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Lauri Love Ruling 'Sets Precedent' For Trying Hacking Suspects in UK (theguardian.com)

A high court ruling blocking extradition to the US of Lauri Love, a student accused of breaking into US government websites, has been welcomed by lawyers and human rights groups as a precedent for trying hacking suspects in the UK in future. From a report: The decision delivered by the lord chief justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, is highly critical of the conditions Love would have endured in US jails, warning of the risk of suicide. Lawyers for the 33-year-old, who lives in Suffolk, had argued that Love should be tried in Britain for allegedly hacking into US government websites and that he would be at risk of killing himself if sent to the US. There was cheering and applause in court on Monday when Burnett announced his decision. He asked supporters to be quiet, saying: "This is a court, not a theatre." In his judgment, Burnett said: "It would not be oppressive to prosecute Mr Love in England for the offences alleged against him. Far from it. Much of Mr Love's argument was based on the contention that this is indeed where he should be prosecuted

2 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Avoid the USA for the time being. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Depends. If you have some dosh, you can buy yourself a fair trial here in the US. In the UK, you will be a despised foreigner, and the Crown Court judge will toss the book at you just because xenophobia sells, as well as being "tough on crime, tougher on those who come here to commit crimes." Same if one is Romani and commits a crime in any European nation... they not just get the book thrown at them, but the whole bookshelf.

  2. Re:Why would he be extradited in the first place? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    No, it's because the US actually punishes its criminals.

    The UK? How about this story of a guy with 77 convictions, that was serving two simultaneous 'suspended' sentences, caught while committing another - and when convicted AGAIN, let go without any punishment because he hurt himself during his crime?

    Or maybe the fact that police in the UK just don't record, investigate, or prosecute 'low-level' crime?

    When your police are lazy and corrupt, and lie about crime statistics, it sure does make your country look better! (That was sarcasm, btw)