Thread:Comments:Unlicensed London taxi driver jailed for raping passenger/Punishment way too light/reply (4)

I hear ya. Rape has, if you like, a 'set' severity; obviously, some are worse than others, but generally most rapes are roughly comparable to each other. Murder, by contrast, varies enormously - quick deaths after dangerous disputes right through to long torture inflicted by those once loved and trusted. For example, if these alleged events happened exactly as described, I'd view that as even worse than what we have here.

By contrast, serial killers with - to sound callous - 'only' a few murders under their belts will receive life without parole in many jurisdictions, including England and Wales. I've never heard of that for rapists anywhere in modern Europe; it surely must be known, but unusual. The UK has people convicted of dozens of rapes who have dates when they can apply for parole. That indicates something seriously fucked up with how sentencing is handled. Surely, those jurisdictions that have it should apply the whole life tariff or local variation?

Therefore, while I might agree a 'typical' rape is worse than a 'typical' murder, in reality such violent crimes rarely come with any two alike and so on balance, I say comparable. Exact sentences are up to judges to a point, but at present the appeals courts would kick down any extension to bring rape sentencing in line with murder as disproportionate unless and until the law is rewritten.