Thankfully he is not, but what do we do?
I have had a letter from a veteran of the community who says, without hesitation or doubt, that the only solution is a lot more police on the beat; a return to corporal punishment and longer prison sent
ences as useful methods to tackle violent behaviour.
And actually, although it is not naturally me, I can see me bending towards public flogging as a deterrent ... for even your average punch up.
I can see it now. A raised platform in the Market Place in front of the Clock Tower, where, instead of ASBOs being dished out, people are lined up for a right good thwacking.
People who carrying out violence are gutless cowards who have lost all respect for their fellow human beings.
If they can behave with no compunction, so outrageously, then they deserve their own degree of humiliation.
I can see crowds gathering for that!
And when they re-offend, which they surely will, the punishment should continuously be re-doubled.
Yes, a good flaying would certainly make these people think twice. We have gone too far and for too long, mollycoddling these spineless but vicious types. They don't deserve to be treated with anything but disdain....
But I know that none of this is the answer. Revenge, because that is what it is, might make us feel good for a moment, but it will not solve the problem of WHY people do these things.
This is the serious question that government (and maybe churches too), need to be addressing. NOW!