Well, I know what you mean, Graeme, but we have to look at what is appropriate ...
It is one thing to "work off" a conviction, another to rehabilitate a criminal.
Now, should burglars be disallowed from owning locks? Should it be mandatory for anyone convicted of showing disrespect for someone else's property that they must live with an "open house", doors that merely fasten?
Should people with convictions for violence be "free targets" - should the police be allowed to ignore their claims that they have been attacked, because they have previously been convicted of causing bodily harm?
Now, once upon a time I was severely beaten up in E16 by a pack of yobs who wanted to look inside my (empty) van while I was taking a leak.
They rolled up the side door like they were using a tin opener, then left a useless youth to discourage me from taking action (initiation rite). When I stuck him against a wall because he was getting on my nerves, a couple of big Nwords appeared out of nowhere and gave me a kicking (and another one nicked my phone as it bounced across the pavement, which was still waiting for Plod to pick up). When I got up, I wandered into a local newsagents, bleeding all over the place, and Mr Patel had already summoned Plod - lots of plod turned up, but it was too late, Ethel.
The moral of this story comes from an interview with DS Chief Plod before I went to the hospital, in which I said that I had a feeling that events were dictated by a ginger youth who was sitting on the corner when I pulled up - just the look he gave told me the story, but he was not in it anywhere else.
DS Chief Plod said he knew exactly what (and who) I meant, but unfortunately ...
I was left with three cracked ribs, broken glasses and no means of support.
Disqualify them from owning locks, taking out insurance, and any other means of security - no limited company to get around the disqualification. No insurance, no car, make them walk or catch buses. Make them go past a review board every five years to get limited privileges restored. Make them learn how it feels to be nervous.
WTH this does not help the current victim, Baby John ...
A friend, a Green Howards army sergeant veteran who lost use of an ear in NI due to a bomb going off in it during The Troubles, was left with a useless right arm when knocked off his scooter by a lorry driver. The court exonerated the lorry driver because my pal had concussion-induced amnesia.
My cousin died when his bike was in a collision with a bus. The bus driver was cleared of all charges because there were no witnesses ...
A lot later, his sister was hit by a lorry while walking along the pavement on a busy A road and spent 10 weeks in intensive care, and months longer coming back to "being normal". The offender was never identified ... in the meantime, the family business (a shop) went down the tubes ...
Her son was in an accident with a lorry. Bike wrecked, 3 months in intensive care, and the court came down in favour of the other driver because he couldn't remember what happened. He's almost human now, 20 odd years on, but he will never be "right". You into "biker talk"? His mates call him "Animal", after the muppet drummer - he was an electrician, once.
They lived next door, so it was closer to home than it would be in usual circumstances.
OK, I admit I have an axe to grind - but I know how it feels ...
