When are the best interests of crime victims put first?

Put yourself in the shoes of Alistair Rankin for a moment.

He’s the man who was held hostage by gun-toting Andrew Patrick and forced to take what he thought was a bomb into a bank with a note demanding money.

By any standards, that must have been a terrifying experience.

Patrick was sentenced to almost seven years in jail last May, but is now close to being allowed home visits from his open prison. He could be home at Christmas.

Alistair has undergone the experience of his life being put at high risk, followed by the court case and the details being published around the world. It would have all been traumatic.

But worse will have been the things others didn’t see. The sleepless nights, the anxiety, the details of that horrible day running through his mind again and again. He has been undergoing therapy. No one can come through an ordeal like that unscathed.

Alistair thought he was safe while Patrick was behind bars. He thought his family was safe. He had been told there was no chance of Patrick being released for several years yet.

Though his life had been damaged, he was trying to rebuild it, trying to move on.

Now Alistair faces the prospect of meeting his kidnapper in the street. They live 10 miles apart. Patrick could jump into the back of Alistair’s taxi.

Where is the protection for Alistair? Where is the consideration of what is happening in his life?

Why does this happen? Why don’t criminals serve time that reflects the severity of the crimes they have committed?

Why are we constantly hearing of criminals being released early, despite the worries and fears of their victims?

This isn’t justice.