Criminals should pay the price

14/02/2007

The letter from your correspondent Mr Norman Richards in your February edition opposing the death penalty for certain catagories of murder cannot go unchallenged.
 
Brutal paedophiles who abuse and slaughter children, ruthless killers who snuff out the lives of those victims whom they rob, as well as vicious criminals who murder police officers, are amongst those who forfeit the right to life and they should pay the ultimate penalty
 
Why should they be fed and maintained in comparative comfort at taxpayers' expense?
 
Crime is out of control in Britain and it qualifies for 'the Queen's Award to Industry' and it costs more to keep a criminal in prison than to send a pupil to Eton.
 
Why then should the public have to foot the bill for murderers' keep, when so many millions of honest people, including pensioners, are struggling to exist?
 
The whole point of having laws is to protect society's most vulnerable citizens, to punish the guilty and to act as an effective deterrent.
 
The vast majority of the British public would vote for an immedite return of the death penalty, if only they were given the opportunity to do so, which they are not. Why not?  Because of weak and wishy washy puppet politicians who lack the backbone and guts to do the job for which they are paid  handsomely and which involves protecting the public whom they are supposed to represent.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Lomond Handley