Justice must get tough on violence

THERE could hardly be a more chilling insight into the spiral of violence now ravaging the country than yesterday’s observation

In a damning comment on the inconsistency of judicial sentencing, former Detective Inspector Gerry O’Carroll, noted for his role in the fight against crime, strongly criticised some judges as “misguided” and accused them of having forgotten the essence of what justice is all about.

Increasingly, the public is concerned over the wide disparity of sentences handed down in the Irish courts. As often as not, the lack of consistency can be attributed to the failure by successive governments to create a level playing field in terms of sentencing policy.