6 October 2011

Snorkel Massey's soon to be resumed reign of terror

| johnboy
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We’ve been waiting a while for this gem, but the Supreme Court has published the sentencing of Mathew James Massey and Fakatounaulupe Ngata. (Mathew is known in some circles as “snorkel” after an attempt to make like Gary Cooper and evade police using a snorkel made out of a reed).

The standover tactics of Mr Ngata make for a fascinating read all of its own, but it’s gold when it comes to Mr Massey (yes of the infamous crime clan).

Mathew Massey, you have a very significant criminal history. That history extends from when you were 14 years of age until you were most recently dealt with by Magistrate Campbell on 10 November 2010. You have, on my calculation, been convicted of nearly 50 prior criminal offences, including serious offences such as armed robbery, escaping custody, assaulting police, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and trafficking in drugs. You have served significant terms of imprisonment. In fact, at the time that you committed the offences now before this Court, you were on parole. There is little by way of leniency that this Court can show you based on that prior history

And yet he will be eligible for parole on the 13th day of this month.

[Photo by TooFarNorth CC BY]

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farnarkler said :

Can’t we have a photo so we know which face to throw the concentrated nitric acid at?

Mix it with chloroform first…

#16 Classified you might just have the answer. Let serial thieves take what they want and let the victims just claim from the Government, much like insurance but without paying any premiums. Think about it, the cost to the taxpayer to put someone on trial over and over again with no longterm prison time is immense.

The judiciary is piss-weak in this town so instead of the DPP spending lots of time and money prosecuting a case when a judge is only going to give a suspended sentence, why not save the money and pay the victim what they’ve lost plus a bit of compo. Would save millions.

Can’t we have a photo so we know which face to throw the concentrated nitric acid at?

We need to just put this prick in gaol and leave him there. He’s committed over 50 crimes (that he was caught for), how many more does he have to committ?

The cheaper option is, of course, a little TLC (Two Lead Cartridges).

Classified said :

farnarkler said :

I’m surprised he’s still alive. There must be a queue of people waiting to get a bit of payback.

Can we sponsor them?

Defence Housing Australia on his sleeve? Cheap!

Jethro said :

Ok, I’m not one for the whole punitive revenge model of law and order that some people like, but surely there has to be a point where the courts accept that someone is beyond reform. I think laws like some of America’s states’ 3 strike laws are a bit too blunt, but surely there needs to be some type of law that basically acknowledges some people have lost every chance to live in society and imposes mandatory sentences of at least 30+ years. For someone like Massey it is well past punishment or reform and simply about public safety and keeping him away from the rest of us.

At the very least our judges could actually give the maximum sentences currently allowed by law. How bad do you have to be to get a maximum sentence handed down in the ACT?

Clearly, you have to be worse than Massey.

Not sure how you can get much worse than carrying on with criminal activity whilst on bail given whilst on a suspended sentence.

Ok, I’m not one for the whole punitive revenge model of law and order that some people like, but surely there has to be a point where the courts accept that someone is beyond reform. I think laws like some of America’s states’ 3 strike laws are a bit too blunt, but surely there needs to be some type of law that basically acknowledges some people have lost every chance to live in society and imposes mandatory sentences of at least 30+ years. For someone like Massey it is well past punishment or reform and simply about public safety and keeping him away from the rest of us.

At the very least our judges could actually give the maximum sentences currently allowed by law. How bad do you have to be to get a maximum sentence handed down in the ACT?

bundah said :

This is outrageous behaviour by the authorities! We really do live in a city run by do-gooders and f..ktards who are totally clueless and are a law unto themselves…bugger what the community expects!

Boy I bet you were worried the bandwagon would roll on by without you getting the chance to jump on and add this valuable insight.

This is outrageous behaviour by the authorities! We really do live in a city run by do-gooders and f..ktards who are totally clueless and are a law unto themselves…bugger what the community expects!

Ahhhh Mathew – you rambunctious scallywag. I wonder what shenanigans you’ll get up to upon your release?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/prison-hardman-pleads-guilty-to-possessing-stolen-goods-20120720-22ehc.html

So, he was out on parole again, got caught breaking the law again (stolen property), and now: “As a consequence of today’s hearing Massey has been ordered to serve the remainder of the kidnapping sentence, expiring in November 2014.”

However this: “But he will be able to make a bid for parole as early as tomorrow.” means he’ll be back out next week to steal some more stuff while out on parole! Yay! This system rocks!
At least we’re keeping a few people in the police and court systems employed, filling out all the resulting paperwork etc……

Jethro said :

obamabinladen said :

Like I said bring back the death penalty! What pisses me off about our society is a piece of s*** like this is allowed to get not one not two but literally dozens of chances. Before this kidnapping he did over a jewellery store in belconnen and was caught in the act by security who he then bashed the s*** out of before running off leaving behind evidence making it easy to convict him then he gets out and goes around kidnapping and torturing people for some ice dealer not to mention he has done a long stretch before for kidnapping, he has escaped from detention, robbed banks, assaulted prison guards, and god knows what else and there’s possibility he might get parole this guy needs a lethal injection. When a dog attacks a human we catch the animal then we charge the owner and give the animal a lethal injection because we know its too dangerous to let it out again because the most probable outcome is it will reoffend and injure another human, this guy has a seriously violent past and several stretches of incarciration have not been able to reform him so society needs to protect its decent citizens and eliminate human excrement like Matt Massey and then arrest and charge his parents!

We should also bring back the full stop.

and the paragraph.

obamabinladen said :

Like I said bring back the death penalty! What pisses me off about our society is a piece of s*** like this is allowed to get not one not two but literally dozens of chances. Before this kidnapping he did over a jewellery store in belconnen and was caught in the act by security who he then bashed the s*** out of before running off leaving behind evidence making it easy to convict him then he gets out and goes around kidnapping and torturing people for some ice dealer not to mention he has done a long stretch before for kidnapping, he has escaped from detention, robbed banks, assaulted prison guards, and god knows what else and there’s possibility he might get parole this guy needs a lethal injection. When a dog attacks a human we catch the animal then we charge the owner and give the animal a lethal injection because we know its too dangerous to let it out again because the most probable outcome is it will reoffend and injure another human, this guy has a seriously violent past and several stretches of incarciration have not been able to reform him so society needs to protect its decent citizens and eliminate human excrement like Matt Massey and then arrest and charge his parents!

We should also bring back the full stop.

obamabinladen11:21 am 09 Oct 11

Like I said bring back the death penalty! What pisses me off about our society is a piece of s*** like this is allowed to get not one not two but literally dozens of chances. Before this kidnapping he did over a jewellery store in belconnen and was caught in the act by security who he then bashed the s*** out of before running off leaving behind evidence making it easy to convict him then he gets out and goes around kidnapping and torturing people for some ice dealer not to mention he has done a long stretch before for kidnapping, he has escaped from detention, robbed banks, assaulted prison guards, and god knows what else and there’s possibility he might get parole this guy needs a lethal injection. When a dog attacks a human we catch the animal then we charge the owner and give the animal a lethal injection because we know its too dangerous to let it out again because the most probable outcome is it will reoffend and injure another human, this guy has a seriously violent past and several stretches of incarciration have not been able to reform him so society needs to protect its decent citizens and eliminate human excrement like Matt Massey and then arrest and charge his parents!

bigfeet said :

Or maybe we could do a deal to swap our criminals (who obviously do not want to be part of, or contribute to, our society) with some genuine refugees (who will contribute greatly to our society)!!

Good idea, but the problem would be finding a country to take them.

Special G said :

I just had a thought on how we could introduce them to the outdoors, team exercises and a healthy lifestyle with food and accomodation on release.

Send them to Afghanistan to be point on patrols.

Or maybe we could do a deal to swap our criminals (who obviously do not want to be part of, or contribute to, our society) with some genuine refugees (who will contribute greatly to our society)!!

I just had a thought on how we could introduce them to the outdoors, team exercises and a healthy lifestyle with food and accomodation on release.

Send them to Afghanistan to be point on patrols.

MissAppropriation said :

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

Great thoughts there. Perhaps you can step up to the bar and start the rehabilitation process? Maybe a good starting place is Goulburn Correctional centre – Supermax unit. Please see the wiki page “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goulburn_Correctional_Centre”, and look under ‘notable prisoners’ for the list of prisoners that you are going to be rehabilitating. Well, please let us know how you go.

“Surviving” does not mean being a vicious thug with the morals of an alley-cat. Get real.

I was responding to an invite on thoughts about the prison system and was not commenting on anyone in particular. Not all inmates are vicious immoral thugs, but if they are locked up with same, then it is likely they will develop the skills to survive or assimilate in that environment.

It’s not only a culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour, it’s a culture of disconnection from society and using whatever one can to survive and avoid abuse (physical, emotional and financial) – not only by some fellow inmates but also some of the guards. From what I have seen, there is little access to regular work, education or rehabilitative activities at AMC (at least for those on remand) and it seems the inmates are bored sh*tless in there. It’s a shame trades or some sort of work skills and life skills sessions are not compulsory activities for all inmates – so they might gain something to be proud of when they are released.

There’s also an ad hoc approach upon release where some people are released into homelessness and simply left to adjust by themselves. Seriously, what’s going to happen if you have nowhere to live, no job (and a recent release from prison), parole appointments to attend (that YES do often interfere with opportunities for employment and fulfilling Centrelink obligations), no skills (other than what you knew before and after prison), add having to go back to the Methadone Clinic or report to Police and you will no doubt bump in to a few old associates and fall back in to surviving the best way you know how.

“Surviving” does not mean being a vicious thug with the morals of an alley-cat. Get real.

MissAppropriation said :

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

It’s not only a culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour, it’s a culture of disconnection from society and using whatever one can to survive and avoid abuse (physical, emotional and financial) – not only by some fellow inmates but also some of the guards. From what I have seen, there is little access to regular work, education or rehabilitative activities at AMC (at least for those on remand) and it seems the inmates are bored sh*tless in there. It’s a shame trades or some sort of work skills and life skills sessions are not compulsory activities for all inmates – so they might gain something to be proud of when they are released.

There’s also an ad hoc approach upon release where some people are released into homelessness and simply left to adjust by themselves. Seriously, what’s going to happen if you have nowhere to live, no job (and a recent release from prison), parole appointments to attend (that YES do often interfere with opportunities for employment and fulfilling Centrelink obligations), no skills (other than what you knew before and after prison), add having to go back to the Methadone Clinic or report to Police and you will no doubt bump in to a few old associates and fall back in to surviving the best way you know how.

MissAppropriation said :

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

I tend to the side of rehabilitate in prison instead of punish… being in prison is the punishment, we don’t need to make life miserable inside. However, I don’t see how someone like Massey is going to be rehabilitated by October 13.

Also, I’m with the JB on the whole, sometimes these people need to be locked up simply so we can be protected from them.

@MissAppropriation – opportunities for rehabilitation exist within our correctional facilities, with access to social workers, skill-building and training, drug and alcohol programs etc. If one simply doesn’t want to rehabilitate then they cannot be forced – that would be a breach of their human rights, no?

I gotta go with the mob here. Based on the facts outlined in the supreme court this guy is a grub and needs to go away for a long time. Who knows, perhaps some punishment will drive reform. In any case, I’ll be filthy if this scumbag gets out in short order and ends up maiming or injuring someone during his next hair-brained stunt.

MissAppropriation said :

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

Yep, I’ve thunk about it. The guy is a serial scumbag who deserves to be locked up for a very, very long time to protect the rest of society from his bogan behaviour.

MissAppropriation said :

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

We know gaol isn’t nice, and people become hardened criminals. But in this town it would be pretty hard to argue that people are locked up for trivialities. By the time it comes to gaol, they’ve been done on a number of occasions, and have generally shown that they can’t obey the law.

Jim Jones said :

Classified said :

neanderthalsis said :

Why can’t we have a Three Strikes law here? Violent recidivists should not be given the chance to repeat offend simply because they can supply the parole board with a sob story about their disadvantage childhood or sick granny. Three Strikes would give a con two chances to rehabilitate before being locked up for life.

Remember the kid in the Northern Territory who go busted un the three strikes rule years ago? It was all over the papers how he was going to be put in a juveline facility for 12 months for stealing a mars bar. The bleeding hearts came out and it became a political nightmare. Of course, no-one seemed so interested in the fact that he was a serial thief…

Yeah, serially stealing stuff like Mars Bars. We definitely need to lock these dangerous criminals up so that society doesn’t disintegrate!!!

The whole wasn’t the mars bar, it was the that the kid was a thief, and had been caught stealing on many occasions. Other options for dealing with the behaviour had been dealt with. What else do you propose? Perhaps just let the kid continually get away with it?

Classified said :

neanderthalsis said :

Why can’t we have a Three Strikes law here? Violent recidivists should not be given the chance to repeat offend simply because they can supply the parole board with a sob story about their disadvantage childhood or sick granny. Three Strikes would give a con two chances to rehabilitate before being locked up for life.

Remember the kid in the Northern Territory who go busted un the three strikes rule years ago? It was all over the papers how he was going to be put in a juveline facility for 12 months for stealing a mars bar. The bleeding hearts came out and it became a political nightmare. Of course, no-one seemed so interested in the fact that he was a serial thief…

Yeah, serially stealing stuff like Mars Bars. We definitely need to lock these dangerous criminals up so that society doesn’t disintegrate!!!

MissAppropriation3:43 pm 07 Oct 11

Sigh. Has anyone thought perhaps our supposed “correctional system’s” focus on discipline instead of rehabilitation and healing is to blame. That perhaps, by locking these people up in an institution that only encourages the psychological behaviour of rebellion, with other ‘criminally minded folk”, might actually be contributing to, if not creating the culture of rebellion and criminal behaviour itself, and encouraging these disadvantaged people to recommit? If not by conditioning them into that pattern of reactionary behaviour, then certainly by providing the adequate criminal networking culture to enable them to re offend on a larger scale. Thoughts?

Could be a big night in Civic next Thursday. Keep ya head in!!!

neanderthalsis said :

Why can’t we have a Three Strikes law here? Violent recidivists should not be given the chance to repeat offend simply because they can supply the parole board with a sob story about their disadvantage childhood or sick granny. Three Strikes would give a con two chances to rehabilitate before being locked up for life.

Remember the kid in the Northern Territory who go busted un the three strikes rule years ago? It was all over the papers how he was going to be put in a juveline facility for 12 months for stealing a mars bar. The bleeding hearts came out and it became a political nightmare. Of course, no-one seemed so interested in the fact that he was a serial thief…

neanderthalsis11:39 am 07 Oct 11

Why can’t we have a Three Strikes law here? Violent recidivists should not be given the chance to repeat offend simply because they can supply the parole board with a sob story about their disadvantage childhood or sick granny. Three Strikes would give a con two chances to rehabilitate before being locked up for life.

johnboy said :

Masseys are nothing if not adept at the parole system. Just look how many crimes they commit while out on it!

That is because the bail/parole conditions are too tough, with unfair restrictions (like preventing them from attending there jobs as low life criminal scum).

This quote from the victim was interesting…

“I know I owe youse (sic) some money right, but I’ve never disrespected you or anything like that, you know what I mean, like there’s, ever since I’ve known you, there’s been a lot of people that have owed you a lot of money, and you’ve been a…lot more lenient on me.”

I wonder what was involved in the cases where less leniency was displayed?

Lets cut this bloke some slack and assume that the ACT legal system has made a few mistakes and he’s actually been innocent of 50% of his convictions. This would mean he’d still be guilty of 25 crimes! And that’s only the ones where he was caught.

I’d really, really like some explanation from a judge or some knowledgeable person as to why this bloke isn’t going away for a long time…like 10 years. It’s just inexplicable to most of the rest of us who aren’t judges.

As JB has pointed out on a number of occasions, bugger rehabilitation, sometimes we need incarceration of evildoers simply to protect the rest of us from them. It’s hard to steal a car, sell drugs or do a burg when you’re in the slammer, and that’s a good thing.

What does this loser have to do to get any decent jail time- commit genocide? 50 offences and he could be back out??

farnarkler said :

I’m surprised he’s still alive. There must be a queue of people waiting to get a bit of payback.

Can we sponsor them?

I’m surprised he’s still alive. There must be a queue of people waiting to get a bit of payback.

Did he have a difficult childhood?

p1 said :

And yet he will be eligible for parole on the 13th day of this month.

I would just like to point out to those in positions of responsibility, that “Eligible for Parol” is not synonymous with “Should be Let out of the Clink”.

Masseys are nothing if not adept at the parole system. Just look how many crimes they commit while out on it!

And yet he will be eligible for parole on the 13th day of this month.

I would just like to point out to those in positions of responsibility, that “Eligible for Parol” is not synonymous with “Should be Let out of the Clink”.

If someone is constantly committing crimes (and if they’ve managed to convict him of 50, I hate to think how many they didn’t get him for), why is the court desperately reaching for any reason to show leniency? It’s not like this is a one-off, accidental type thing.

Why can’t people like this be locked up properly, and when they get out, someone is assigned to watch them so that when they commit their next crime, they can be locked up again expeditiously. It would only take a day or so.

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