Letter to the editor: Seeing the front page headline (Family of thugs, September 3) it just angers me so much at how persistently weak justice is in the UK, and how it always seems to swing in favour of the criminals/offenders.

It does not matter whether its an unprovoked assault like the story explained about, or someone’s attack dog ripping into another person’s innocent dog at great expense to that owner, to street muggings/assaults to criminal damage etc, the list could go on, but what I am sick to the back teeth of seeing are the words “suspended sentence” at the end of the perpetrator’s court appearance.

We have all read or seen on the news some terrible results of muggings especially on elderly, or unprovoked attacks on people just out for a social evening, even stabbings or sexual assaults, but when you read the outcome of the court case it is always the same – sentenced to 12 months for example suspended for two years and some lame amount in compensation.

What is up with the judicial system in this country? These people do not need leniency, God knows the victims never got any, but they need to be taken off our streets for as long as possible.

Is it any wonder the modern piece of antisocial violent street vermin whether young or old enough to know better do not fear police or the justice system?

Not when it is almost a dead cert they will get a suspended sentence or community service.

It is bad enough that if they do get put away they will lord it up in one of Her Majesty’s five star hotels as they have become thanks to the hated human rights act, while the victims merely get to slowly recover and try to get their lives back on track.

I remember the safer times back in the 1970s when an offender could be banged up for a first offence. Now they are given endless slaps on wrists for their 30th offence while their lawyers wring their hands at their pay packet, regardless of outcome.

Our weak Government needs to start toughening up our judicial system and stop pandering to the every whim of offenders and look at their crimes and how the victims are affected.

Kick out all the old judges who are way past their sell by date and put in those who understand modern society and your modern criminal.

Better yet, scrap any human rights for offenders once charged, adopt the American style of policing and the US prison regime, then see how how the tables will turn and then maybe victims of crimes will finally be put first.

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