth more than £5000 - quite likely - the maximum penalty for criminal damage is 10 years. As a 16 year old he'd be a young offender so it would be a special youth prison. I'm curious how a 16 year old had access to a chainsaw. My guess is someone - parents or friends - incriminated him.
- helsinkiandrew 3y ago
  > My guess is someone - parents or friends - incriminated him. Given he was 16, there's probably a good chance the muppet posted a video or picture on social media. In some ways what happens legally is the least of his problems. If found guilty he will likely become as reviled as the cat bin woman: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/19/cat-bin-woman-mary-bale https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/19/cat-bin-woman-...
- fathyb 3y ago
  Does that mean that in the UK if someone breaks a maxed-out MacBook voluntarily they risk up to 10 years in prison?
- michaelt 3y ago
  > I'm curious how a 16 year old had access to a chainsaw. Presumably a parent had a chainsaw, kept it in the garage, and the teen had access to the garage. And 16 isn't that young - you can leave school at age 16 and start working full time.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    In farming areas 16 is way past the age when you’d have access to major and expensive farm equipment. A chainsaw is nothing compared to those, but you’d want some assurances they wouldn’t cut themselves (e.g. be large enough to handle it).
lopis 3y ago
Since he's a child, probably not much.
ben_w 3y ago
If the powers in this have actually begun yet (I'm unclear given the future tense), unlimited fines, plus the possibility of… prison time if he doesn't plant another one? That doesn't seem right… https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-crack-down-on-illegal-tree-felling https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-crack-down-...