14 DAY TRIAL // An English man who stands 220cm (7ft 2) tall was released from jail after a judge said he was too big to fit in prison beds and uniforms.
Jude Medcalf from Newton Abbot, Devon, was diagnosed with Klinefelter Syndrome, a growth disorder which means he is still growing and is experiencing adolescent emotions. Although he committed several crimes, the 23-year-old man was freed from custody partly because there were no prison beds big enough for him.
After learning that he was suffering from this rare condition, Medcalf went on a crime spree which culminated with him firing a BB gun at an innocent woman, through a window. According to Exeter Crown Court, he also stole £30 ($50/€36) of Christmas presents and tea money from an NHS office.
The big man admitted to possessing an imitation firearm and a bladed item, burglary and criminal damage and was remanded in custody until the court sentenced him.
However, the judge who presided his case, Mr. Adam Vaitilingam QC, decided to free him from prison after he was told the man had already spent 75 days in custody, where he had faced problems due to the fact that the beds and uniforms were too small for him.
“He is also a target because he is big enough to be seen as someone who it is impressive to assault, but immature enough that he cannot deal with it. He has been targeted twice and had a black eye the last time he came to court,” Medcalf's lawyer William Parkhill said, according to Daily Mail.
As a result, the criminal was only given a six-month curfew and 12-month community order.
Recorder Vaitilingam justified his decision by saying that Medcalf “had a lot of difficulty in life,” and that people used to pick on him due to his condition.
“In the pre-sentence report the probation service argue strongly for a non-custodial sentence and point out you have had a lot of difficulty in life,” he said.
Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic disorder in which there is at least one extra X chromosome in comparison to a standard human male. It was first diagnosed in 1942 by Dr. Harry Klinefelter at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
The condition causes a variety of physical and behavioural differences and problems, like gender issues, sterility and skeletal difficulties. Sufferers are also known to develop a very aggressive side.