More inadequate sentences

Would you like to meet Ernest Norton? He looks a nice, cheerful bloke.

Well, you can't. Back in February 2006 he collapsed with a heart attack after five boys pelted him with stones and rocks, and died.

What was he doing? Was he robbing an old lady, perhaps, or even drunk and disorderly? No. He was playing cricket with his son at a leisure centre. As the BBC reports it

The pair came under a hail of missiles and two stones hit Mr Norton's head.

The boys who did that are now aged between 12 and 14. They were convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder back in August, and the system has just got round to pronouncing sentence on them.

Before you read further, pause for a moment and think what sentence they deserve. They surely knew what they were doing.

I would have given them ten years, partly as a signal that society doesn't tolerate behaviour like that.

Have you decided?

They have been sentenced to two years' detention.

That's for manslaughter.