Comments by "TJ Marx" (@tjmarx) on "Former police officer given 13 life sentences for blackmailing underage girls on Snapchat" video.

@Tolpuddle581 This is false. A magistrate DOES NOT have to set a minimum sentence before parole. There is the option under statute to sentence without possibility of parole. When sentencing for parole, what is functionally happening is the sentence is the minimum term and then it's up to a separate body with little public accountability to decide if they want to extend that sentence or not at regular intervals up to the maximum length set. So long as he goes into the parole review without any discipline on his prison file, he cooperates with wardies and he takes a class or something, the parole board will almost certainly rubber stamp him as soon as they have an opportunity. The question however is NOT one of revenge as OP suggests. No amount of time in prison is going to undo the harm he's caused. The question is, will 12 years be suitable to keep the community safe, and prevent him from re-offending?
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@Tolpuddle581 Not at all. The magistrate had the option under sentencing guidelines for this offence to not issue a minimum sentence and parole opportunity. That was wholly in the power of the magistrate to do. The magistrate felt that was not warranted in this case and the public good was best served with Edwards returning to society after some time of reform not to be less than 12 years. There's a 90% chance we will see him walking the streets again in 12 years time. It is unlikely his parole will be held back. He will lodge an appeal of course, but inside gaol he will be well behaved, will listen to what he's told, will attend therapy sessions and pedo classes, and he'll take up a course of some kind. Faced with all of that, the parole board will lack reasonable grounds to deny his release. Then it'll only be a matter of time before he starts this stuff all over again.
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