Mark Patterson - burglar &; poet

He's probably a cut and paste poet! My thoughts are I find it hard to believe he would be let off on those grounds alone. And I'm surprised one of the sundays, say NOTW, didn't print some of his work.

They probably did, but I didn't see any. I'm sure too this wasn't the only factor, but it was apparently a very influential one. Of course, the real reason will be that prison's are full to brimming over. And there's that question: Do they work anyway? Probably not, but the folks in his area deserve a break.

Heard some of his stuff read out on the radio. If you imagine Pam Ayres as a Rasta (I know you're all imaginative people), then take out the jokes, you're thinking along the right lines. If he really has been let out on the basis of his poetic ability then it's an unbeliveable decision and I may be forced to start reading the Daily Mail in protest. On the other hand this opens up possibilities. In future, maybe poets could be employed by the courts as expert witness.

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Seems like it might be a good publicity stunt to steal a few cars and let the courts promote me to poetic stardom. The idea that prisons are reforming institutions is and always has been bollocks, they exist as a form of societal revenge, and of course they DO work on the basis that they remove criminals from the streets for a while. Sentences like this only prove the theory that judges are a lot of silly old fools that think they are being clever when in fact they are no better qualified to deal out justice than anybody else. I've always believed that punishment should be set by parliament and judges should only oversee the correct procedures in court and administer the appropriate sentence. Variations of sentence should only be allowed on appeal, and then at the discretion of an enlightened jury.

I read some of his stuff in a newspaper today. I gave him one star and six months.

You did, did you Mr. Smartarse Hox? I have a funny feeling you will live to regret saying that.

Pop over for a snout sometime.

OK, if you're the real Mark Patterson and you've got some poetic talent then you've also got some imagination and you should use that imagination to visualise how hurt and vulnerable and angry you make people feel when you waltz into their homes and nick their stuff. You owe society one, and you ought to know it more than most of the thieving deadheads. And, if you've escaped prison just by having that talent then you owe poetry one; in other times and other societies poetry has got people INTO prison! And finally, if your stuff's been read out on the radio and printed in the newspaper you owe us all one. Cos most of us love writing but the reality is that very few of us will ever make any money out of it or even see our stuff anywhere except this website and all we'll have to show is those electronic cherries if we're lucky. Having said that, if you contribute I think you'll find there are people here who will actually care about you and offer you support and encouragement. It's up to you.

I know where you live too Debbie my dear, so I'd watch that lip of yours. Is it my fault if some dumb bloody judge thinks I'm a genius? What he doesn't know is that I spent today casing his gaff and I'm going to leave him a poetic calling card when I turn him over. Smart Hox, stick ya snout where the sun don't shine!

Carlisle?