Two strikes and out for violent offenders

We had a dreadful case which came to court this week.  The conviction of Graham Jarman for the murder of Mrs Richardson in Hexham illustrates how on occasions the criminal justice system fails us all leading to tragic consequences.  Mrs Richardson an elderly lady, was sitting down to lunch in the quiet rural town of Hexham when Jarman knocked on her door and brutally attacked her with a hammer leaving her for dead.  This was not the first time he had done such a thing and the homicide investigation involved all of the regions police forces trying to track him down.  As is usual his arrest was due to a quick witted member of the public, a Librarian who had saved a photo of him after the police had circulated an appeal for information about his location  His arrest and conviction is a fine example of the region’s police forces and Crown Prosecution Service working together to detain a very dangerous individual.  The ‘manhunt;’ was an excellent piece of detective work by all those involved.  However the fact of the matter is that Jarman should never have been set free to strike in the first place.  He had a string of convictions for robbery, rape and kidnap all of which were of a horrific nature.   On each occasion he was released early from prison allowing him to stalk and prey upon vulnerable women.  His is a case, which is no different to Donald Neilson, ‘the Black Panther’ or Peter Sutcliffe, the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’.  He should never be released from prison ever again.  That’s why I’m advocating that we should have a ‘two strikes and out’ system for violent offenders who attack women, children or the vulnerable.  Once again our region is left with a family grieving for a loved one and I’m sure the impact of this brutal and callous crime will never ever leave them.  We all have a duty to rectify this situation and I believe that we must aim to put victims first and offenders second to redress the present imbalance in our criminal justice system.