They decided to make an example of him.

他们决定处罚他以儆戒他人。

youdao

We believe that the British government declined to prosecute him to enable the US government to make an example of him.

BBC: Hacker loses extradition appeal

The 46-year-old said that the media were "baying" for the judge to make an example of him but asked Lord Bracadale to treat him as leniently as possible.

BBC: Tommy Sheridan jailed for three years for perjury

At the time of Mr Larsen's imprisonment, many people felt that the government was stretching the law to make an example of him, thus discouraging other fossil hunters from going anywhere near federal land.

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