I’m struggling to follow the logic of this argument. Even if there is a perceptible conflict of interest (which is dubious), how does the judge or his family stand to gain by jailing three protestors?
FWIW, I think the sentences were harsh, but this reeks of conspiracism.
FWIW, I think the sentences were harsh, but this reeks of conspiracism.
The level of attention paid to accuracy in this article is betrayed by this paragraph. Crown Court sentences are not “judicially reviewed”. That is a separate legal concept. Sentences are appealed to the Court of Appeal. 
What the judge certainly does deserve criticism for, however, is failing to ensure that his sentencing remarks were published online. This is a high-profile case in which he would have known his sentences would attract controversy. Publishing remarks in cases like this is vital.
