Not such a reward after all…
I recently objected to the legislative distinction between murder and attempted murder, reasoning that since in both cases the intention was to kill, the punishment should be the same.
Well, it turns out, the British judicial system agrees. The maximum punishment for attempted murder is indeed a life sentence. While this is different from the mandatory life sentence for murder, it allows for judicial discretion, and the failure to commit murder does not necessarily lead to a lesser punishment.
So, while I was ignorant, I now have the satisfaction of knowing that my local justice system is just.
