Let sentence fit the crime

10:35am Monday 14th July 2008

I DO think that any one carrying a gun or knife should receive the full penalty of the law.

To be scared for life as I was and a youth arrested for the attack on me and for him to walk out of the Crown Court with community service was not in my mind, justice.

I am one of the lucky ones who survived, others have not been so lucky and have lost their life. I underwent hours of surgery and 34 sutures in to my face and neck through knife wounds.

In America, if you are sentenced to a life imprisonment, you serve life. In the UK life means 15 years with a third off your sentence for good behaviour with the third remission off a life sentence and good conduct and early release on licence the offender is back on the streets within approximately four years. That to me, and the families who have lost one of their dearest, is wrong.

If stricter and tougher sentences are not given from the courts ie if the courts sentence a person to 10 years, that is what he or she should serve.

I appeal to our Redditch MP, Jacqui Smith, who is the Home Secretary, to pass an amendment that any person carrying a gun or knife receives the full sentence issued by the courts with no remission.

This is a deterrent. Or another option is those convicted of knife or gun crimes do National Service.

J A Pearce, Headless Cross, Redditch

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