Why Can't We Have Justice Like This?

[Gruffalo]

In Australia during the week, former Queensland Minister, Gordon Nuttall received a 7 year prison sentence for receiving over $300,000 (Australian) in secret payments from businessmen:

Judge Wolfe said because Nuttall committed the offences of receiving secret commission while a minister of the Crown it was appropriate he receive the maximum jail term allowed.

"Because you were a minister of the Crown makes it the gravest (act of criminality) of receiving secret commissions. It calls for the maximum sentence," Judge Wolfe said in a soft voice. "You are receiving the maximum sentence. Accordingly, I order you be jailed for seven years. The date you are eligible for parole is to be fixed at 2½ years. I order the date you are eligible for parole be the 2nd of January 2012."

Judge Wolfe said it would be up to the parole board to decide the actual date Nuttall was eligible for release.

A dishevelled Nuttall, who had been unable to shower, shave or brush his teeth while being held in the Brisbane Watchhouse, was a shattered and dejected man as he walked from the court cells looking desperately to see members of his family.

His lawyer John Rivett said Nuttall was exhausted after sleeping on an iron bed while in the watchhouse and he had paid a "dreadful" price.

Nuttall's family, including his wife Liz, looked equally devastated as they walked into the court moments later.

Corrective Services officers moved swiftly to stop Nuttall's daughter, Lisa, from reaching to touch her father's outstretched hand as he sat in the dock.

After the sentence was imposed and Nuttall was led back into custody, the family broke into tears, with Lisa turning on prosecutors Ross Martin, SC, and Ken Spinaze, saying: "Thank you very much. I hate them – you a...holes."

Nuttall, 56, then spent his third night behind bars after a jury convicted him of 36 counts of receiving secret commissions from former Macarthur Coal boss Ken Talbot and prominent businessman Harold Shand. Talbot paid Nuttall nearly $300,000 in allegedly corrupt payments over three years, while Shand paid him a one-off $60,000. The maximum sentence for each charge is seven years' jail.

It is understood Nuttall was yesterday taken directly from the Brisbane Supreme and District Court complex to Wacol's Wolston Correctional Centre, where he is expected to be placed in protective custody.

Gordon Nuttall eligible for parole in January 2012 | The Courier-Mail

If Australia is capable of dealing with a corrupt, money-grabbing politician, why is a certain corrupt bástard still free to walk the streets of Ireland?

[Lloyd-Apjohn]

Simple: because even when we are shown the evidence we re-elect people like that to office again and again. Until we stop doing that we will continue to have the most corrupt political system in western Europe.

The buck stops with us because we put them in and it's up to us to take them out.

[toxic avenger]

Because we choose not to give a sh1t. It's why we're royally screwed now...

[TradCat]

Who said a kangaroo court was a bad thing? Sounds good to me.

[MsAnneThrope]

Because we don't have "secret commissions" or bribes or bungs in Ireland. We have "personal political donations" which are different, above board, no favours are sought or returned in exchange for them, and are a totally accepted aspect of Irish political life*

[SIZE="1"]* Until Mahon gets published [/SIZE][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Red"]☺[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Gruffalo]

Because we don't have "secret commissions" or bribes or bungs in Ireland. We have "personal political donations" which are different, above board, no favours are sought or returned in exchange for them, and are a totally accepted aspect of Irish political life*

[SIZE="1"]* Until Mahon gets published [/SIZE][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Red"]☺[/COLOR][/SIZE]

All true but unless we get some action this time around then this shít will be never ending.

[wysiwyg]

Simple: because even when we are shown the evidence we re-elect people like that to office again and again. Until we stop doing that we will continue to have the most corrupt political system in western Europe.

The buck stops with us because we put them in and it's up to us to take them out.

Exactly... for the love of Jesus... Stroke Fahey got re-elected in Galway this year, and he a member of the party in charge while the people of Galway were drinking shi* in their water

[atlantic]

Thats not bad one of the Chinese drug regulators was sentenced to death a couple of weeks ago.
Chinese Regulator Sentenced to Death - washingtonpost.com
No messing around in them there parts,for brown paper bag boys.

[Aces up]

Because we choose not to give a sh1t. It's why we're royally screwed now...

Thank's to our present Government, and their die even harder supporters. People in Ireland follow each other, like sheep bleat! bleat!...gob sh*tes

[Pauli]

Simple: because even when we are shown the evidence we re-elect people like that to office again and again. Until we stop doing that we will continue to have the most corrupt political system in western Europe.

The buck stops with us because we put them in and it's up to us to take them out.

Agree absolutely. There is nothing the Italians can teach us about corruption.