Council Speech
It is the expectation of the public that when those who are strongly perceived to be a threat to the public either by their track record or on the recommendation of the police that the judiciary will acknowledge that threat and place the person in custody.
There was a public outcry when local magistrate released onto the streets a young east Belfast man with 109 convictions, 92 of them for burglary, in opposition to the compelling recommendation of the police and against a common sense approach. Especially when the person is arrested by the police leaving premises, a senior citizens care home, that he had no business being in.
It can only be said that when persistent offenders are brought before ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ they and their lawyers must think it is their lucky day.
Many elderly people in the east of the city will sleep a little easier in their beds now knowing that the offender is at the present in custody having broken his bail conditions.
When rearrested and taken before Belfast High Court Mr Justice Hart said: “His record would leave no one in any doubt whatever that there is an extremely strong risk of further offences being committed if he is admitted to bail. There is a clear and indeed overwhelming and obvious risk of further offences.”
The rational and wise approach of Mr Justice Hart stands in stark contrast to the daft or dippy attitude of ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ.
It is not for the public to judge if this persistent offender is guilty of the current offence with which he is charged. However, there are serious questions being asked by the public about this case and answers need to be given. On the proposal of Cllr David Browne at the last meeting of the DPP the members unanimously agreed that I as Chairman write to the Lord Chief Justice to express concerns about how this matter was handled.
There is throughout the community a fear of being a victim of crime. The public rightly criticise the police when they don’t do their duty. But the duty of the police is all the more difficult when a member of the judiciary is refusing to live in the real world.
I commend the motion to the Council.
