Brutal assaults on the elderly expose our justice system

How many more elderly people will it take to be savagely beaten up and frightened to return to their homes before the Government brings in legislation to increase prison sentences and for the judiciary to implement harsher prison terms?

Time and time again we read about some animal beating up old citizens and then telling the judge they are remorseful for their actions.

Judges appear to be fooled by them but we all know the reason they are sorry is because they are caught.

We all know that a guilty plea will save court time and reduce costs but cost should not come into it when our elderly citizens are beaten and terrorised.

Bring the full weight of the law down on these animals once and for all and let our elderly citizens sleep in peace in their beds.

Seamus Broderick, Cobh, Co. Cork. …The call by Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae for those who burgled the home of an elderly Tipperary couple to be tagged for life when convicted will have wide support among the general public.

Mr Healy-Rae raised the attack on Jimmy Campion, 94, and his wife Maura, 87, in Roscrea. He said two men had attacked Mr Campion and broke his walking stick over his head.

The attack was also raised in the Dáil by the Taoiseach, who called it ‘wanton brutality’. Enda Kenny said he hoped local gardaí would find those responsible and that the judge would deal with them when they were brought before the courts.

Ireland’s justice system is a gross misnomer. Victims of crime are constantly betrayed by courts which are temples of institutionalised leniency.

The entire system is now geared towards upholding the rights of criminals rather than public safety.

While the law-abiding public is let down, most offenders know they have little to fear from an appearance in our courts. Some decisions of these courts show a callous contempt for victims.

Our criminal justice system holds that crime is a symptom of inequality, poverty or oppression, so criminals need support rather than punishment.

Surely society’s primary sympathies should lie with the victims of crime? Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin 6w.