DOG THING TO DO

A MAN’S threat to harm a magistrate by striking him with a “dog shot” has earned him three days in the lockup.

That’s the good news, although he deserved more. The bad news is that even though he was sentenced yesterday, the time has already been served, counted as part of the defendant’s stay at Her Majesty’s pleasure that stemmed from separate matters.

The contempt of court charge over the threat was dealt with yesterday by another magistrate who told the defendant – Chase Brooks – that it was unacceptable. Indeed, it was abhorrent behaviour.

It was also gutless. Brooks had told a duty lawyer that if he ever saw the magistrate who had berated his friend at a previous hearing when she swore in the courtroom, he would “dog shot” him. In other words, hit him in the back of the head, which to most people equates to a coward punch.

The huge majority of law-abiding people will be disgusted by such contempt for the justice system, but unfortunately it is symptomatic of the times. Men and women show up at court dressed as though they’re off to the beach or a sleazy nightclub. Dirty T-shirts and sneakers, boardshorts, skimpy dresses and skyscraper heels are the norm.

Where is the respect for the courts – or the fear? Where is the respect for police and paramedics, who have become punching bags for drunken and drugged-up ferals? The system has gone soft.