WHAT'S happening to law and order in this country, when a judge can impose a fine of £300 plus £50 costs on a shop keeper for defending himself with a harmless spray, against a robber armed with a knife?

I've also heard of another robbery of a 92-year-old man, who managed to thump the robber as he ran away -- and was told by the police he could have been charged for hitting him.

It's about time these magistrates started thinking about the law-abiding citizens, instead of giving animals all the protection they can. The present softly, softly system of punishment is not working. So let's bring back the cane in schools and corporal punishment for young offenders who continue to break the law.

I know all the do-gooders and human rights people will have plenty to say, but I say to them, it's a human right to be able to leave your house and walk the street without being assaulted and robbed. And my final say to these magistrates is: you might be brainy -- but you've no common sense.

Mr D Taylor,

Westbourne Avenue, Bolton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.