[bananarama]

Originally posted by Shaun
Right, I'm currently reading a crime novel about a man framed for the "perfect crime" and there was a bit about his lawyer advising him to plead guilty in order to make the sentence less harsh.

This got me thinking; since when did admitting you're guilty mean that the punishment should be any more lenient?

I mean, is there any real difference between a man brutally murdering someone and admitting it, and a man brutally murdering someone and not? Although both sentences in this case would be considerably long, there shouldn't, IMO, be any difference at all. Thoughts?

You are quite right. There should not be any difference at all.

Criminals plead guilty to get a lighter sentence not because the have seen the light and regret their actions..

It's just another aspect of silly stupid criminally irresponsible British law that lets vile people off the hook from getting the sentence they deserve...