One mid-afternoon while travelling alone through the centre of York a youth attacked me in my vehicle.

The police were called and I was fortunate to have two wonderful witnesses.

The court hearing was a fiasco. The accused pleaded guilty and was fined £50 plus £50 compensation to myself - which no doubt I will never see. However, it cost me over £250. The police were excellent and so too was the Witness Protection Agency.

My disgust and utter dismay is with the magistrates that hand out these paltry and laughable sentences to thugs who seem to have a licence to roam and terrify our streets at will. I am the one who is being punished - not the guilty party!

What a pity the magistrates don't have to stand for election and be voted in by the public.

Only then will the streets of York and any other cities be free from fear.

Name and address supplied.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.