Violent crime now out of all control

THANKS to the archdeacon of austerity, the former Chancellor, George Osborne, the draconian cuts in finance to the police service are now beginning to bite.

After an unprecedented eruption of violence in London resulting in murder and serious injury it becomes obvious to me, at least, that there are insufficient police officers available to contain such an epidemic of lawlessness. Consequently, I believe that the most severe punishments must be handed out to such wicked miscreants.

And I am convinced that we must again look at the possible return of capital punishment.

Yes, there were dreadful mistakes made in the days when capital punishment was in force, and the likes of Timothy Evans, who was later found to be innocent, faced the gallows.

But today, with the advent of DNA testing, the likelihood of similar miscarriages of justice is greatly diminished.

By sheer chance, this week has seen the arrest on suspicion of murder of an elderly gentleman who, after catching two thieves in his house, fought back with a blade and fatally stabbed one of them in the process, defending himself, his wife and property.

I just hope that any judge before whom he appears will see this to be an example of self-protection and acquits the gentleman accordingly. Unfortunately, we have now to face up to the fact that violent crime in the UK is presently out of control: and drastic measures are required to halt this virulent contagion.

Jeff Lloyd Porthcawl