SIR - Keighley MP John Grogan has rightly joined in the criticism about the suspended sentence handed down by Judge David Hatton QC to Fayez Shofi for causing terror with a knife at Keighley Railway Station (T&A, July 24).
If it is appropriate to do so, then hopefully Mr Grogan will be approaching the Attorney General to try and have the sentence classed as unduly lenient and increased accordingly.
RELATED: MP John Grogan criticises judge
Secondly, however, questions must surely be asked of Judge Hatton. If he considers his sentence to be appropriate then perhaps it is time for him to step aside and let other judges preside who would hopefully have more consideration for the general public rather than the aggressor.
He may think that a term of imprisonment was “unjust”, but I suspect that he will be in a substantial minority in this regard. Indeed, that judges elsewhere have commented on the scourge of knife crime in our cities, and the need for deterrent sentences, says it all about this case.
Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon
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