Channel 4 has revealed the results of an exclusive survey examining attitudes towards the death penalty in the UK. The Ipsos MORI survey has been commissioned by Channel 4 to coincide with a new hard-hitting drama, The Execution of Gary Glitter, which will air in November this year.

The survey results among British adults include the following:

70 per cent think the UK should still have the death penalty as the maximum possible penalty for at least one of the 12 different types of crime surveyed
73 per cent agree (50 per cent strongly agree) that the views of the public are being ignored by politicians and the Government when setting maximum sentences and penalties for serious crimes.
76 per cent agree (51 per cent strongly agree) that there should be more open debate in the UK about the penalties for serious crimes, including the death penalty.
77 per cent agree (56 per cent strongly agree) that they are concerned that the maximum penalties (or sentences) that are set in the UK for child abuse are not severe enough

The Execution of Gary Glitter, a one-off 90 minute film, will air on Monday 9th November. Set in an imaginary Britain in which the death penalty has been re-introduced, this fictional feature-length drama confronts the viewer with the possible consequences of capital punishment in the UK.

In this alternative reality, the public, sickened by a spate of serious child abuse cases, has demanded the return of the ultimate penalty. The first person to be tried under the new Capital Crimes Against Children legislation is ‘Paul Gadd’, aka 1970s glam rock star Gary Glitter. Charged with sex crimes against children, Gadd faces the possibility that, if found guilty, he will become the first person to be executed in Britain in almost half a century.

A courtroom drama shot in the style of a documentary The Execution of Gary Glitter explores how society deals with its most reviled offenders, and whether capital punishment has a place in modern society.

Head of Documentaries and More4, Hamish Mykura says: “High profile crimes against children often prompt calls for the return of the death penalty – this drama confronts the public with what many say they want.

“Putting a resonant figure like Gary Glitter into a fictional situation helps to engage the viewer as the drama unfolds.

“The debate around the death penalty arouses passions on both sides. This drama, with its compelling and original narrative, is an intelligent and thought-provoking examination of the issue.”

Written and directed by Rob Coldstream, the film is executive produced by Samir Shah and made by Juniper.

The film will be followed by an online debate about capital punishment at channel4.com, chaired by Samir Shah.

 Copyright Channel 4 Television Corporation

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Comments (6 posted):

Eddie on 14/02/2010 04:12:55

Tara wants to know how executing a killer makes me any better than him. Oh let me see! Oh, I got it!! The murderer gets a trial, an appeals process, and a defense lawyer. Funny, I don't remember the murder victim getting any of these! The murderer killed an innocent person. I'm executing a murdering scumbag and have no regrets about it. Also, be careful of the websites that you check out. The 123 number is not correct. It is simply a number fabricated by a anti-death penalty group. Also, most people released on appeal have been released because evidence was thrown out not because they were found innocent! There is a difference!
Gary, asked if murders were stopped when Britain had the death penalty. I don't know about stopped. However, I did read that there were an average of roughly 300-350 murders per year in 1940's Britain with a population of 42 million. Meanwhile, modern Britain has 61 million people and over 1,000 murders a year. Interesting fact, don't you think? Here is another interesting fact, the United States went 10 years(1967-1977) without executing anyone. For four of those years(1972-1976), the death penalty was outlawed in the United States. Guess what, the murder rate rose sharply during that time. Currently, the United States executes between 50-60 murderers a year. In addition, Americans with no criminal records are allowed to obtain concealed carry permits in 48 states and 33 states allow citizens to use deadly force to defend their property without fear of prosecution or duty to retreat. The results are that the United States murder rate is at its lowest level since 1961 and falling(has been falling since early 1990's). The violent crime rate is at its lowest level in 40 years and falling(in the midst of a serious recession). Also, interestingly enough, a study showed that only 11% of home breakins in America occur when someone is home(opposed to over 50% in Canada). Main reason cited by arrested criminals in the study was fear of encountering an armed homeowner. Do criminals have such a fear in Britain?

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Dionne on 13/12/2009 22:26:06

I personally think that prisons are far too soft on criminals, and if we made them into the horrible, depressing, back breaking houses of labour that they used to be, maybe that would be deterrant enough for petty criminals. Yet, as a parent, if someone abused or killed one of my precious children, I'd want them dead. I think that the adults who tortured and killed baby P deserve to die. I think that anyone who preys on our children deserves death. I don't think they deserve the chance at a normal life. They've taken so much from the children that they've abused- they've marked them for life. They don't deserve to ever be part of society again, they're dangerous and can NEVER take back or make up for what they did. Rather than pay to keep them comfortable for the rest of their days, we should either hang them, or actually have a real prison like they used to have, where offenders are actually made to pay for their crimes, instead of just waiting to be released. I think hanging should only be an option when there is irrefutable evidence against the accused. Then there can be none of this "but they could be innocent" malarky. If their crimes cannot be proven, they should be detained until they can be sentenced one way or the other. I don't agree with us being barbaric, and just hanging anyone who commits a crime. Stealing someones car stereo would be a pretty trivial thing to hang for- but I do agree with the feelings of most of the nation when it comes to paedophiles and murderers. My husband's brother is currently in prison after a series of serious *** offences on children in the family, and I truly wouldn't be sorry to see him hang for it. Once he's served his pathetic sentence for abusing and raping children, does he then deserve to be welcomed back into the family with open arms, and go about his daily business, as no threat to anyone, just because he's been in prison for a couple of years? Or does he deserve to spend the rest of his life incarcerated, or should he hang? I'd pick either of the last 2 options- we are TOO SOFT on criminals!! That's why there are so many of them!!! Because there isn't a hard enough line on crime.

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on 08/12/2009 18:03:22

I am also very shocked that there are so many people wanting to bring back capital punishment to England. Over 123 people in the USA alone have been release from death row after further evidence! I don't even like to think of how many innocent lives may have been lost due to the sentence. THE DEATH PENALTY COSTS MORE MONEY THAN IMPRISONMENT people don't realize that putting money towards the source of the problem would be sooooo much more effective than reinstating the death penalty. As a Christian I am completely against the death penalty. After all, God worked through Moses and he killed someone.

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leslyann on 10/11/2009 09:21:10

iam sorry that i have read some comments that some people think the death paenalty is taking it a step to far ... well I PERSONALLY DONT AGREE WITH THESE PEOPLE ... i think the death penalty should be re-introduced, as there are to many re offenders who think prison is a holiday camp .. they get sent to prison do serve there time ... but they dont sereve any time they have the life of riley sat back all things provided and on release they commit another crime ... well i am affraid that i am so fed up of working to pay my taxes to keep these disgusting people in a more comfortable life style thaan i lead... you are also for getting about the people left behind or picking the pieces up that these people leave behind ..SO YES BRING THE DEATH PENALTY BACK SOONER RATHER THAN LATER I SAY

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Tara on 10/11/2009 08:28:19

I totally agree with the above comment, I am shocked that so many people want to bring back the death sentence. Innocent people are still put in jail and in other countries that have the death sentence have even killed people who were innocent and found out after. I agree that people need to be punished and currently some people are not taking committing a crime seriously as some of the jail sentences are too short. Is the death sentence really the answer to trying to stop people committing the crimes or can harsher sentences be made. What makes us any less guilty than the criminal if we put them to death are we not also murders then? It's still taking a life.

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Gary on 09/11/2009 22:58:19

I can't believe there are so many people ready to bring back the death penalty, over 54% in a survey in sept 2009 are in favour of reintroduction. While we still lock up innocent people how can we justify hanging them. This is a step backward and to say that bringing back the death penalty will stop them doing the crime is nonsense..... Well did it stop people committing a crime when we have the death penalty........ NO IT DIDN'T !!! so all we are going to do is kill some innocent people while getting the guilty ones. Im not saying people that kill or molest children shouldn't go without punishment BUT Death i don't think that is the way forward. We already copy the U.S.A in most things they do lets not follow suit in this one.

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