BRITISH society has long since moved on from an 'eye for an eye' justice system, and most would agree it s a sensible evolution.

BRITISH society has long since moved on from an 'eye for an eye' justice system, and most would agree it's a sensible evolution.

Courts which impose punishments amounting to little more than legalised vengeance have no place in a civilised society - and yet, most of us would still expect to see sentences befitting of the crime.

Grieving Deborah Hall this week told the Mercury of her 'disgust' after the man who battered her partner Terry to death with a baseball bat in a row over a �5 washing machine was sentenced to just 10 years in prison.

"The justice system is all wrong," said Mrs Hall of a sentence she feels is 'extremely light'.

"He has destroyed my future. Where will I be in ten years?"

While it is obviously important for courts to be objective in handing down punishments, surely some consideration has to be given to the victim?

Any sentence will of course come too late for Terry Hall, but aren't his loved ones entitled to expect justice to be done in his name?

Ten years may sound like a long time to some, but to the loved ones left behind, it amounts to little more than an insult.

IT'S hard to criticise someone who works tirelessly to pay the bills and support their family - but a line is crossed when that determination puts others' lives at risk.

Such is the current proliferation of taxi drivers in North Somerset, some drivers are spending upwards of 24 hours at the wheel to try to eke out a living.

Despite this, taxi licensing body North Somerset Council does not have the power to put a block on more cabbies going to work in the district.

A change in legislation is a must - not just out of fairness to drivers who have seen others muscle in on their livelihoods, but also to protect passengers who unwittingly risk their lives by getting into cars operated by these exhausted drivers.