All respect for system is gone; Record View.

THE community service system seemed a good idea when it was introduced - but the system has now clearly outlived its usefulness.

There have been several glaring problems highlighted in various courts throughout the country in recent weeks.

There are a variety of shortcomings: In some cases, the courts ignore community service because they do not consider it a valid or worthwhile sentence.

Elsewhere, some areas have lengthy waiting lists, which means offenders are not punished for months.

And in other instances, criminals simply ignore the sentence handed down and refuse to carry out the work they're ordered to do.

Yesterday, a sheriff let a common thief who robbed a Good Samaritan walk free because there was no point jailing her for failing to carry out 120 hours' work.

Our senior lawmen have clearly given up with this system of punishment which has now become totally discredited under the watch of SNP Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill.

This is the same minister who wants to tie the hands of sheriffs and judges by banning them from locking up criminals for less than six months.

MacAskill is always quick off the mark with sound bites but he is presiding over a soft-touch system of his own creation which criminals laugh at.

And it's a system in which those who lay down the law as well as the law-abiding public have no faith.