Star comment: Make jail terms for knife crime longer
Above all else, it is the duty of Britain's criminal justice system to ensure that the perpetrators of the very worst crimes are kept away from the public.
Those despicable individuals who think nothing of preying on the elderly and the vulnerable have no place on the streets of a civilised society.
Violent thug Jamie James is a case in point.
As part of a brutal gang, the 21-year-old robbed petrified victims at knifepoint on a deserted canal towpath.
One victim was lured to a particular site where he kicked, punched and stabbed on before his attackers fled with cash and personal items.
Another incident saw James punch his victim several times and hold a knife to his throat.
James has been jailed for seven years eight months after he admitted three robberies, witness intimidation and possession of a knife.
There will be a range of opinions as to whether or not this is a sufficient sentence, bearing in mind the severity of the defendant's crimes.
But the reality is that James could well be back on our streets within four years.
If the authorities are serious about combatting knife crime, then extending maximum sentencing guidelines must be given serious consideration.
