Wrong people are being jailed - Kelly

A Wexford town councillor has expressed outrage after being approached by a constituent who was briefly jailed for not paying their TV license recently.  The person, who wishes to remain anonymous, was jailed in the same week that a gang believed to be involved in a string of local burglaries were released out of garda custody on the order of the courts.

"It seems incredible that our justice system finds it unfair to hold a gang suspected of robbing houses across the south of this county while its perfectly right to jail a person who fell behind and was unable to pay their television license on time," Sinn Féin Cllr Anthony Kelly said.  "There are people across this county, particularly the elderly who live on their own, afraid to close their eyes at night because of the recent antics of roaming gangs.  Yet it seems in the eyes of our justice system, a person without a TV license is more of a threat to society."

"The Gardaí have being working hard over the last few months to smash the gangs that have been robbing homes across the county.  They have made great gains and their efforts have been felt and appreciated, especially in rural communities that have been blighted by this crime wave.  However, their hands are often tied by a tired, out of touch justice system."

"Efforts need to be made to make the justice system work for ordinary people.  It should exist to keep communities safe, not to act as yet another thing to have to worry about."