Top Tory speaks in Stafford
The man who could soon be running Britain's legal system spoke on a visit to Stafford of Tory proposals to get the public more involved in bringing criminals to justice.
Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said the Conservatives wanted to make people unafraid to challenge yobs in their neighbourhoods and take an active role in the rehabilitation of offenders.
The frontbencher was speaking after a visit to Stafford Crown Court, where he saw the local legal system in action and spoke to staff. He also hit the campaign trail with two local borough councillors – John Francis and county council hopeful Ivan Jennings – in the Stafford West ward.
He reckons a series of high-profile cases where 'have-a-go-heroes' had been arrested for challenging unruly youngsters had undermined people's faith in the system.
He said: "People would like to do more to stop crime but people in this country are less likely to stop children misbehaving in the street than in any other European country.
"For that to happen people have to feel that the police are backing them up – people are too often left with the feeling that they are better off washing their hands of it."
