Where are police to tackle those wreaking havoc? - Yorkshire Post letters

So Nigel Farage gets a milkshake thrown at him and because of his status, the police – quite rightly – make an arrest for common assault.

But, meanwhile, when Joe Public who doesn’t have his own personal security team or media coverage gets physically and verbally assaulted, personal belongings damaged or worse stolen, despite giving witness statements – or even having CCTV footage which clearly confirms a crime has been committed – still sees too many cases dismissed because there supposedly isn’t enough evidence to take the perpetrator to court.

The victim is left to foot the bill, bear the scars and personal trauma as though nothing ever happened.

It’s this lack of consistency and abhorrent failure in today’s society to punish those that wreak havoc and misery on innocent people’s lives that makes my blood boil.

Why should we continue to accept this shocking level of service from our police force? The old excuses about lack of resource, diminishing numbers and more serious matters to investigate are all wearing thin now, we need a major overall of public services and fast!

The way things are going, it won’t just be burglaries, assaults, vandalism and muggings that are filed in the “not serious enough to investigate” folder, it will soon become arson, armed robbery and manslaughter that get overlooked due to lazy and shambolic policing, red tape and process protocol, all of which 
are major contributors to stopping the modern day Mr and Mrs Plod from upholding the laws of the land and actually getting these anti-social pests off our streets.

Moral panic class divide

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

In the past they rightly banned the so-called sport of bear baiting, something once enjoyed by the working class.

Yet, until recently, fox hunting was legal. Indeed, at one stage, the Tories were seriously thinking of a free Commons vote to bring back this barbaric activity which is so loved by many of the aristocracy.

Now we have The Jeremy Kyle Show taken off the air, yet no-one says anything about Strictly Come Dancing despite its alleged curse on the relationships of participants.

Recognise anything here? That’s right, the programme being axed is one mainly watched by the poorest segment of society.

Two nations anyone?

Fines to help the NHS

From: Brian H Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

Like Miss J Ella (The Yorkshire Post, May 20) I am concerned about the shocking number of GP appointments missed when people fail to cancel. However, I don’t see why the offending patients should not be fined because the NHS is a free service.

Some years ago, I forgot an appointment with my NHS dentist made six months earlier. I was rightly fined.

Timetable is work of fiction

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

Can anybody tell me why First Bus Leeds bothers to put out a timetable? These are totally unreliable and the only way to know when your bus is coming is to ring the Metro office and find out. Otherwise you wait for a long time breathing in the toxic fumes from passing cars.

Fond farewell to students

From: Mrs L Smith, Admin Officer, Heckmondwike Grammar School.

Friday, May 17, marked the last day of school for Year 13 students at Heckmondwike Grammar School Sixth Form before they begin study leave for their final exams.

Students and staff celebrated in the traditional manner of dressing up in fancy dress and as always, the students produced their very best, with a vast array of excellent outfits on display. The final assembly involved much hilarity as well as tears.

We are very proud of this year group and the way that they have represented our school community – many hold offers for top universities and some very high calibre apprenticeships and we wish them the very best of luck in their A-Level exams, which begin next week.

Steady diet of doom

From: Peter Asquith-Cowen, Anlaby, near Beverley.

While I have genuine concern for people with mental health problems, as a nation, we seem to have developed a culture of misery and woe generated by poor quality TV programmes, political correctness as well as the focus of the news on cancer, carcinogenic foods, obesity, stabbings, et al which have produced a general malaise.

No wonder there are mental health problems! What with plastic floating about in the oceans, greenhouse emissions and the tedious ongoing saga of Brexit... is there any wonder countless people feel anxious, depressed and suicidal?

Plastic in the oceans hasn’t just happened overnight. Some journalists get on the bandwagon and suddenly, this is the most important thing, along with cutting greenhouse gases and forcing everyone to use electric cars.

What next can they find to increase our anxiety levels? The general public are cunningly made to feel they are to blame.

Nonsense, this is the long-term result of unbridled capitalism, greed and self-aggrandisement – led and encouraged by American big business.

Don’t blame the British people.