I WRITE regarding Wednesday’s Examiner front page story headlined “Guilty Of Raping A Child.”
At first it looks like yet another disgusting story that seems to fill newspapers these days. But when you read on you can see the other terrible side to this tale.
The defendant in this case pleaded guilty but has not been locked away thereby guaranteeing that he can never do such an horrific thing to another child ever again.
Instead, the judge has made him sign the Sex Offenders Register and ‘warned’ him he might go to jail.
What does it take to get locked up these days if not attacking a child?
The judge then went on to commend the child rapist for owning up: ‘The fact that you have done so will very much be to your credit.’
Stewart Plaatsman, the hospital worker who admitted raping a child, was allowed to leave court on bail pending sentence.
So, as the law appears to have failed the community, the only way to protect your children is a blurred picture on a newspaper’s front page.
This is yet another piece of evidence that proves the system today no longer works. This is not an isolated incident.
Many seem to have had some crime committed against them or someone close to them that was not dealt with by the law in a satisfactory manner. It must stop: we need real justice.
If you agree with me then I urge you to act. Don’t just complain about it in your daily small talk like so many of us do – tell your local councillors, MPs, judges, police officers, community leaders and anyone else you think has power exactly how you feel.
Remember these people were put in their positions by you, and are paid by you, to work for you.
If you are not happy with the way things are done then tell them you want change.
Then get your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to do the same and spread the word. If we citizens don’t act now, things will only get worse.
Phil Bell
Slaithwaite
A problem unresolved
IT IS INTERESTING to note in the light of recent comments about Kirklees councillors that one of my local councillors, Clr Woodhead, has announced nine months prior to the elections that he will be standing again.
This establishes quite clearly that his main priority for the area is that of his own re-election.
In his recent newsletter to the electors he claims that anti-social behaviour has been dealt with.
Perhaps he would like to come and take a look round and talk to the many residents who are sick to death of the situation in parts of Honley which suffer repeated problems – an issue he, quite remarkably, seems to think has been solved. Actually it’s getting worse.
It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that, like so many other areas, we would benefit substantially from the return of our local police station.
We don’t need councillors with blinkers on who see the ballot box and party politics as their main priority.
STEPHEN GREEN
Honley
Some mothers
I HAVE serious doubts about the maturity and suitability for parenting of a mother who allows a petulant teenager to choose between wearing an ear-ring or sitting an exam.
Richard Huddleston
West Slaithwaite
Nasty drugs
THE letter from Mrs G Bridge (September 24), on the subject of the legalising of drugs is fraught with imponderables.
Since I am a novice on the subject and I have never had the benefits of the mind-blowing effects of drugs (thank God) commonsense prevails.
Such legislation would not deter people from trying these substances or becoming addicted to them. Look at alcohol.
People use drugs for a variety of reasons – to escape the harsh reality of our existence being one among many.
Drugs cut across all sectors of society. Cocaine is allegedly a social drug among the middle and higher echelons: drugs used by (thankfully not all) professionals as social recreation.
The drugs industry is, by all accounts, a multi-billion pound industry run by some worthless and nasty people.
Afghanistan has the poppy cartels and cocaine cartels are rife in Columbia, Brazil and parts of Europe.
The Mafia and unscrupulous business people are among those who profit from a nasty, pernicious, slippery trade. Drugs and prostitution seem to go hand in hand.
Our services pick up the pieces and trauma caused by drugs, or at least try to.
The police know they are fighting a losing battle. Drugs are endemic in society and the world over.
It seems they rarely catch the top people in this murky and sordid trade.
To my mind the legalising of drugs is not the answer to this big problem.
Perhaps more personal responsibility and less selfishness would be a start, coupled with more Christian understanding of the mental and psychological flaws in our sinful natures: we need places where people can receive counselling and healing.
CMC
Oakes
Day trips out
MY friend and I decided to stay a few days in Newcastle using our bus pass. We were offered a bed from my sister so one Saturday morning we took the train to Leeds and then a bus to Scarborough.
The bus was full of OAPs with their suitcases going on holiday. We got upstairs and sat on the front seat. It was like being in the cockpit of an aeroplane. The view was magnificent. It was a sunny day.
We arrived in Scarborough at 1pm, crossed over the road and waited 10 minutes and got on another bus to Middlesbrough. Then we were off again.
We had a sandwich and drinks en route and stretched our legs while we waited for our next bus to Newcastle. The bus was not very full. Everyone was local.
My friend fell asleep. I was on sentry duty to wake her when the Angel of the North came into view.
The scenery was superb and we reached the bus terminus at 5.40pm. Hurray! We caught the service Metro to St Anthony’s, Walker. My friend thought everyone was speaking Chinese – she couldn’t understand them. We stayed for five days.
We went to Durham Cathedral, Quayside in the centre of Newcastle, walked over Millennium Bridge, saw the Sage Theatre.
My friend bought a television in the sales and that came back with us on to Huddersfield the same route. It was great.
We go all over, York, where we walk and picnic by the river, Whitby, Bridlington, Skipton and Harrogate.
We tried Blackpool but missed the connection and had too long to wait so we went to the Lowry Museum at Salford.
MRS JOAN HOLROYD
Holmfirth
Bipolar drugs
WE read with interest the report on Katherine Beaumont and her court appearance (Examiner, August 25).
Ms Beaumont appears to explain her appalling behaviour on her suffering from bipolar disorder.
Our experience of this disorder contradicts Ms Beaumont. It is vital that mood stabilising medication is taken regularly.
Many sufferers claim that they manage the condition without taking mood stabilisers but they are deceiving themselves.
It is a shame that Ms Beaumont claims that her anti-social behaviour is a result of her bipolar condition. She is either anti-social naturally or her refusal to take medication affects her social skills.
Either way her refusal to accept any responsibility for her actions stigmatises all sufferers of mental illness, particularly sufferers of bipolar.
Bipolar is a condition which can be treated and managed but not cured.
We hope Ms Beaumont is compliant with medication and she sees the improvement in her condition and the subsequent improvement in her lifestyle
Hubert and Pamela Murphy
Elland
How we vote
THERE’S already been quite a bit of interest in the Government’s proposal to hold a referendum throughout the UK on the voting system we use to elect MPs.
This is due to take place on May 5 next year, when there will also be local government elections in some parts of England.
Now is the time for Examiner readers to make sure they have filled in and returned the annual canvass forms they will have received through the post, to make sure they are on the electoral register.
They can even request a postal vote now, so that no matter where they’ll be on polling day, they won’t miss their chance to have their say.
Our website, www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, has lots of information about the annual canvass and forthcoming elections and referenda.
Peter Wardle
Chief Executive, Electoral Commission
Better kit
COME on Giants, upgrade your merchandise! I tried to buy a jersey for my five-year-old nephew and nothing!
I urge Richard Thewlis and Ken Davy to go on some NRL team websites and look at their merchandise – it’s way ahead of ours. Scrap Kooga, it is a joke.
The team is moving forward, so move our merchandise forward too.
gary
Fartown
Blank looks
I HEAR there’s a new Google Instant techno-whatsit which predicts the info that a person is putting in without waiting for the end of a phrase – nothing new there, then.
My 85-year-old friend has been doing that for many years, which causes my ‘computer’ to go blank for between two and five seconds while I try to remember what it was I was telling her.
A CLARK
Dalton
Get off my line
YOUR excellent feature writer Denis Kilcommons writes about annoying phone calls he receives.
I agree totally as I too have had calls from people saying is the home owner there please? Are you interested in buying this, that and the other?
I usually put the phone down on them. What’s most annoying is that they usually ring at mealtimes.
I am ex-directory so how on earth these people get my home number amazes me.
I only usually give my number to close friends and family. I accept those who phone have a job to do but that job is not to invade people’s privacy should they wish it.
If I wanted Tom, Dick and Harry to ring me would I have gone ex-directory?
COLIN VAUSE
Marsh
