Lukasz Banasik admits to causing accident which killed Gavin Hustler-Brown in Southampton (From Daily Echo)

Well what can I say... It's been said before and will be said again. Send him back to Poland I heard there jails arnt as comfortable as ours.

Goes to show, you can run but you can't hide.
Well done to all those who brought this scumbag to justice.

Gotta love defence lawyers !!!

:-(

Quote from Andy Houston, Barrister:

" He apologises for what has happened . . . . but pleading guilty does require an element of courage . . . . . . "

Really ??

Really ??

How do these well-paid legal hangers-on from a dusty, musty, centuries-old, closed-shop profession, sleep soundly at night after spouting such codswallop in mitigation of an utter 110% toerag of a defendant??

This low-life criminal did everything he possibly could to sidestep self-responsibility. The sole reason he now has to face up to his behaviour, after sodding off to another Country for over 2 years, is the professionalism, diligence, skill and determination of law enforcement people who tracked down the moron.

"Apology" indeed.

"Courage" indeed.

Mr Andy Houston, you should be ashamed at yourself for digging so deep to seek excuses for the inexcusable.

Publicly uttering such transparent nonsense, such glib insincerity, is an obscenity to any considerate law-abiding person but is an outrage to the victim in this case.

Hopefully, the person you represent will get the maximum sentence allowed under the Law.

clausentum wrote:
Gotta love defence lawyers !!! :-( Quote from Andy Houston, Barrister: " He apologises for what has happened . . . . but pleading guilty does require an element of courage . . . . . . " Really ?? Really ?? How do these well-paid legal hangers-on from a dusty, musty, centuries-old, closed-shop profession, sleep soundly at night after spouting such codswallop in mitigation of an utter 110% toerag of a defendant?? This low-life criminal did everything he possibly could to sidestep self-responsibility. The sole reason he now has to face up to his behaviour, after sodding off to another Country for over 2 years, is the professionalism, diligence, skill and determination of law enforcement people who tracked down the moron. "Apology" indeed. "Courage" indeed. Mr Andy Houston, you should be ashamed at yourself for digging so deep to seek excuses for the inexcusable. Publicly uttering such transparent nonsense, such glib insincerity, is an obscenity to any considerate law-abiding person but is an outrage to the victim in this case. Hopefully, the person you represent will get the maximum sentence allowed under the Law.

Agree with much of what you say, but of course defence lawyers (by very nature) are often in the position of having to defend the indefendable! It certainly didn't take any courage by the defendant to plead guilty, as this would clearly have been advised in order to achieve a more lenient sentence.

In my view an unrepentant guitly coward who hopes (has been advised) for a lighter sentence by entering an early guilty plea.

Just being picky but in this report by the Echo it is "Judge Derwin Hope" on the BBC News site (http://news.bbc.co.
uk/1/hi/england/hamp
shire/8429056.stm) it is "Judge Peter Ralls QC"
Somebody appears to have it wrong!!!

SomersetSaint wrote:

clausentum wrote:
Gotta love defence lawyers !!! :-( Quote from Andy Houston, Barrister: " He apologises for what has happened . . . . but pleading guilty does require an element of courage . . . . . . " Really ?? Really ?? How do these well-paid legal hangers-on from a dusty, musty, centuries-old, closed-shop profession, sleep soundly at night after spouting such codswallop in mitigation of an utter 110% toerag of a defendant?? This low-life criminal did everything he possibly could to sidestep self-responsibility. The sole reason he now has to face up to his behaviour, after sodding off to another Country for over 2 years, is the professionalism, diligence, skill and determination of law enforcement people who tracked down the moron. "Apology" indeed. "Courage" indeed. Mr Andy Houston, you should be ashamed at yourself for digging so deep to seek excuses for the inexcusable. Publicly uttering such transparent nonsense, such glib insincerity, is an obscenity to any considerate law-abiding person but is an outrage to the victim in this case. Hopefully, the person you represent will get the maximum sentence allowed under the Law.

Agree with much of what you say, but of course defence lawyers (by very nature) are often in the position of having to defend the indefendable! It certainly didn't take any courage by the defendant to plead guilty, as this would clearly have been advised in order to achieve a more lenient sentence.

I have no problem with defence lawyers "defending", when guilt or innocence has to be determined.

It is vital to the administration of fair and honest justice that every person has a qualified and competent lawyer on their side, ensuring they are dealt with properly, within the legal framework, irrespective of their offence or how heinous it may be.

That is not the same thing as making lame excuses for inexcusable behaviour.

When a lawyer represents a guilty person bereft of all intelligent mitigation , then the prudent thing is to acknowledge that fact, and to shut up and concentrate and focus on making sure the Law and the Sentence are applied correctly and justly.

Mr Andy Houston, by making such outrageous excuses, is a nincompoop and a fool who brings his personal reputation, and that of his profession, into disrepute.

The family of the tragic victim in this case, when reading Mr Andy Houston's quoted comments, or when hearing them directly in the Courtroom, must be gutted at his asinine and obnoxious words.

StEmmosfire wrote:
Well what can I say... It's been said before and will be said again. Send him back to Poland I heard there jails arnt as comfortable as ours.

Agreed, send them all back to where they came from. That would save us a fortune in court costs, benefits and spare yet another family from such a needless death.

Echoes of Hannah Foster!!! Another bright young thing struck down in their prime by someone with absolutely no respect for our laws.

Another coward brought to justice but unfortunately I dont expect his sentence will be very long, and if he was that remorsefull he would have stopped and helped Gavin instead of leaving him there dying.Hope he spends the rest of his life looking over his shoulder just like the coward who killed my son two years ago in a hit and run.I'd like to believe in karma, what goes around comes around.Personally I dont think you ever get closure you just somehow have to try and live your life still for the sake of your family.My thoughts are with Gavin's parents and family especially at this very difficult time of the year.

juliahixon wrote:
Another coward brought to justice but unfortunately I dont expect his sentence will be very long, and if he was that remorsefull he would have stopped and helped Gavin instead of leaving him there dying.Hope he spends the rest of his life looking over his shoulder just like the coward who killed my son two years ago in a hit and run.I'd like to believe in karma, what goes around comes around.Personally I dont think you ever get closure you just somehow have to try and live your life still for the sake of your family.My thoughts are with Gavin's parents and family especially at this very difficult time of the year.

You are a kind and thoughtful person.

Your personal experience and the tragic, avoidable, loss of your son sadly, puts you in a unique position in understanding the devastation and grief the family of this hit and run crime must be enduring, especially now when the current court case is resurrecting their painful loss of almost 3 years ago.

I think you are right - the loss of a loved one creates a permanent hole in your heart, for ever more.

The numbing hurt never ever goes away. It stays in the background, every single day.

But, you find away to move on with your Life - an incredibly hard, tough thing to do, and a solitary pursuit.

I wish you well.

juliahixon wrote:
Another coward brought to justice but unfortunately I dont expect his sentence will be very long, and if he was that remorsefull he would have stopped and helped Gavin instead of leaving him there dying.Hope he spends the rest of his life looking over his shoulder just like the coward who killed my son two years ago in a hit and run.I'd like to believe in karma, what goes around comes around.Personally I dont think you ever get closure you just somehow have to try and live your life still for the sake of your family.My thoughts are with Gavin's parents and family especially at this very difficult time of the year.

Judge Hope will hammer this piece of scum, he is best judge when it comes to sentencing in these death by dangerous driving cases.

I lost my best friend earlier this year and the woman who killed him has walked away scot free, so I understand some of what your saying.

I totally agree that this coward didn't show any remorse when he left the scene and this poor lad dying on the side of the road, also fleeing within days to Poland to escape justice.

My thoughts are with Gavin's parents and family.

The Mad Dog wrote:
In my view an unrepentant guitly coward who hopes (has been advised) for a lighter sentence by entering an early guilty plea.

Just being picky but in this report by the Echo it is "Judge Derwin Hope" on the BBC News site (http://news.bbc.co.

uk/1/hi/england/hamp

shire/8429056.stm) it is "Judge Peter Ralls QC"
Somebody appears to have it wrong!!!

It was Judge Hope and he will sentence, this case was down for Judge Ralls but the interpretor didn't turn up in time and Judge Ralls had left for lunch, so Judge Hope did it instead.

The Echo is right on this occasion

My View from the Hill wrote:

The Mad Dog wrote: In my view an unrepentant guitly coward who hopes (has been advised) for a lighter sentence by entering an early guilty plea. Just being picky but in this report by the Echo it is "Judge Derwin Hope" on the BBC News site (http://news.bbc.co. uk/1/hi/england/hamp shire/8429056.stm) it is "Judge Peter Ralls QC" Somebody appears to have it wrong!!!

It was Judge Hope and he will sentence, this case was down for Judge Ralls but the interpretor didn't turn up in time and Judge Ralls had left for lunch, so Judge Hope did it instead. The Echo is right on this occasion

and you know this much detail how?

The Mad Dog wrote:

My View from the Hill wrote:

The Mad Dog wrote: In my view an unrepentant guitly coward who hopes (has been advised) for a lighter sentence by entering an early guilty plea. Just being picky but in this report by the Echo it is "Judge Derwin Hope" on the BBC News site (http://news.bbc.co. uk/1/hi/england/hamp shire/8429056.stm) it is "Judge Peter Ralls QC" Somebody appears to have it wrong!!!

It was Judge Hope and he will sentence, this case was down for Judge Ralls but the interpretor didn't turn up in time and Judge Ralls had left for lunch, so Judge Hope did it instead. The Echo is right on this occasion

and you know this much detail how?

Because I do.