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02/11/2010
Sentence For Grandad's Killer Slammed
Amid outrage over an apparently overly lenient sentence for a teenager who was found guilty of killing and robbing his own grandfather, the way that youngsters are dealt with by the criminal justice system is set for a shake-up.
There's to be a comprehensive review of the Youth Justice System in Northern Ireland with the Stormont Justice Minister David Ford having just announced the wide-ranging initiative.
The news came as a Co Tyrone teenager was jailed for just a year for killing his 78-year-old grandfather during a robbery.
Eamonn Coyle, 18, was handed down a year's detention and two years on licence, having been just 16 when he strangled and stabbed his grandfather, Francis O'Neill, at his home in Omagh in April.
He then stole £80 from the pensioner, which he used to pay his rent.
However, in a situation described by a defence barrister as "unprecedented," the victim's daughters, who are the mother and aunt of the accused, gave evidence in support of him.
The Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA and Chairman of the Assembly Justice Committee Lord Morrow said last night that he believed the public would be shocked at the leniency of the jail term handed down to Coyle, and added that there was a huge issue regarding sentencing.
The DUP peer told the News Letter that the sentence given to 18-year-old Eamonn Coyle yesterday was "outrageous".
Meanwhile, the Youth Justice Review will be led by John Graham, the Director of the Police Foundation for England and Wales, and will cover all aspects of the Youth Justice System from the age of criminal responsibility through to more effective measures aimed at preventing or addressing offending amongst young people.
David Ford said: "The Youth Justice System in Northern Ireland has seen much change for the better over the last decade following the Criminal Justice Review.
"As part of my agenda to reshape the justice system, it is important to take a critical look at where we are and what we need to do to further refine and improve our approaches to addressing youth offending," he said, on Monday.
Working alongside John Graham in the review team will be Dr Stella Perrott, the former head of the Care and Justice Division in the Scottish Government and Paula Jack, the newly appointed Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency.
They will be supported by an independent Reference Group comprised of key individuals including academics, senior policy makers and experienced practitioners from areas such as children's rights, social policy, criminology, youth justice, prison studies and criminal justice inspection.
Outline Terms of Reference have been developed which will provide the Review Group with flexibility to incorporate any changes they may wish to make as work progresses.
Mr Ford continued: "The levels of youth crime and the number of young people held in custody, are relatively low in comparison to other UK jurisdictions and indeed many other parts of the world.
"We have developed a proportionate, progressive and restorative approach to youth justice. Our reputation for innovation and effective practice in some areas of work - such as our youth conferencing service and Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre - is recognised both nationally and internationally.
"But there is more to be done. The inclusion of this review in the Hillsborough Castle Agreement provides us with the opportunity to re-assess, re-shape and further develop our systems," he concluded.
The review team will produce a report for public consultation by March 2011.
(BMcC/GK)
There's to be a comprehensive review of the Youth Justice System in Northern Ireland with the Stormont Justice Minister David Ford having just announced the wide-ranging initiative.
The news came as a Co Tyrone teenager was jailed for just a year for killing his 78-year-old grandfather during a robbery.
Eamonn Coyle, 18, was handed down a year's detention and two years on licence, having been just 16 when he strangled and stabbed his grandfather, Francis O'Neill, at his home in Omagh in April.
He then stole £80 from the pensioner, which he used to pay his rent.
However, in a situation described by a defence barrister as "unprecedented," the victim's daughters, who are the mother and aunt of the accused, gave evidence in support of him.
The Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA and Chairman of the Assembly Justice Committee Lord Morrow said last night that he believed the public would be shocked at the leniency of the jail term handed down to Coyle, and added that there was a huge issue regarding sentencing.
The DUP peer told the News Letter that the sentence given to 18-year-old Eamonn Coyle yesterday was "outrageous".
Meanwhile, the Youth Justice Review will be led by John Graham, the Director of the Police Foundation for England and Wales, and will cover all aspects of the Youth Justice System from the age of criminal responsibility through to more effective measures aimed at preventing or addressing offending amongst young people.
David Ford said: "The Youth Justice System in Northern Ireland has seen much change for the better over the last decade following the Criminal Justice Review.
"As part of my agenda to reshape the justice system, it is important to take a critical look at where we are and what we need to do to further refine and improve our approaches to addressing youth offending," he said, on Monday.
Working alongside John Graham in the review team will be Dr Stella Perrott, the former head of the Care and Justice Division in the Scottish Government and Paula Jack, the newly appointed Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency.
They will be supported by an independent Reference Group comprised of key individuals including academics, senior policy makers and experienced practitioners from areas such as children's rights, social policy, criminology, youth justice, prison studies and criminal justice inspection.
Outline Terms of Reference have been developed which will provide the Review Group with flexibility to incorporate any changes they may wish to make as work progresses.
Mr Ford continued: "The levels of youth crime and the number of young people held in custody, are relatively low in comparison to other UK jurisdictions and indeed many other parts of the world.
"We have developed a proportionate, progressive and restorative approach to youth justice. Our reputation for innovation and effective practice in some areas of work - such as our youth conferencing service and Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre - is recognised both nationally and internationally.
"But there is more to be done. The inclusion of this review in the Hillsborough Castle Agreement provides us with the opportunity to re-assess, re-shape and further develop our systems," he concluded.
The review team will produce a report for public consultation by March 2011.
(BMcC/GK)
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