Sir, Paul O'Mahony's opposition to the Referendum, on the grounds that "bail is too complex", provided an interesting exercise in academic gymnastics. There is nothing complex about what is going on at the moment. Vicious criminals are laughing all the way to their next crime, on the back of our soft bail laws.
If a judge refuses bail to a rapist when he believes that there is a real risk that he may reoffend and subject another woman to an ordeal of sexual violence, then that judge can hardly be accused of infringing civil liberties. Let's keep it simple.
This bail referendum will prevent some vicious thugs from committing some vicious crimes. It is not the only answer to the complex problem of crime in modern society, but it is a straightforward solution to one aspect of the overall crime problem. - Yours, etc.,
Terenure Road West,
Dublin 6W.