Friday's Letters: Human rights for offenders turn the law upside down

I had behind me seven years' Royal Navy service and two in the police service, so felt reasonably equipped for work within the justice

system. It had been my goal for at least 20 years.

The ethos of the Probation Service I entered was still, in the 1980s, "advise, assist and befriend".

By the time I left, 15 years later, the service was being directed gradually away from those tenets – mainly through political policy.

Often part of my advice to young offenders when being interviewed for the old "Social Enquiry Report", prior to sentence at magistrates' or crown courts, was to point out to them that, having taken a car belonging to someone else, entered someone's dwelling or other property, they had in fact forfeited some of their rights.

Not "human rights" that we hear too much about these days – they seem to have further muddied already muddy waters so far as justice, full stop.

Simply stepping outside the law gave them lesser entitlements than law-abiding citizens.

When they complained about the harshness of a sentence, I tried to help them to see they had exposed themselves to such risk. A good reason for avoiding the courts altogether. I would be laughed out of court today.

In recent years, changes in legislation have, in my opinion, almost turned the law up-side-down in many respects.

However, last week's ruling that servicemen and women are to be denied any entitlement under the Human Rights Act leaves me utterly exasperated.

It becomes all the more incredible in the light of recent successful claims by not a few people serving sentence in our prisons on what, I'm sure others would agree, seem trivial grounds in some cases.

What sort of message does this send to our brave service personnel who are risking their lives daily?

How must the consenting parents of the many who enlisted before the age of 18 be now feeling?

I dread to think.

From: John Bolton, Gregory Springs Mount, Mirfield.

Hard slog in this summer of sport

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

I CAN assure Paul Alexander (Yorkshire Post, July 1) he is not alone in criticising the ridiculous way in which football is allowed to dominate the media throughout the year.

As he says, there used to be a blessed relief from it during the summer months but now at the beginning of July, we are looking at the whole thing starting up again with practice matches.

As far as I'm concerned, tennis can be added to the list though it's only for a fortnight. The eventual winner(s) can be predicted at the start of the process from a very short list. Just like football, now I come to think of it.

To top it all, cricket, our other national game, is now given over to matches consisting of a few overs of mindless slogging.

This might be all right in the context of the village green but is a sad reflection of how far this noble game has sunk to pander to the masses.

From: Peter Whittell, Wold Terrace, Leavening, Malton, North Yorkshire.

I SEE that Wayne Rooney's autographed World Cup boots are up for grabs in a competition organised by one of England's sponsors.

I would dearly love to win them. That would be the tombola booby prize at our village summer fete taken care of.

Let the Pope pay his way

From: Andrew Cooper, Ascot Avenue, Kimberley, Notts.

THE taxpayer has had to rescue the country from economic collapse and if that's not asking too much, they are now asked to contribute towards the cost of the Pope's visit to this country. Yes, the lunatics have taken over the asylum.

What will the taxpayer be asked to pay for next? Fabio Capello's salary? Why not? The culture of reward for failure is endemic in our society now.

From: John Craven, Green, Road, Baildon, Bradford.

I AM gobsmacked to discover the cost of the Pope's visit to this country is a mind-blowing 15m and rising. Have they lost all sense of proportion?

If the Catholic Church want the Pope to visit, let them or His Holiness pay for it, although I am sure that the visit will provide lots of comfort to the people who will lose their jobs or the children who continue to be educated in crumbling school buildings.

Another possible solution would be to let Tony Blair contribute to the cost out of the huge amount of money it is costing for him to jolly around the world at the taxpayers' expense.

Cuckoo in the nest

From: Anne Hughes, South End, Thorne, Doncaster.

AFTER reading Malcolm Barker's article (Yorkshire Post, July 3), I felt moved to reply. He may feel better to know some people are working hard to look after the birds and small creatures he fears losing.

We in Thorne are lucky to live adjacent to Thorne Moor, part of the now (after many battles with bureaucracy) protected Humber Head Peat lands. Fragile rare flowers grow there and insect life abounds.

As the moor has now been allowed to return to its natural boggy nature, water birds and birds of many other varieties are seen there.

Migrating birds also find it a useful place to stay a while. The moor also supports several kinds of deer.

But the thing I would most like to tell Malcolm is we have heard and seen cuckoos this year. We hear them every year but this is the first year I have seen them, two no less. They must find what they need here in our neck of the woods.

Maybe the new garden he visited will become populated with small creatures when it matures a little. And maybe some will appear in his garden soon. Fingers crossed.

Loyal pride of place

From: Michael Ellison, Knapping Hill, Harrogate.

EVERY Saturday when I get my copy of the Yorkshire Post, I immediately look at two supplements for the features "Words of The Week" and "My Yorkshire".

In the latter it is pleasing how many of the contributors make positive references to the forthrightness, openness, honesty, and warmth of Yorkshire people. Also, there is a common theme of reference to the diversity of the landscape, coastline, and urban history of our great county.

Nearly everybody demonstrates they are proud of their Yorkshire roots. In particular, I was delighted to read that Shaun Dooley (Yorkshire Post, July 3) is loyal to Barnsley. It is pleasing to note that he still supports his home town football club, and has not switched his allegiance to "popular" Premiership club.

I often say a true native of Yorkshire would never admit to supporting a team from London or the other side of the Pennines. That is why I support Harrogate Town and try to attend every home match.

Couples who pay the price for fertility treatment

From: JG Riseley, Harcourt Drive, Harrogate.

IT was surprising to read (Yorkshire Post, June 25) of additional funding for IVF in Yorkshire, given the financial climate. The NHS budget may be protected, but there is a trend, in medicine as in defence, for expensive new capabilities to be developed which can now only be adopted through savings or cuts elsewhere.

Many would see fertility treatment as falling outside the scope of our commitment to free medical provision for all. The arbitrary way in which it is rationed invites a clean sweep, with patients self-funding or being assisted through charities. That would also clarify ethical debate in this area, with the issue of what the state should permit people to do no longer being confused with that of what it should assist them to do.

Even after being rationalised, the system will still variously fund up to three cycles of IVF, most of those distinctions purely on the basis of geography. There seems to have been no consideration given to reconciling aspiration (and NICE guidelines) with available resources through partial funding. A uniform system could be applied across the region, with a decreasing proportion of NHS funding being provided for second and third cycles. Categories of patient now excluded could also be funded to a lower proportion.

There is hardly a consensus that the state should ensure IVF is

accessible to the very poorest, as we would expect life-saving treatment to be.

Some restrictions on eligibility are based upon the perceived chances of success for certain categories of patient being too low (This includes the upper age limit, which NICE is considering replacing by an ovarian reserve test).

Would it not be reasonable to leave this judgment to the patient, allowing those who self-fund to reclaim the cost of a fully successful cycle? It might be argued that those who can self-fund don't need this help, but since they would then have a baby to support, it is quite likely that they would.

Holidays and market forces

From: Dr SU Ruff, Gowland Court, Ogleforth, York.

I STRONGLY disapprove of your indignation about holiday pricing (Yorkshire Post, July 3).

I have no connection whatsoever with the holiday industry, but I want to remind your readers that, in our economic system, the selling price of goods and services is determined entirely by what the market will bear and not by the cost of manufacture or the provision of the

service. If the selling price achieved is less than the cost, you go bankrupt. If it is a lot more, you get rich.

The concept of fairness is irrelevant to the conduct of trade.

Are you, perhaps, suggesting that there should be a government imposed "family friendly surcharge" on out-of-season holidays?

Hard cell

From: Patricia Schofield, Blaxton, Doncaster.

WHAT a cheek, whatever next... prisoners complaining about the prices in their shop and their menu (Yorkshire Post, July 6). I agree with the comments made by Philip Davies, the Tory MP for Shipley. If you don't like the conditions, then stay out of prison.

Mad protection

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

CHANCELLOR George Osborne has asked most Government ministries to work out and look at implementing cuts of between 25 and 40 per cent, but has again said that the NHS and international aid will be ringfenced and protected. That is sheer madness.

Poor law

From: Les Arnott, Athelstan Road, Sheffield.

WHICH laws to scrap, Mr Clegg (Yorkshire Post, July 1)? Easy. The 1972 European Communities Act. Nothing else can equal the importance of

ridding ourselves of this vile legislation.