The satirical magazine Private Eye usually reprints funny news stories from around the world, and we in turn couldn’t leave this one unnoticed.
Guards in a German prison were flummoxed by the disappearance of one Steffi Krause; she had long threatened to escape, but their jail was the most secure in Hanover. They thought.
At first we thought she must still be somewhere in the prison, and began searching for her. But she wasn’t here, and gradually we realised what must have happened.
A fellow inmate called Karin Schafer was due for release yesterday, and the suitcase she left with was unusually heavy – so heavy that a warden had to help her lift it onto the bus. Steffi Krause is quite small, and it’s obvious now that she must have been hiding inside the suitcase. Police are still looking for both teenagers.
After having a good laugh, we started wondering about the logistics of punishments the two girls would face when returned to prison. Obviously, there’s a thrashing in store for each of them. But would they be punished at the same time, or in sequence?
I think, they would have to be punished one after the other, because escaping from prison and smuggling somebody out of prison are different crimes.
But which crime is the more serious? Which girl would get a harder lashing with the thick prison strap? Or would they get the same number of strokes?
Ah, the dilemma.
Hmm tricky one because you could say the stowaway should get more as the other girl has really punished herself because if she hadn’t let her hide she’d be free. Though that indicates her term in prison didn’t really teach her a lesson so maybe they should get the same? And surely the warden supervising check out should also be punished for being stupid enough to think a pair of prison pyjamas and a toothbrush could be so heavy? Hmm
Could be even worse if either of them had misbehaved before their recapture, don’t you think, Chloe? Been to a party, got drunk, that sort of thing…?
I expect that poor little Steffi can convince the guards that she was kidnapped by the evil Karin and had tried to get the wardens attention from inside her suitcase cage, so perhaps she’ll just get to watch Karin being thrashed, until the notes detailing the escape plan are found, in Steffi’s writing…. Oh Dear! She’d really be in trouble then…
😮 Sarah that’s so devious! I like it…
Abel, surely it’s to be expected that they’d want to celebrate their escape?! They’d be a bit strange if they thought “I’m out of the slammer…what shall I do…I know…a quiet night of Corrie”. Though you are probably right and it wouldn’t exactly help their cases upon their recapture!
Sarah- burn the notes, burn the notes!
It’s the warders who should be in real trouble here, I think the governor will be having serious words with them…
Please don’t mention going to parties and getting drunk in front of Chloe… she’s a young and innocent girl who would never dream of doing such a thing 😉
Hah, That’s you told, Abel!