Gidday UK members Squirells post made me think of Ronnie Biggs. What do you guys think about his endeavours to be released? Whats the general community feeling about him? Do you think he will or should be set free?
Has anyone written him? Although by the look of him I dont know if he could even write back.
Would be interested in your comments.
Cheers
dreamer

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"The power of the voice instead of the hand ~ the power of the voice makes him a man"

~Koori prison song~

I think that he is so sick that he should be released on compassionate grounds maybe under house arrest or something

The man should have been free a very long time ago. Nothing is being gained from keeping him in prison, his quality of life is pitiful. Our laws are a joke in this country, just consider how old people are being sent to prison for failing to pay the council tax while thugs who damage property, terrorise people and often kill are given a slap on the knuckles and left to roam free. Ronnie Biggs is a threat to no one, he never was a threat to anyone and its because of the press and media that he became such a high profile prisoner. Tax payers will have to continue to foot the bill for keeping this sick old man behind bars just because a few top officials dont want to lose face. Sorry I'm starting to ramble (smile)

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They say NOBODY is perfect so just call me NOBODY

Hi ya Mo do you think they will ever let him out? I understand he is very sick. Do you think this will make a difference to the powers that be?
And can you really go to jail for not paying land tax?? You mean just average people who may own 1 house?
My brother who has lived in London for 5 years and now in India on his way home (WOO HOO) told me about muslim extremists standing on street corners preaching hate and damnation to westerners and no one does anything!
Its a strange world!
Cheers
dreamer

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"The power of the voice instead of the hand ~ the power of the voice makes him a man"

~Koori prison song~

We've had a few cases of old age pensioners who have with held their tax because they feel its unfair and they have been sent to jail. One guy was an ex vicar (smile)
There's no real legal reason why they don't let Biggs go BUT there is a media reason and that's what's holding him there. As long as Tony Blair is in power Biggs will most likely stay exactly where he is. The ONLY reason a request for parole (on medical grounds) is NOT accepted is if the prisoner is considered a threat to the general public and that's what they are trying to say about Biggs. The man can't even walk unaided - some threat ah? (smile)

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They say NOBODY is perfect so just call me NOBODY

The situation with Ronnie is very sad indeed - he really is no threat to anyone. If he was going to be released, it would have happened a while back. So sad.

Yep - crazy things can happen over here, it's incredible how law abiding citizens can be jailed over the slightest of things. It all can be incredibly bizarre sometimes.

Mo and Rose, whats the general community opinion? Do people think he should be free? Are their activists etc protesting on his behalf?
I find it really sad that someone could be kept incarcerated because of the media!
God I'm such a dreamer!

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"The power of the voice instead of the hand ~ the power of the voice makes him a man"

~Koori prison song~

I think people in general believe he should be set free of course you will always have a few who demand the opposite. The crime rate and style of crimes has changed so much since the Great Train Robbery anyway so had Biggs gone to prison for the same thing now he would only be looking at a few years. It was the media hype that forced Biggs into the lime light as one of Britains most wanted. As I say these days his crime has nothing on some of the things that have taken place lately. The lads who recently killed a young black kid with an ice axe in the head have been given less time to serve than Biggs. Justice these days is a joke and it seems that way in most countries not just over here.

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They say NOBODY is perfect so just call me NOBODY

NO he should never be freed. He stuck 2 fingers up to the UK for many years and only came home to get his medical bills paid. If his family were so concerned for him they should have left him where he was and paid his medical bills.

You can look at it that way but you can also look at it in a compassionate way and consider how he's being treated compared to how some of the nasty young thugs of today are being treated. If they aren't sticking their fingers up at British law then I dont know what else you can call it. Yes Biggs did wrong and he's paid for it so on a compassionate level he should be allowed to die a free man. As for his medical bills his son is paying them BUT its taxpayers who are paying to keep Biggs in prison. Of course just my own persoinal views (smile)

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They say NOBODY is perfect so just call me NOBODY