SIR: Retiring Police Supt Frank Birkenshaw is 'spot on' about an overhaul of the justice system (BEN Oct 12). It is blatantly self-perpetuating, even concerning lesser crime and civil matters.

I purchased, many years ago, a £40 cross-member for our Morris Minor which a Bolton 'back street' motor engineering firm were to fit. In the event, this 'trader' more or less stole the car part, and I threatened him with court, which made him laugh. Citizens' Advice got me a lawyer who said it was 'Small Claims Court' business. I won my case there by virtue of non-appearance of that trader.

I got nowhere towards return of the property or its value together with costs, for, on the two occasions the bailiffs entered the firm's premises, they reported that there was nothing to seize that would fetch the amount owed to me.

I protested that I'd seen loads of tools and equipment in the workship, only to be told that the law does not allow the tools of man's trade to be taken from him. The miscreant also claimed he didn't belong to Bolton, but to Blackpool, which apparently removed him further from being brought to book - ergo, this man could continue to dupe and steal from other 'innocents' ad infinitum.

The point is, of course, that Supt Birkenshaw's plea for 'an alternative which better protects the innocent, but more readily convicts the guilty' would probably work too well; emptying our courts, police cells, prisons and solicitors offices.

Modern methodology and technology renders many other categories or workers redundant, but methinks the justice system isn't prepared to let that happen to their own.

My best wishes to Supt Birkenshaw on his retirement.

Mr D Darroch

Birtenshaw Crescent

Bromley Cross

Bolton

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