Justice is a full cooked breakfast with trimmings

摘要

You are up before the bench. The prosecution has put forth its case against you. Your counsel -brilliant, expensive - has argued your defence as best he can, but in vain. The guilty verdict has been given. It is time for sentence to be delivered. The judge adjusts his pince-nez, looks down severely - and speaks. This, for you, is the moment of truth. What will it be? A few harsh words and a nominal fine? Or a stiffish term without the option of a fine - incarceration, jail, the prison cell, penal servitude and hard labour, the dank dark dungeon for years ahead, a life behind bars? At any rate you know that the finest legal minds up there on the bench will have weighed up the evidence with magnificent impartiality, made their decision with due regard only for what is relevant. Neither fear nor favour nor personal prejudice will sway them. They will be guided only by the facts in the case and by strict legal precedent. Or will they?