The Tories are vile

[Atheist-Lite]

Thankfully, being convicted or cautioned for shoplifting doesn't deny someone their human rights. The guy was an illegal immigrant, but had the right to apply to stay based on our immigration laws. His application was approved because it met the criteria... and the cat had nothing to do with it.

I'm still confused by this cat. If it is so unimportant why does everyone mention it?

[Pappa]

Thankfully, being convicted or cautioned for shoplifting doesn't deny someone their human rights. The guy was an illegal immigrant, but had the right to apply to stay based on our immigration laws. His application was approved because it met the criteria... and the cat had nothing to do with it.

I'm still confused by this cat. If it is so unimportant why does everyone mention it?

Because it makes a sensational news story.

[Tyrannical]

Thankfully, being convicted or cautioned for shoplifting doesn't deny someone their human rights. The guy was an illegal immigrant, but had the right to apply to stay based on our immigration laws. His application was approved because it met the criteria... and the cat had nothing to do with it.

So, break the law long enough without getting caught and then you can stay legally

[Pappa]

Thankfully, being convicted or cautioned for shoplifting doesn't deny someone their human rights. The guy was an illegal immigrant, but had the right to apply to stay based on our immigration laws. His application was approved because it met the criteria... and the cat had nothing to do with it.

So, break the law long enough without getting caught and then you can stay legally

Nope, it's not just a matter of evading the authorities for long enough. You need to fit the criteria or they'll deport you no matter how long you've been here.

[Atheist-Lite]

Shoplifting may seem like a trivial offence but it can act as a gateway crime to other forms of theft. Stealing from the many is just as bad as stealing from one. And we all pay the cost in raised prices when a depraved petty thief steals from a shop. This arbitary approach where someone should serve a year in jail before they can be deported is woefully inadequate in the face of a cunning criminal mastermind who has no intention of being caught. It would be better if judge's could make their own decision on a case by case basis...regardless of time spent in prison. The law needs to change, we need to protect the victims of crime not the criminals.

[Pappa]

Shoplifting may seem like a trivial offence but it can act as a gateway crime to other forms of theft. Stealing from the many is just as bad as stealing from one. And we all pay the cost in raised prices when a depraved petty thief steals from a shop. This arbitary approach where someone should serve a year in jail before they can be deported is woefully inadequate in the face of a cunning criminal mastermind who has no intention of being caught. It would be better if judge's could make their own decision on a case by case basis...regardless of time spent in prison. The law needs to change, we need to protect the victims of crime not the criminals.

Wouldn't that me more arbitrary?

Not that I think a case-by-case basis would necessarily be a bad thing, and I agree that the 1 year limit seems a bit high, but the guy just had a caution.

[Tyrannical]

Thankfully, being convicted or cautioned for shoplifting doesn't deny someone their human rights. The guy was an illegal immigrant, but had the right to apply to stay based on our immigration laws. His application was approved because it met the criteria... and the cat had nothing to do with it.

So, break the law long enough without getting caught and then you can stay legally

Nope, it's not just a matter of evading the authorities for long enough. You need to fit the criteria or they'll deport you no matter how long you've been here.

It still comes down to rewarding criminal behavior.

[Hermit]

The Judges that let those criminal undesirables stay are more vile.

What the hell are you on about? There was no criminality in this case. More vile Tory propaganda, no doubt.

I thought he was described as an illegal immigrant? Illegal usually implies crime.

He'd been caught for shoplifting. He is a common thief. Deport him. He is a low down thief.

On the surface it seems like a grand idea to deport criminals. Great Britain had it down to an art form until it ran out of colonies to dump them on. The ultimate failure was probably just as well, for, had the scheme succeeded to its full intended effect, it may have depleted its population to such an extent that it would have lost the wars against France. Napoleon referred to the English as "a nation of shoplifters". He was of course right, but he underestimated just how many of them were left despite the deportations.

[Tyrannical]

Still no reason not to deport the illegals to say, the Falklands. Muslims can't bitch about raising sheep.