Editor

With the coronavirus epidemic creeping into Ceredigion, with so many people flouting the rules regarding the fight against the virus, it is time for all of us to realise how important it is to comply with social distancing, washing our hands and wearing a face mask.

As a young policeman I look back at the first time I interviewed and charged a person for shoplifting which was a criminal offence under ‘Judge’s Rules’. The impact on that person as he went through the process, how different his attitude when he had his fingerprints taken, his photograph taken, losing his employment as a bus driver, failure in being re-employed by the bus company, his name in the local paper, his life changed as a result of his theft of property not belonging to him. He was now a criminal in the eyes of the law of the land and it’s a stigma to him and his family.

I believe that those who blatantly flout the rules regarding coronavirus should by its seriousness be dealt under ‘Judge’s Rule’ as shoplifting was in 1969, for me it is criminal.

It is the duty of the Chief Constable in Dyfed-Powys Police force to protect life in Ceredigion, a constable is a citizen locally appointed for protecting life.

The police in Dyfed-Powys have police power, use them, failure is a neglect of duty.

D A Thomas Southgate Aberystwyth

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page