Punishment must fit the Crime - Birnie
Esmond Birnie UUP candidate South Belfast:
“News of yet another violent assault in South Belfast on a worker in an off licence on Sunday raises yet again the question whether the deterrents against such crime are adequate.
“There is some evidence, both statistical and anecdotal, that Magistrates and Judges in Northern Ireland are less inclined to impose lengthy prison sentences than their English counterparts. One might wonder why this is? It can hardly be that Belfast is so much more law abiding than its GB counterparts because I doubt that we are.
“It is time for this situation to change. There should be an independent review of sentencing policy in Northern Ireland relative to GB. Make the punishment fit the crime.”