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Re: Officer convicted over girl's death

PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:41 pm
by Porker
Is there sound recording capability on the Provida system that features in the clip of the police officer in the Volvo?

If so, would this be enabled as a matter of course? I ask because the clip is without sound and I wonder if sound would have provided more insight into his thought processes.

P.

Re: Officer convicted over girl's death

PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:57 pm
by MGF
My apologies for the poor research. Cahill pleaded NG hence a reduced sentence by upto a third so they are around the same length. But that is my point really. Dougal's sentence was actually reduced by a year because he was a Police officer. "conspicuous service" "now resigned".

Loss of control is still intention. It's not the same as or as serous as pre-meditation but Cahill wanted to cause harm to his victim whatever.

Dougal didn't want to cause any harm to anyone. Driving at 90 mph is not illegal or necessarily morally wrong in my view. Punching someone in the face is morally wrong even you have lost your temper.

Dougal's mistake was to drive at a lawful speed innapropriately which is a matter of judgement. If Cahill was claiming self-defence then I can see his response as possibly being a matter of poor judgment. But there is no suggestion of that.

I'm not sure dangerous driving resulting in a death is any more likley than punching someone in the face is.

If Cahill had lost his temper in his car and made a seriously bad driving decision which resulted in the victim's death then he might well have had a longer sentence than losing his temper outside the car and assualting the victim.

:?

Re: Officer convicted over girl's death

PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:57 am
by daz6215

Re: Officer convicted over girl's death

PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 11:04 am
by Sru_1980
I think on reflection, both sentences are fair - Dougal's actions were very likely to cause death or serious injury to someone, and given that he was a police officer he should have exercised far better judgement (tho' he's only human)
Cahill''s actions were in the "heat of the moment" and according to the BBC report, the victim had been driving in a provoctative manner, which caused Cahill to see red. Not that this excuses Cahill's actions, of course, but Mr Cooke (allegedly) wasn't entirely innocent himself.