Where’s The Justice?
A lady I know was called to court today over a serious crime. Due to an oversight, she had failed to renew her TV licence (yes, she had one to begin with). She had moved to temporary accommodation for a few months and in the confusion forgot to renew the licence. She eventually managed to sort things out, but there was a two-week discrepancy in payments. So, she received a summons.
Horrified, she contacted the TV licence agency to find out how she could make up the difference. They told her she couldn’t. Once the summons has been issued, she must attend court. So today, quaking with fear, she attended court. Only to be told there would be no hearings today and everyone would be called back at some point in September. So my friend’s ordeal is not over.
Excuse Me While I Take Off My Rose-Tinted Glasses…
Take a look around people. Shankill Sean Kelly is walking the streets, a free man. Gangs of Loyalist thugs roam the streets intimidating - even killing - people they don’t see eye to eye with. Police issue nationalist residents with fire blankets to protect them from petrol bombs. The Columbia 3 mysteriously re-appear in the Republic of Ireland, and despite the outcry Ireland shrugs it’s shoulders. A teenage girl is raped in West Belfast and apparently police disregard information being handed to them.
Let’s not forget the Northern Bank heist and the brutal killing of Robert McCartney, two serious crimes that are currently being brushed under the media carpet. Didn’t take us long to tire of those upstart McCartney sisters, did it? Even though they had a point. Best just let it lie, eh?
The Bigger Picture
There’s a lot we could say about all of the above issues. A lot has already been said.
The point here is that while ordinary law-abiding citizens are being harrassed over what amounts to a few quid, violent people control our society with no regard for the rest of us. And they get away with it.
Is anyone else as frustrated as I am? Instead of answers, our political parties create a smoke-screen of tired, pointless debate, then the issue disappears. Nobody gets an explanation. The public don’t count.
We simply don’t count.
I’m convinced that the PSNI are under orders not to confront the paramilitaries and that long term “community policing” responsibilities will be informally passed over to the IRA and the loyalists.
Garnerville, the lack of meaningful action in N.Antrim,the scaling down of the NBK and Mccartney investigations are all evidence of this.
In theory, this should leave PSNI witn more time to concentrate on cases such as the rape last weekend, but it seems that the force has become so demoralised that even this kind of investigation is now beyond them.
Paul, that is a terrifying thought! I know the PSNI isn’t elected, but they at least have some degree of accountability (however small!)
The PSNI are supposedly the most accountable police force in Europe. They’re just accountable to the wrong people for the wrong things.
Effectiveness doesn’t come into it, as long as you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings or bruise a wrist while handcuffing a suspect who’s attempting to escape.
Human rights my arse.
Beano: I agree. What about the ‘human rights’ of those officers injured on duty?
The point I’m trying to make is about skewed perspective. Decent, working class people are trying to get on with their lives while terrible crimes are being carried out in broad daylight.
Why do loyalists and republicans get away (mostly) without charge? Why are the police apathetic toward solving crimes?
The decent people of Northern Ireland don’t count anymore (if they ever did), and I’m guessing most of us are too frightened to stick our necks out and defend ourselves.