Magistrates and Judges have the job of distinguishing the honest from the crafty.

It is important to recognise that this is indeed their role.

Far too often it is a role that is assumed by many local authority employees, who are employed only to enforce all the relevant legislation and not to judge.

And who is to protect the honest members of the public from this 'rough justice' and what is recognised as being colleages who are being a little heavy-handed and who accept considerable power but accept little responsibility for their actions.

Such admissions (or excuses) as given here are welcome but in truth they bring little real comfort, as nothing is being proposed that will end it. Such things reflect badly on all local authority employees and it it up to the better ones to ensure that the worse examples do not continue and are brought into line.

Otherwise all will be tarred by the same brush. Perhaps with some justification?