Readers' letters: Is this a charter for yobs and vandals?

Throughout my working life, I have respected and defended the jury system as an important guardian of liberty and not to be undermined.
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In the past, upon hearing critics casually remark that ‘the law is an ass’, I have perfunctorily dismissed them.

Following the perverse decision of the jury in the Colston statue trial when four young agitators were cleared after admitting brazenly tearing down the statue during a BLM protest and tipping it into Bristol harbour, I find myself having second thoughts.

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Defence counsel on their behalf articulated that their actions were politically motivated against the 17th century slave trader and the jury inexplicably agreed.

The toppled statue of Edward Colston lies on display in M Shed museum
 (Photo by Polly Thomas/Getty Images)The toppled statue of Edward Colston lies on display in M Shed museum
 (Photo by Polly Thomas/Getty Images)
The toppled statue of Edward Colston lies on display in M Shed museum (Photo by Polly Thomas/Getty Images)

Where do we go from here?

What message about the rule of law does it send out?

The verdict has set a dangerous precedent or, disturbingly, the jury has conceded the principle that criminal damage is justified provided it is in keeping with a fashionable woke political cause.

If people are offended by a statue, they should use the local democratic process to have them removed and not use mindless thuggish behaviour.

Over the past few days in my neighbourhood, sadly two glass bus shelters have been smashed to pieces.

I ask myself has this

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astonishing verdict opened the floodgates and provided a green light and charter for the yobs responsible to act in such a senseless manner.

Jim Oldcorn

Retired Det Insp

Great Harwood

energy

A question

of values

There’s rightly serious concern about the forthcoming increases in energy prices.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has published an Energy Hierarchy, which makes it clear that the first thing to do about energy is to reduce demand.

In homes this means better insulation, as well as technologies such as solar water heating. These should be a win-win – lower bills, more comfort, less CO2 emissions – but the upfront costs are prohibitive to many people, and so far Government schemes have failed to make them attractive.

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For short-term reasons, the UK has burned through most of its gas reserves, wasting half of the energy in gas by using it to generate electricity because it was cheap at the time.

The cost of gas is determined by world markets which has caused the current price spike, and from which we can’t isolate ourselves.

Developing our renewable resources – wind, sun and (particularly in the North West) tidal energy – will increase our energy independence and benefit the balance of payments, and prices should be more stable over the long term.

It comes down to a question of values. We can think of our own short-term costs and convenience, and let the future take care of itself, or we can think long-term and try to preserve things we value for future generations.

Edmund Dunstan

Lancaster

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