Why was he out after 6 months anyway ?

What is the point of being a tax paying law abiding citizen these days,,,,,

"What is the point of being a tax paying law abiding citizen these days,,,,,"

Because in this twisted, fractured liberal society in which we live, the rights of the law abiding are ignored in favor of the rights of the law breakers. No matter how many times people are convicted and imprisoned, some do-gooder will always insist that there is a flicker of humanity left in them and that, somehow, they can be turned from crime and integrated into the mainstream of society.

It doesn't matter how many people get hurt in the process, how much time and money is spent on recapturing them or how badly they affect the law abiding. These 'people' have rights and it is the duty of the government and the do-gooders to trample all over yours to see that they are upheld.

Twenty first century Britain. You couldn't write it.....

Al Jazeera: "Because in this twisted, fractured liberal society..."

I don't know where you're commenting from, but I'm in the UK, which has one of the most illiberal governments imaginable.

If his punishment only consists of going back to prison to serve the rest of his sentence, why not nip off for a nice holiday somewhere in between times. When will we get together and insist on elected judges and elected prison governors to put an end to this "let's be nice to our torturers' madness?

James Yates: "When will we get together and insist on elected judges and elected prison governors"

We won't, because it's a stupid idea.

Black Flag, I'm also in the UK (fortunately or unfortunately. I still can't decide which).

My comment about liberal society was made in the context of the story. If you are referring to 'illiberal' government in respect of things such as amateur photographers, tourists, railway enthusiasts, students of architecture etc, being stopped and harassed for taking photographs of their chosen free time interest, then i totally agree. If you are talking about the rise of CCTV surveillance of citizens going about their law abiding business, then I agree.

I'm sure there are many more examples of 'illiberalism', but i was referring to the farcical situation where a convicted criminal is released from prison for 'good behaviour' or on licence.

I still can't fathom how someone's behaviour in the outside world is so bad that it lands them in jail, yet their behaviour inside prison (in a closed environment shared only with other criminals) can somehow determine whether they should be released?

It seems (to me) that it is the ultimate in liberalism to ignore the safety and well being of wider society and concentrate on the needs and well being of the criminal. As J Smith asked, what is the point of being a law abiding citizen?

Why should i spend £700 on an LCD tv and £300 on a playstation 3 when i could go and steal one? If I get caught, I'll end up with my own room, free meals, free smokes, free tv, a free gym, free playstation 3 and get to hang around with like-minded people. And I'll probably get let out early anyway, as all I'll have to do is put on my sincere face and promise (and I do promise Sir), that i will mend my ways and be a good boy from here on in.

So I agree, in part with you Black Flag. If you are a law abiding citizen, then yes, the government is pretty damned illiberal. But cross that line into the world of criminality and you are staring liberlism in the face. At the expense of the rest of society.

Just shows, Bail does not work !!!, lock em up and throw away the keys, after all they do not belong in a law abiding society !!!

Al Jazeera: "It seems (to me) that it is the ultimate in liberalism to ignore the safety and well being of wider society and concentrate on the needs and well being of the criminal."

In that case, you clearly don't understand the words you're using.

Black Flag,

Perhaps Liberal was a poor choice of word on my behalf. However, my opinion remains the same. The right of the criminal outweighs that of the law abiding. Justice seen to be done, not actually done now seems the norm in the UK. Sentences handed down, a fraction served, released into society with a wafer thin promise to do better next time. Justice is seen to be done.

With them ears, the radars should pick him up soon enough....

I believe that release-on-license should be allowed, hence it is. That said, not high-risk offenders are given release from prison, only those who are given a chance of trust, a chance to prove to the authorities that they can [or cannot] be trusted by means of testing their 'temporary release' back into society.
There is a reason for bail and regardless of what you think of it, it exists for a reasons and I believe it should continue to exist.

Just for the record, he was not on bail so comments about it not working are irrelevant.

He was on licence, terms by which he has to abide to securde his early release into the community. One of those terms it seems, was to reside in a bail hostel - he hasn't, so the licence terms are breached and a recall to serve the remainder of his sentence is appropriate.

As for elected Judges, how ridiculous is that? They would only be able to act within the law as the unelected Judiciary do now - if you want change, start with the law first, that's where the problems if any, lie.