IN response to 'Lawyer defends appeal system' (March 25), how foolish of the man or woman in the street to think we taxpayers pay megabucks to our Crown Court judges to bestow sentences on the criminals who pass through their hands, and that the criminal will serve that sentence.

Mr Julian Tanikal, head criminal lawyer, says "Every decision made by magistrates and judges is open to scrutiny", hence the 200 months slashed off prison sentences last year.

So are we just going through the motions of a legal system; should we save loads of money and have cardboard cut-outs dressed in gowns and wigs sitting in judgement?

A nice money spinner driven by all concerned, the case is over and done with, the sentence passed but let's keep it going a bit longer.

The same can be said of the "can I sue?" mentality; conceived and driven by lawyers to make easy money and paid for by everyone in the form of higher insurance premiums.

The old adage, the law is an ass, has never been more true and the only people who seem to come out laughing are the criminals and the lawyers.

I hope they can sleep with a clear conscience at night because I firmly believe the victim will have his day.

R Waite,

Windmill Rise,

Holgate, York.

Updated: 09:27 Wednesday, March 30, 2005