Case will do little to dampen criticism

If there is one thing guaranteed to get an opposition politician champing at the bit it is the very whiff of “soft-touch justice”.

The policy of automatic early release, for example, must have generated literally thousands of headlines, with seething politicians reacting to news that criminals released early from jail terms have gone on to commit yet more heinous crimes.

It is often a fair criticism and there is no doubt the justice system falls some considerable way short of the ideal we would all envisage.

However, on many occasions the authorities do get it right, and there can be no doubt all those involved work hard to achieve the most appropriate results.

Yet, even with the best will in the world, there are times when things go badly wrong.

The case of Cameron Burnside is undoubtedly one such example.

Failing to keep a man with a history of violence in custody following the latest in a long line of assaults was a mistake — it does not even take the luxury of hindsight to work that out.

Anyone who has been convicted nearly 20 times in the space of just three years is a clear risk.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis was left baffled by the decision to release him following the latest allegation of criminality.

He will be far from alone.