JUSTICE’ is a hot topic in the news this week.
The consensus suggests that it must be seen to be done.
Louise Casey, former head of Tony Blair’s Respect task force, community punishment offenders to be put to work wearing high-visibility bibs under proposals intended to restore confidence in the justice system. She also wants on-the-spot fines for disorder and a commissioner to champion crime issues on behalf of the public.
The Metropolitan Police Authority's youth scrutiny report meanwhile, following consultation with more than 1,000 youngsters, says young people believe there are too many legal loopholes for escaping justice.
Many people reading the story on the front of today’s Southport Visiter may well agree.
A gang of teenagers broke into the home of an elderly lady in Marshside while she was upstairs, and stole her life savings.
They later spent some of the cash, and even burnt a large quantity.
In five out of six cases, their parents had to pay £300 compensation to their traumatised victim, who appears to have been left £2,000 out of pocket.
The Visiter is banned from identifying any of them.
We only learned of the crime, and indeed the sentence given out, by chance. Calls to Southport Police every day failed to reveal that any crime had taken place, or that anyone had been arrested for the burglary, or that anyone had been punished for the incident.
The 82-year-old victim has been left so traumatised by the raid she dare not open her door even to social workers. We have deliberately withheld her identity and address.
Do you think justice has been done in this case? It’s your town - we’ll let you decide.
E-mail us at: visiternews@southportvisiter.co.uk or write to us at: Southport Visiter, 26-32 Tulketh St, Southport PR8 1BT.
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