What annoyed you (in the news) today?

Quality parenting right there.

./facepalm

The kid was accompanied by an adult, but the judge wants the mother there for what should be fairly obvious reasons... The kid already pleaded guilty, remember - this is just sentencing.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clynp35n353o

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that social services have long been well aware of this particular family, but they'll certainly be on the radar now...

I'm going to take a wild guess at the kid living with the mother, not the father.

but I think we can assume from the judge's comments and expectations that she is the acknowledged guardian for the boy. In the same way we can reasonably assume by omission that the father is not a registered guardian. Similarly because of the absence of mention of him by the press.

If we make those assumptions, then given the kid is in court, commentary that he needs his mum in his life at that particularly time is not unreasonable. "Boys like you..." could well be code for "boys [kids] who are single parent absent father". 

For all we know, and its not an unreasonable extrapolation given the words said and not said, the father is unknown, dead, or living in a foreign land. 

At least the uncle rocked up with him. 

This

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl23kygrj2o

Jailed in 2009 on an indefinite sentence

released on parole in 2013 ( which I think was way too soon )
Recalled for breaching Licence in 2015

Released again in 2022 ( even though the home secretary opposed it )
recalled now

Surely there comes a time when they have to say "That's it you stay behind bars for the rest of your natural life"

Absolutely. Didn't the original judge give her just a 5 year minimum?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9v8272vkxpo



That this is a crisis fuelled by the demands of tens of thousands of determined migrants, rather than by the profit-seeking motives of a loose network of criminals.

Yes I agree with the theme of this article. I've long felt blaming "criminal gangs" is a cop out - a bit like the "war" on drugs. The reason they exist is due to demand.

Also, they are all criminal due to the nature of the service they provide but it is very likely some are more responsible than others. Are they all nasty pieces of work taking huge sums from desperate migrants and then magnifying their risk by providing a dangerous service? Or do some of them see themselves as helping people get a better life or fleeing from war? Perhaps the latter type might at least provide life jackets for all and not overload boats. Who knows? We don't because this government, the last government and consequently the media all like to blame the "criminal gangs".