So, the perpetrator of all of those e-mails from Nigeria asking us to take their millions in cash has been given “at least” four years in jail. That sounds good to me, he no doubt deserves it.
But wait one!
I’ve just finished reading Helen Garner’s book “Joe Cinque’s Consolation” where the girlfiend of Joe Cinque, Anu Singh, received ten years for his murder but had to serve “at least” four years. Singh was released from prison after four years. Four years for drugging her boyfriend with Rohypnol and then administering a lethal dose of heroin while he was out cold. The first times she tried it she failed, so over a period of a week she continued until Joe Cinque was dead. Anu Singh was not quite right in the head, everybody could see that. The judge could see it because he ruled that she had “diminished responsibilty” and sentenced her accordingly.
So let me see, four years for spam and fraud and four years for murder (reduced to manslaughter of course). Seems fair - not.
Nigerian scammer jailed
Correspondents in Sydney
NOVEMBER 08, 2004
THE Australian mastermind of a global internet scam was today sentenced to at least four years behind bars.
Nick Marinellis pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to 10 counts of fraud and one count of perverting the course of justice over the so-called Nigerian or West African scam.
The ruse fleeced victims of $5 million.
Judge Barry Mahoney sentenced Marinellis to five years and three months jail with a non-parole period of four years and four months.
The sentence will be backdated to October last year when the 40-year-old was first jailed.
Judge Mahoney said a significant sentence was needed to deter others from committing similar offences.
“None of the matters are trivial and the modus operandi was complicated and devious,” he said.
Marinellis will be eligible for release on February 28, 2008.
AAP
read article here