Gloom

I couldn't put it better than our friend ObiterJ in his recent comment:-

Now just as you were thinking matters could not get worse here is a bit of news to make Bystander's day:-
http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease300310b.htm

I first blogged about Ms Casey here and anyone interested can find more using the search box at the top.

I have every sympathy with victims of crime. I have been a victim on numerous occasions as have close friends and relatives. But let's be brutally frank: most of the government's concern with victims is bogus, and amounts to no more than window dressing.
Victims are entitled to be kept fully informed about the progress of 'their' case if it is one of those that comes to be prosecuted. If anything goes wrong they should be told how and why. They should be compensated where practicable. If called as witnesses they should be treated with consideration and courtesy. Most of this happens these days, but what cannot and will not happen is for the court to tailor its sentence to appease or satisfy the victim. In these days of sentencing guidelines, and with the new requirement that a court 'must' in most circumstances follow them, to sentence with one eye on the victim would simply be against the rules.
So heaven only knows what Ms. Casey will be doing for her hundred thousand a year. It certainly won't do any good; I just hope that the harm is limited to the waste of money.