SHERIFF DAVIDSON managed to prove how out of touch he is with people on the streets.
His sentence of eight months for the stabbing of a great-gran in Dundee is pathetic.
What happened to Labour’s promise of three years in jail for carrying a knife?
Does this not apply here or is it more lies from politicians? — Law-abiding.
Court system
I READ the story of Mrs Fox and the assault on her with a knife in the Tele.
Her husband said, “You read about the police saying people caught with knives will be remanded, but that was not our experience.”
It is important to emphasise it is only the court system, not the police service, that decides whether or not to remand an accused person or grant them bail.
In all likelihood, the police would have strongly recommended an assailant such as this would be remanded.
All too often, the police get the blame for rising crime and “doing nothing” when the reality is that officers’ hard work goes to waste due to lacklustre prosecution, weak laws or ridiculously lenient sentencing. — Yella Jaiket.
Doing nothing
USING ATTENTION Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as an excuse for anti-social behaviour is ludicrous.
Basic vandalism of property, especially communal closes, goes unpunished.
And at times it seems only to be me who does the fighting and complaining. Councillors do nothing.
When is something going to be done to alleviate the stress and depression people are going through because of anti-social behaviour. — Kenneth Hill, Brownhill Road, Dundee.
Dicing with death
WITH THE new Morrisons being built off Forfar Road in Dundee, the inevitable traffic disruptions have caused an utter nightmare.
Alloway Terrace simply isn’t wide enough to cope with the traffic.
Kids playing in the street will be dicing with death.
It is only a matter of time before an accident happens. — Hilltown Hawk.
Disgust at police attitude
I WAS disgusted to read about the young lad, who had his bike stolen, and more so at the police’s attitude.
How can law abiding and criminal citizens have any respect or fear of Tayside Police?
According to the police web site they have five rules:
1 To uphold the law (not in this case)
2 Protect life and property (again not in this case)
3 Preserve order (perhaps? they gave advice)
4 Prevent crime and detect offenders (this was done for them to no avail)
5 Reassure the public through the provision of a high-quality service that offers advice, assistance and protection to everyone in the community (in my book that did not work)
Perhaps the matter of policing within the community should have a higher profile within the news media, thus making the police more accountable for their actions or lack of them. — William Donald.
Disabled parking: what are rules
WHAT ARE the legal rights of a person who has a disabled parking space on the street?
Are other cars allowed to use the space while visiting with the disabled driver parking somewhere else?
Also if a car is parked in a driveway, must the exit be kept clear? — Parking Nightmare.
[Acting Sergeant Dave Young of Tayside Police said, “Disabled parking spaces are provided by the council to allow the relevant person to park outside or near to their home.
“Although they are not legally enforceable, there is a moral obligation to leave them free for their intended use.
“Other persons may use the parking space with the consent of the disabled driver. Persons parking a vehicle across a driveway may be charged with obstruction if, by those actions, the householder is deprived of the use of their vehicle.”
A spokeswoman for Dundee City Council said, “Disabled parking spaces have been created purely for access convenience of disabled residents. The space is intended only for disabled badge holders. If a driveway is blocked, it is considered an obstruction and the police have legal powers to move the vehicle.”
We pay tax
I ASSURE readers, people like myself, living on Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance, do indeed pay Council Tax.
They even took money each week from my benefit for so-called arrears, which I managed to prove I did not owe and was eventually given a refund.
If there is a way not to pay this tax because of being on benefits, I wish I knew what it was. — Carnoustie Payer.
Black hole
NOBODY DENIES that a tram system is a good idea, but how do you pay for it?
The report commissioned by the Scottish Executive showed there was a potential black hole in the project. — Dundee Reader.
Name them
ANYONE GUILTY of causing the carnage at Camperdown Park you must be named and shamed — never mind the legal reasons.
When they are named, also give them a few strokes of the birch.
That’s the only deterrent that will work. — Reader.
One way to resolve issue
FORMER LABOUR leader Jack McConnell, Annabel Goldie (Tories) and Nicol Stephen (Lib Dems) came together to offer a referendum on independence.
They know full well our democracy was removed 300 years ago by the Act of Union, which was introduced against the wishes of anyone classed as ordinary. What an injustice.
Therefore this matter can only be resolved by a referendum like the one that brought our new parliament into being.
The Treasury in England still controls all the purse strings on behalf of five and a half million Scots, regardless of what we want. — R. G., Kirriemuir.
Reluctance
I CAN’T understand the opposition parties’ reluctance to back the SNP’s plans on a referendum on independence.
If they are correct and the majority of Scots don’t want independence, then they have nothing to lose, in fact they have a lot to gain.
I wonder if they are scared to have a proper debate and scared to trust the people.
All this nonsense about a waste of public money didn’t seem to be an issue when we had the referendum on devolution in the first place. — Political Connoisseur.
Proud to support
PEOPLE SHOULD accept that more Scots voted for the SNP than any other party — and at the core of the SNP manifesto is a pledge for a referendum on independence.
Independence is something I am proud to support and I do not see the union flag as my flag as I do not believe in the forced union.
The saltire is Scotland’s flag. Scotland is a country, therefore we should fly our flag on our public buildings. — Jeff Duncan, Dundee.
Generous gift for Ben
TO THE four companies 203020 Taxis, Tay Taxis, Tele Taxis and 505050 for their generous gift of £100 for Ben, who is going to London to have reconstructive surgery on his ear.
The money is for him to enjoy a special treat once he is over the surgery. — Ben’s Gran.
We have duty towards Iraqis
OXFAM HAS issued a damning report on the state of Iraq four years into the occupation.
It accuses the US and Britain of putting the country in “deep trauma”. The charity found that four million Iraqis (15% of the population) are in dire need of humanitarian assistance and cannot buy enough to eat.
Three quarters of the population are without adequate water and, needless to say, children are the biggest losers.
Over two million people have been displaced inside Iraq and a further two million have become refugees, mainly to Syria and Jordan.
The US and Britain, who invaded the country, have a duty to look after the Iraqi people and they have already failed. — D. O’Sullivan, Dundee.
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