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A SPANISH COURT has ordered the immediate release of a man who raped and killed three teenage girls, cutting his prison time by 10 years in line with a European human rights ruling.
The killer, Miguel Ricart, was the latest convict to benefit from an October 21 ruling by the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.
The Strasbourg court said Spain had acted illegally by retroactively cutting short the years of remission that an ETA prisoner had earned from good behaviour.
Dozens of ETA members and other violent convicts in a similar situation then demanded their release under the same European court ruling.
Crime that shocked the country
Ricart raped and killed Miriam Garcia Iborra, Toni Gomez Rodriguez and Desiree Hernandez Folch (seen above in a public information appeal) in 1992 in the eastern Valencia region, a crime that shocked the country. They were kidnapped after hitchhiking to get to a disco not far from their home town. They were raped, beaten and tortured before being murdered. They were aged 14, 15 and 14 years respectively.
“The outlook for his return to society is not favourable,” prisons director Angel Yuste warned this week.
But yesterdat, a court in Valencia ordered his release because of the European court ruling.
The cabinetmaker was condemned to 170 years in jail in 1997 although he actually faced a maximum of 30 years behind bars under Spanish law.
Under a new Spanish judicial policy introduced in 2006, Ricart’s years of remission were subtracted from his full 170-year sentence instead of being deducted from the maximum 30 years of prison time, as was the previous practice.
New policy ruled illegal
The new judicial policy was ruled illegal by the Strasbourg court because it violated the principle that a prisoner’s sentence cannot be increased retroactively.
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Our petty existence is quite depressing isn’t it? here we are with one chance of life and we spend it working our entire lives for a job we don’t like, ignoring all of whats around us, all just to make sure we can put some sort of roof over our head and a few bob to retire with. And after the age of 68 when we’re too old to enjoy the things we missed out on; most of that most of that money will probably go to hospital bills by then anyway.
@jake the system is designed that way.the wealthiest people on the planet know this.to them time is money.to the average worker money is about giving up your time so you get stuck on the treadmill.
I feel sorry for you Jake. I happen to love my job. Lucky me I guess.
I get what Jake is saying.
I’m not sure I like our new gods “the markets”.
They seem very demanding and don’t actually do anything for me.
I’m not even sure they exist.
Jake, you are not wrong. For every joker like Marcus who just lurves their job there are a dozen more who live for the day when their work will be over and they can at last take their ease. Marcus, it’s a lot easier to be a seventy year old pen pusher (or person who works in the arts or it) than to be a seventy year old god carrier or brickie. I hate these reports and bullshit statistics – the number of my old friends who have died in the last year after a lifetime of actual labour as opposed to attending meetings is very sad.
Hod carrier, not god carrier – those lads live a long time.
Jeez sheik you’re fierce bitter boi. And for a fella how hates bullshit statistics ya managed to fit one into your own post. Awful sad.
I didn’t mean to be derogatory towards Jake by the way, I just don’t feel the same way. Apparently it’s a bad thing to like your job now judging by the response!
You spend your health to achieve wealth and when you retire you spend your wealth to achieve health !!
Sorry for seeming bitter, Markus – glad you are enjoying your work. You wouldn’t mind pointing out the statistic you say I quote in my post, would you? I’m a bitter old boi and I can’t locate it.
Mr martin had f**k all to say when the economy of this country was out of control. 37 years with oecd, big fat pension waiting for him long before he’s 65!
People working 2-3 years longer will mean less chance for younger people to get into the jobs market. No joined up thinking here.
That’s why the pension age was lowered in the 60′s or 70′s (can’t remember which), Brian. The jobs market was almost completely static with promotion almost impossible because of the logjam at the top.
I personally find the idea disgusting.
What kind of a screwed up system have we got!!! we work, we pay USC, PRSI etc etc and yet None of us see any benefit of it until maybe we retire and get the state pension, which now looks more and more unlikely! on the other hand and no offence…don’t ever work and your automatically entitled to state pension and All of its benefits. for feck sake!!! why the hell are we fools working? I’m working and paying taxes since I was 16! I’m now almost 41, surely I will have contributed enough to receive a flipping state pension at 65!!! country is a frigging joke!
65 is high enough,any higher is a disgrace.Let people at least live out their golden years with some kind of satisfaction.
66*
*keep going…..
(it’s 68)
Ahh Jim :-)
We’re raising the age quicker than other countries and Mr Martin says “That’s a very positive thing.”
Really?? On what planet???
Planet Derp
So ye can retire just in time to die or spend the rest of your life in bed with any kind of ailment
Emer, the patriotic thing to do is die just BEFORE you are entitled to a pension. My father did it, and it looks like I will do the same. Come on you oldies, your country needs you to die, have a bit of patriotism rte.
Let politicians wait til 68. Bertie, Brian clowen, ray burke, harney, all these leeches gettin 50-100k for the next 20-30 years
Our relative acceptance of all kinds of pillaging on our people is shameful & humiliating, it is fueling this constant attempt to satisfy the debt burden. Why are people surprised that they are getting systematically abused, nobody is off limits. it’s not going to stop. Until you stop it.. Which won’t be until it’s too late unfortunately.
It’s like watching a very bad car crash in slow motion.
I agréé with you, all the Money that was there is still there but held by the wealthy élite Whos greed knows no bounds, they will not stop taking as long as the working people allow them too so you know the answer. For a start get behind the public service WHO are the only group to date to say no,and if we all say no thats when it will stop
I don’t know what PSRI is for ?
neither do I Larry! or USC!
I dont know what a tracker mortgage is?
And what the hell does vat do?!
you would if you had one! my one saving grace in all this Sh@te is that I have a tracker mortgage!
We should introduce compulsory euthanasia after you use up a set amount of state pension and all your savings in minister Reilly s nursing home. You are a burden on society then and of no use to the wealthy.
And once again the working population is getting targeted or are they stoping 15% of dole payments to fund the pensions. What the fook is our prsi for then. I know where the road tax goes, the house tax and the universal social charge, the troica, but surely not our little bit for later. Is nothing sacred. Trust us they said, we will save the banks I mean country they said. Destroying the country so the troica and the IMF will rub our tummys every now and then. Sure why would I want to spend time with my grand kids. It’s not like I missed out with my own kids trying to keep the banks open.
People should be health assessed at 65 to see if they deserve their pension.
If they are fit enough to work then they should not be allowed their pension and forced to continue working until they are frail enough not be able to work and then to only cost the pension fund a few years pay out before they pop their clogs.
That is what we are really saying here isn’t it?
Are you actually serious???? I’m paying tax ever since I started work at 16 and as far as I’m concerned, I’m entitled to enjoy a few handy years before I die! Cop on!
Oops……I just had a re-read of your post! Correct, that’s exactly what they mean! Sorry..!
oops! me too! sorry I gave u a red thumb!
Oops! here too!
it appears cto be long list – me too . Kneejerk !!. U are dead right . thats capialism – work u til u drop and then – to balzes with u .
”Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said while it was overall a positive thing that life expectancy is increasing in Ireland, there are also “very real and very obvious public policy challenges” arising from the change.”
so people are to be allowed 6-8 years to enjoy retirment -
—- f ## u Burton – another neo liberal thug .
what about the policy challenges to TD pensions – and banker pensions and bonuses . Most of the laboyur ministers IMO will retire – and not seek re-election – so many wil be retiring before 68 – .
these people deserve just one thing .
Let’s presume this applies to teachers, college lecturers, Gardai, etc.
Another one who misread your post. Sorry for the red thumb
Sounds like it. They might be sending out local council workers with guns and shovels by that stage.
Is that a blow to the back of the head with a ‘blunt object’ ?
Mea cukpa. Sorry for red thumb.
That’s a great idea. Discourage fitness and healthy living.
Me 3. sorry
If the pension age is increased it should be for everyone no gov ministers or civil service retirement at 50 on a full pension one rule for all.
All state pensions should be capped at a percentage of the average industrial wage which would limit the taxpayers exposure to these ridiculous pensions being paid by taxpayers that mostly don’t even have a pension themselves & if civil servants want a higher pension then they should join a private scheme then we might see some low cost private schemes being introduced for the benefit of all.
Government hoping you kick the bucket before getting a pension in other words Jesus Christ
I started a pension when I was 20 I’m now 43 and had to stop my pension 3 years ago as I have a young family and can’t afford to keep paying it. Now there telling me I have to have one?
Mt pension is worth sweet fa now… And when I do collect it they will most likely tax me on the little bit I do get.
Baa, baa, baa said the sheep! We’ve accepted everything else, as a previous person has stated, and this will be no different. It’s actually sad when you think that we have been ground down to accepting one austerity measure(which is what this really is) after the next! Not one banker, politician, developer, etc. as in, the people that have us in this mess will ever see the inside of a jail cell for there questionable behaviour and we will plod away just accepting what the government, troika, etc. do to us. I’m F****ing sick of this country.
Me too johnny
If you make joining a pension scheme compulsory, will you aso guarantee a minimum rate of return so that after 45 years of contributions you will get a reasonable pension.
Current providers use a 5% and 7% growth rate for illustration but haven’t achieved these rates for decades. Furthermore to get an inflation proofed pension to day equivalent to the single state pension would require a fund of €400,000. That should be all right then.
Ben, excellent comment.
I am getting angry at this point. I am feeling foolish. I don’t like being scammed.
I am not inside the circle of privilege of senior civil servants, Government Ministers, Bankers and Developers who protected their assets against recovery.
Honesty, hard work and playing the game was stupid. Forced early retirement, pension not enough to live and poverty to look forward to.
It’s time for a new approach. It’s called the get even approach. It’s time to treat authorities, the Government, the institutions of State and the political system as enemies of survival.
Hey, Pete, did you see the movie ‘Falling Down’? :-D apart from the fact that they had to rig the ending to make the protagonist less sympathetic, I’m behind Michael Douglas!!
Is this the public pension or private ones? I’m 29 and my pension plan says I’m retiring at 65. Is this just a case of waiting three years to get the state one? I’m confused!
I suppose that means you can draw down your private one at 65.
If that’s the case I’d consider upping your contributions a bit.
But you won’t get the state one till 68.
And I suspect by the time you’re 68, the state pension may be diluted further; or postponed further.
I believe it is in reference to the state. I talked to my pension manager just last week and he discussed I couldn’t touch my private pension until I’m over 50 (it’s a company scheme one).
Mines a company one too but when I get to 65 (with a bit of luck) and I still feel like working, I will.
I don’t think I need to up it for the moment, I pay in 5% and my company matches it. Throw in the state one and it’ll be cruises a Long Island ice teas ;-)
And Long Island
Maybe a canoe on the Hudson but not much more I’m afraid. 10% of you salary for 40 years will give you a pension about 35% of you final salary.
Well with the rate of pay I’m expecting in oz next year that’ll be grand.
Mister J, iced tea AND Long Island ? That’s a really good pension.
Would you consider buying Ireland instead ? ;-)
We can’t supply enough jobs for those who want to work and they want those working to continue to do so
Laughable really ,
40 years for pension, work 50 , ten years extra paying for no benefit , fair enough if your fit enough
Personally I don’t want a 67 year old nurse caring for me or 67 year old builder building a wall over a week that a 30 year old can do in a week
The country will end up with nobody except people over the age of 50 or so. Younger people will have to emigrate to keep the over 65′s in jobs!
Does this apply to a TD?
They could introduce a slumber pill ,when you get to the point where you are no more use or are not productive enough to prop up the politicians yo will get one for free and off you go
But on the other hand there are a lot of people on forced retirement from the age of eighteen onwards
Everyone should have a minimum mandatory extra 10% of their salary put into their pension fund rather than raise the retirement age.
Paid for by whom?
By everyone who has a job.
I wish I’d had a mandatory 10% taken off my wage and put into a pension since I started working at 16.
It is a another problem that pension funds can go up as well as down of course, but perhaps the Government could do their bit by guaranteeing the capital.
Someone who put 5k in every year for 45 years at only 3% growth would have a 500k pension fund at the end.
They would find à way to scam it off you
There is a min 10% taken off everyone’s wage for pension – it’s called PRSI and then tax, USC and lots more besides.
As Robbie says, they would find a way to scam it off you. Private sector pensions are supposedly untouchable until you’re 65, but Noonan found a way. The lure of other people’s money is irresistible to the likes of yer man.
No a TD is treated a tad different
Does this mean that if youre ill and are given 10 years to live at the age of 40, that youll receive your pension and it will be backdated to make up for the years you wont be around for?
Live life the opposite of what the government, health freaks etc want, run up massive bills…..then drop dead…. Bastards get buck all from you….
What does Mr Martin know about hard manual labour or even stressful jobs that requires a lot of attention to detail?.
now I’m not being age discrimination but as people get old their reflexes get slower etc could you imagine a 68 year old emergency service worker pulling someone from a burning house etc.
This govt and the one before it hadn’t the balls to do the right thing and bring all govt pensions including former TD/minister to the actual retirement age oxf 65.
My pension plan says 38yrs old and legally entitled to claim my pension
How about this for an idea. If you don’t work all your life, unless you have a disability, you get no pension?
So the country will be full of old people working and no jobs for the young great idea who comes up with these useless reports.
There is a solution to retiring early. Work hard and save and invest for your own retirement. Many have done it and are now being screwed by the system. “Tax the wealthy”say the lefties and the shiners and rob the people who have provided for their own retirement.
If anyone in Sinn Fein had any experience of legitimate commercial success (i.e achieved legally, not involving money laundering, theft or violence) and had an influence on policymaking, Sinn Fein would have a very different attitude towards people who have worked hard all their lives and generated some wealth. They’d be less likely to see it as a tax target.
Pat
You forget that thePRSI u pay is not for ur pension it’s for current pensioners and u will depend on young people paying prsi for ur pension when it’s ur time . However at the rate we lose young people to oz and who don’t come back means there won’t be enough in thr pot . Sorry to bring bad news
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