SIR – Law and order is one of the highest concerns of both politicians and constituents.
Fear of physical injury to individuals and the community is high on that agenda yet time after time our judiciary appears to give harsher sentences to those engaged in property crime.
I’m quite aware that our capitalist society quite rightly has to be protected and those engaged in ‘looking after themselves’ need reminding that they are stealing from everyone but why, when our prisons are full, are they not made to recompense by way of community service.
A good example is two recent court cases reported in the Worcester News. In ‘Man stamped on chest of girlfriend’ the defendant avoided immediate custody, while in another case a man was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for his part in an £80 cosmetics theft.
While the second man may have previous convictions it still makes little sense. No doubt the magistrates and judges would suggest that they are only following Home Office guidelines – but they are only guidelines.
STEVE MACKAY
Worcester
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