Sir, – Is our justice system gone mad? It appears that, if sentencing is anything to go by, it is a more serious offence to import garlic labelled as apples, than it is to neglect one’s children to the point of cruelty. (One could substitute this with a multitude of serious criminal offences for which lenient sentencing is passed down almost daily.) The shockingly lenient sentence of 18 months for psychologically damaging one’s children (Home News, March 2nd) compared to six years for tax evasion when Paul Begley made a full admission and is repaying his debts (Home News, March 10th). It beggars belief. – Yours, etc,
Sir,– The exorbitantly lengthy prison sentence handed down on Friday to fruit importer Paul Begley (Home News, March 10th) proves our so-called justice system has irretrievably lost its way.
Every day the newspapers report the details of court proceedings against violent sociopaths who have murdered, raped and tortured innocent victims and every day the public is dismayed to discover the leniency of our judges when it comes to the sentencing of the perpetrators of these depraved and vicious crimes. We all know that white-collar crime has brought our economy to its knees in recent years, but none of those bankers and politicians responsible has yet been brought to book.
Scapegoating a relatively small- time businessman over such a minor scam is a ridiculously excessive way to send out a message to corporate criminals when we all know that ship has sailed. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The six-year sentence imposed on Paul Begley (Home News, March 10th) is an outrage to all right-thinking people.
The injustice is compounded by the absurd differential between VAT rates on garlic and other similar produce and by the fact that Mr Begley was already making repayments of VAT to Revenue.
Senior banking figures who brought this country to its knees are still walking around four years later, the irreversible destruction of an ancient ring-fort merits a mere €25,000 fine and violent thugs regularly receive sentences of similar or even lesser severity.
In the interests of justice and common decency, the relevant Minister should intervene at once. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – So Chinese garlic is taxed at 24 times the rate of other imported fruits and vegetables (Home News, March 10th). It’s not possible this is because of bloodsucking vampires at the Revenue, is it? – Yours,etc,