No deterrent to repeat crims

THE story in the Townsville Bulletin ( 30/ 10/ 17) about the 23- year- old ice addict who attempted to run over a police officer with a stolen motor bike after stealing a bottle of rum shines the spotlight on just how bad our failed justice system is.

Now this guy is a regular customer of the courts with multiple charges of serious assault and burglary and fail to appear and a history of unlicensed driving.

And yet the magistrate gives him a fully suspended six- month jail term and a sixmonth probation order.

Now surely this guy must be left thinking about what sort of crime he has to commit to get locked up these days?

Is this in line with community expectations? The justice system is supposed to be the mechanism that upholds the rule of law.

To me, this guy is just getting his loyalty card stamped at the courthouse and he will be back before long because there is absolutely no deterrent to him reoffending.

I believe we need to have a mandatory sentence that applies to when assault of a police officer is involved.

To get away with an attempt to run over an officer is not good enough, and if the courts refuse to give justice, we need to force them to apply it. The judges and magistrates are employed to deliver justice and if they cannot do their job they should be shown the exit door. MIKE ABRAHAM, KAP candidate for Mundingburra.