thought about it, I think Woods deserved to hear the clang of the prison gates. Also, let's remember that deterrence is a valid sentencing consideration. I am pleased that the DPP is looking at policy and I am delighted that the matter is going out to public consultation. The Magistrates' Court sentencing guidelines of the s127 offence really do require updating. You would think that only telephone calls were covered -- see page 42 of It's a pretty sick joke, but it's not the worst thing I've ever heard. Also it was made to the guy's own Facebook wall. I wonder had he turned it around and written "...Santa comes in December" whether he would have even been arrested. Commenters also point out that someone else took a screen grab of the update and posted it to a page for April Jones. If anyone is culpable, it would be that person, who surely must have expected the reaction it would inspire. Woods should never even have been arrested. He should certainly not have taken the awful legal advice of pleading guilty to a police charge. I doubt the CPS would have charged. Keir Starmer today was emphatic to the round table that this was not a CPS charging decision. Yeah, and here's the worst part. Paragraph 38 of Chambers v DPP should have been enough to duck the necessary mens rea even if the actus reus is made out. There was really nothing that you could call a defence provided.