Tougher sentences are welcomed

Dear Editor,

I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal to lay down tough guidelines on sentencing burglars. For far too long when it comes to serious crimes the only bars burglars saw was lounge bars after yet another suspended sentence with counselling and probation. At last the judiciary are listening. When the victim collapsed and died as he was about to confront the intruders they ran away without offering help. Originally the defendants were sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ imprisonment with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentences unduly lenient and they were both re-sentenced to seven years with the final eight months suspended.

In separate cases the Court of Appeal increased a burglar’s three-month prison sentence to two-and-a-half years and another 21-year-old burglar, with 64 previous convictions, had his prison sentence doubled from three and a half years to seven with the final two suspended. These thugs have turned rural Ireland into their playground and reduced frightened farmers to taking sleeping tablets at night. I also welcome the new common sense list of what constitutes an aggravated burglary. Planning and premeditation; two or more participants acting together; the targeting of residential properties, especially in rural areas and the targeting of residential property because the occupant was known to be vulnerable because of age, disability or some other factor. Regards,

Finbarr Filan RENUA, Sligo