We have previously discussed the sentencing difference between the United States and the United Kingdom and other countries. While we clearly have a problem with lengthening sentences in this country, there are cases abroad that shock the conscience in the imposition of relatively light sentences. The difference is evident in the Australian case of Alfio Anthony Granata, 47, who pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape and charges of theft, threats to kill and intentionally causing serious injury that left his victim with 54 injuries. He also kept the 21-year-old Dutch backpacker for months while threatening to kill her. For all of those crimes, Granata was given only 17 years. He could be released in 13 years.
Grant held the woman in a Melbourne hotel while repeatedly raping her and beating her, even carving a cross into her forehead. He whipped her savagely and assaulted her with household items.
Granata, a father of three, could be out before his 50th birthday. His defense counsel insisted that the rapes and torture were entirely the result of Granata’s drug addiction to ice. However, the crimes occurred over a very long period and Granata was clearly lucid and sober for parts of that period. The court rejected the addiction claim and called Granata’s stated remorse “very slight indeed.”
Given those findings and the horrific acts committed over such a long period, it is astonishing to consider Granata released after as little as 13 years. After all, these were multiple rapes and assaults.
Source: Guardian
obviously the guy is one of the chosenites and is why he got off
“In many countries outside the United States, we succeed in having relatively low serious crime rates”
LoL – who is “we”? “Many countries” have low serious crime because of the nature and demographics of their population – not because they give serious criminals to short sentences. Norway has a low crime rate because its full of Norwegians – not because it gives mass killers 20 year sentences.
Well said, Tony Sidaway! Well said!
One thing that is being overlooked here, I think, is the drug issue. Smoking ice does have a strong effect on many of one’s functions, emotional and psychological, is that an attenuating circumstance of some sort?