Family and Friends Forum

Hi fatso

sorry to hear your situation. Your sons and My partners cases sound similar he was sentenced this year for talking online to a police decoy and agreeing to meet he was sentenced to just under 2 years in prison and 2 on license. I'm not sure how appealing a sentence works, it will probably cost extra in legal fees and also if the judge doesn't agree on a lesser sentence I think you have to start the sentence again or in some cases you might get extra time added onto it. I suppose its if you think the judge on the day had been unfair, did your solicitor give you a exstimate of what they thought a likely sentence would be? My partners sentence was practically exact to what the duty solicitor said it would be. But me or his family were never advised to give character references or anything all she seemed bothered about who was paying the bill. I'm sorry your sons wife has gone off with your grandchild everybody reacts differently to these nightmare situations. Have you phoned the helpline they might be able to advise you better on appealing and maybe how to cope with the situation, or your doctor.

I honestly don't know, I still talk to him I don't think he's an evil person I think he had issues one being alcohol. Sometimes it's like old times when we talk then I remember what's he's done, and I think can I/ we ever get over this. Ive told him I don't ever wanna feel like I did when it first happened again, you know the arrest, then the court and sentence then the worst bit for me people finding out from the local press. And there's the trust thing would I ever trust him again.
your sons partner will probably be feeling all these mixed emotions, and feel broken like the rest of us, I think times a healer and it does get slightly easier as time goes on. Hopefully she will let you and your son carry on seeing your grandchild obvs you've done nothing wrong so I don't see why she should punish you. But I've not got children so I probably can't comment on what I'd do if I had.
Id definitely ring the helpline if you already haven't they will be able to advise you on things.

We appealed my partners sentence. It was reduced to 6 months, initially well over double that. You have to have grounds to appeal, and you are supposed to do it soon after sentencing, I think within a month. Talk to his solictor initially to see if they think you have grounds. My partners appeal didn't cost us anything, it wasn't dependent on means. But a solcitor is likely to only help if they believe there is a good chance of success. It will depend on factors such as if the sentence is outside of the recommended range, and if it was, what the judge said to justify it. If they didn't apply a reduction for an early guilty plea etc. It all depends on what the law says, and if the judge applied it correctly. Judges do have a lot of scope in sentencing.

There is a difference between appealing a sentence and appealing a verdict. If you're appealing the verdict it's almost impossible if he pleaded guilty, only a possibility if he plead not guilty, and again had strong grounds to do so. For this you will likely need a different solicitor, as his original solicitor isn't going to point out how his defence was not up to standard. But it would depend on why you were appealing. Only a solictor can advise. Good luck