Sir, - A worrying trend is appearing in our system of justice. On July 16th you reported that several court convictions for driving offences were offset by the payment of a sum to charity. This is not the first report of such a practice. Recently at Swords District Court a man convicted of motoring offences was similarly treated (Fingal Independent, July 4th).
Historians might very well welcome this as a return to Gaelic custom whereby offenders were exonerated from guilt on the payment of recompense to their victims. However, we now aspire to a more balanced system of justice, designed to deal with all citizens equally, and we expect the courts to strive for impartiality. Yet on the face of it, those of sufficient means to afford a car which can reach speeds of 90 miles an hour will, on giving money to the charity chosen by court, be exempt from punishment.
To enrich the coffers of any charity is noteworthy but the manner in which this is being done is shocking and offensive to fair-minded people. The decisions of the courts may not be questioned but these judgments do raise several thorny and topical questions:
Why are the courts channelling money to hospitals and charitable bodies when the Government should be doing so from public funds?
If the law is blind, why does it view the criminal actions of those with money to give away as pardonable?
Do the charities concerned welcome the donations, given their source of origin, or do they simply not worry where the money comes from?
Is there a point at which money will not excuse criminal acts? - Yours, etc.,
Orfhlaith Ramsey, Purley Park, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.