Why Bother with Judges?

The police are so brilliant, let's let them issue on-the-spot fines for rape, murder, negligence, no need for judges or juries in the modern world

OK, I'm being slightly melodramatic - but have you heard the quiet news that the police are to be given powers to fine you on-the-spot for dangerous driving?

Now it's one thing to be done for drink driving - that involves facts, but dangerous driving? How would you define that? Careering across the road? Mounting the kerb? Slightly swaying over a motorway line? All this and more can be added to the list if an officer is feeling particularly over-zealous, or if the police need some revenue

Because to be 'driving dangerously' is subjective - it's open for debate, and there are no strict rules, like having a blood alcohol level, so the police can do what they like

This is why we have courts! To ensure justice, it is not the police's job to sentence people, the police respond by saying:

"it can result in a reduction in the amount of time that police officers spend completing paperwork and attending court"

No sh*t, Sherlock, taking the courts out of the legal system will always reduce the time spent in court...there does have to be a logical point at which you can't cut public services, otherwise we should just be cutting the police and courts completely

It would be much quicker to simply accuse suspects of murder and then stick them in prison, none of that gathering evidence or trial business - I sound mad, but it's the same logic, giving the police this level of power undermines the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary

I seriously can't believe Labour would actually do this, giving police free rein over the roads is ridiculous even by their standards, and I haven't even gone into how they'll use it for revenue (there's that independent judiciary thing again)

I'm angry...rahhh!