Justice ? (From Barry And District News)

Justice ?

HAVING read your issue dated October 31, I must say that I am appalled at the system of so-called justice meted out by the local magistrates.

On the one hand you have a person over the drink-drive limit, has no insurance, and fraudulently used an excise licence, and who is fined a total of £150 - no charge for driving without an MOT, and apparently no court costs were awarded either.

In the same issue of your paper you have a person exceeding the speed limit, who is promptly fined £250, and ordered to pay £35 costs.

The glaring anomalies between the two cases are so obvious that further discussion of these cases would be pointless.

Apparently there is another case of a young lady exceeding 30mph which has been adjourned until November 6.

It will be interesting to see whether she is treated with the same leniency as our over the limit driver or subject to the blatant injustice suffered by the previously mentioned driver who exceeded the 30mph limit.

One question I would ask is "Who appoints the magistrates?"

Is there no guidance from the Law Society as to what punishment can be imposed on offenders, or are these magistrates a law unto themselves?

No wonder we have so little faith in the justice system which apparently lacks consistency in its sentencing.

W Zahra, Bassett Street, Barry