Peter Lemkey of Goodrich House, Goodrich, says it's ridiculous way to punish this man (From Hereford Times)

Peter Lemkey of Goodrich House, Goodrich, says it's ridiculous way to punish this man

8:00am Sunday 13th May 2012 in Letters

REGARDING your report last week of a drug addict who broke into a taxi, his punishment stretched credulity in our justice system to the limit.

Here we have an incorrigible miscreant who breaks into a taxi and steals £15 in order to satisfy his drug addiction which lands him with a fine of some £185.

I fail to comprehend such an absurd punishment.

This is someone who has no money, seemingly making a living by stealing, and our jurisprudence asks him to stump up £185.

How is he supposed to comply with this order? Break into some more taxis? Or mug someone? Or steal another bike, or all three?

How on earth could such absurd judgment be imposed on an impecunious person with little obvious prospect of income to meet this fine?

Surely, with a string of previous misdeeds common sense should have dictated a different course of action which would have taken him out of circulation for while,thus protecting people and property.

Or am I the only person to be perplexed by such a perverse outcome?

PETER LEMKEY, Goodrich House, Goodrich.