I don't usually check out the Daily Mail, but while I was looking up the source for the "Asian Toilet" thread, I caught a glimpse of this travesty of justice :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1299982/TV-manager-killed-wife-row-overcooked-roast-beef-locked-18-months.html

TV executive who killed wife after row over 'burned roast beef' locked up for 18 months... but he'll be out by Christmas

By Claire Ellicott

Last updated at 8:00 AM on 4th August 2010

A television executive who killed his wife with a single blow after she burned his roast beef dinner was sentenced to just 18 months in prison yesterday – but will be free by Christmas.

Jonathan Wicks, 48, hit his petite wife Sarah, 49, so hard he ruptured an artery in her neck and she died immediately.

He then fled the scene before launching a foul-mouthed tirade at police officers trying to arrest him, telling them: 'My wife is dead. I may have killed her. Do you really think I give a flying ****?’

But yesterday, a judge praised Wicks for leading a ‘respectable and successful’ life and described the fateful argument as a ‘tiff’ as he handed down sentence.

Following a four-week trial, the location manager, who has worked on BBC1’s Holby City, comedy series Absolutely Fabulous and Waking the Dead, was found guilty of manslaughter.

Sentencing him at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday, Judge Richard Griffith-Jones described his actions as ‘unattractive’ and said: 'You're a man of hitherto good character who has led a respectable and successful life.

'That success encompassed what I believe to be a loving and harmonious domestic life.

'That was brought to a tragic end during a tiff between you and your much-loved wife which in many other instances would have caused bruising but in this instance caused her death.’

He added: ‘It's an important feature of this case that there's no suggestion of previous domestic violence.

'It's a further important feature of this case that the argument arose very quickly and in your own home.

'It's not a case of the sort of yobbish violence in public which is so often a feature of one blow manslaughter cases.’

During the trial at Warwick Crown Court in May, Wicks claimed he acted in self-defence after his wife threw plates at him at their £500,000 converted church home in Stourton, near Shipston, Warwickshire.

The court heard the couple were having financial problems after Wicks struggled to find work as a freelance locations manager while his wife’s career as fashion designer in London took off.

She hosted a lunchtime party with three other couples to celebrate Wicks' turning 47 on April 25, 2009.

The guests drank six bottles of wine and champagne, but during dinner Wicks complained that his wife had over-cooked the roast beef.

He also moaned about an ornamental log which Mrs Wicks had bought him as a present telling her he was going to take it back to the shop.

After the last guest left at 8.30pm, his wife asked him for help with the washing-up.

The couple rowed and 6ft 2in Wicks claimed his petite wife hurled five dirty plates at him, leading him to fear she was going to 'scratch my eyes out'.

Wicks retaliated with a punch or slap to her head, killing her with a single blow.

He then sped away from the house in his car and telephoned a friend who persuaded him to return to the house 20 minutes later where he dialled 999.

He told an ambulance operator his wife had fallen over but he was then heard to say: 'Come on. No, no, you can't die, not over a f**king argument.'

Paramedics arrived to find Mrs Wicks lying on her back on the kitchen floor surrounded with broken plates with Wicks crouching next to her.

He then pleaded with them to do something to help her, and said: ''What have I done? I've killed her. I hit her.

'She was throwing plates at me and I hit her. Oh my God, what have I done? It should be me lying there. Just hit me with a blunt object.'

Mrs Wicks was rushed to Horton Hospital in Banbury, Oxon, but was pronounced dead.

Wicks, who was two and a half times over the legal drink-drive limit when he hit his wife, also launched a four-letter tirade at police when they arrested him on suspicion of murdering her.

He raged: 'My wife is dead. I may have killed her. Do you really think I give a flying ****?

'Your procedures are really ******* annoying me.'

David Howker QC, defending, said: 'This was a trivial tit-for-tat argument at the end of a pleasant lunch.

'This resulted in the victim throwing plates at Mr Wicks which resulted in the blow.’

Wicks will serve half of his 18-month sentence before being released on licence. The 110 days Wicks has already served in custody will also be deducted.

No family members were available for comment after the case.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1299982/TV-manager-killed-wife-row-overcooked-roast-beef-locked-18-months.html#ixzz0vcs5Gtab

This was a big guy hitting a small woman and killing her, which is far worse than manslaughter, whatever the circumstances. If I hit someone my own size (180cm plus) and injure him, I'd get a two-to-five year sentence for GBH. If I killed him I'd have to be pretty sharp to get off with less than ten.

Was the judge a guest at the dinner party? Or has he rented-out property for this guy to televise?

It stinks. Hitting a woman - ten years. Hurting her - another consecutive tenner. Killing her - double it.

The judge must belong to his club.

Yeah, stinx bigtime.

I read that too and was shocked at the leniency of his sentence.

Drunk drivers (without killing anyone) get longer sentences, lose their licences, jobs etc. I am not condoning drink driving.

That toe rag must have friends in high places.

Thank you both.

I thought that maybe I was getting to be a moaning, whinging, stupid old fart.

(Please do not comment on this post :jap: )

Thank you both.

I thought that maybe I was getting to be a moaning, whinging, stupid old fart.

(Please do not comment on this post :jap: )

In Canada they get a severe talking to and told to please not do it again.

Do what the Unions do. Anything gets up their nose, they picket !!!!