Ian Baynham: Photo: Sky News
Ian Baynham, 62, died two weeks after an awful and allegedly homophobic attack close to the South African High Commission at Trafalgar Square on September 25.
Three people – a male and two females – have been charged with his murder. The male is Joel Alexander, 19, of Thornton Heath. The two 17-year-old girls cannot be named for legal reasons but are from Penge and Thornton Heath. All three will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday.
But they haven’t been charged with murder. they have been charged with manslaughter!!
I am sure a lot of us are somewhat confused about the difference between manslaughter and murder. As far as I am concerned if you have killed someone you have murdered them. Can anyone enlighten us please?
Murder, I think, is when there is intent to kill, and manslaughter is when something is an accident, i.e. you hit and kill someone accidentally while driving. If this is correct, then I am really confused about the English legal system (I’m American) and why this wasn’t a murder charge, as if you punch a person enough times – and while they are already down – it certainly isn’t an accident. I think, even before the recent US legislation, that if someone kills someone and it is deemed a hate crime, that they face harsher punishment under the law. But honestly, I am not a lawyer, and even after three years living here I am not entirely clear on how the English justice system works.