THE law doesn’t need much encouragement to make an ass of itself.

Yesterday, the thug who was high on alcohol and cocaine when he killed a soldier on a night out in Newcastle in an unprovoked assault was sentenced to five years in prison.

And the fantasist who was found guilty of handling a stolen book was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Admittedly, it was one of the world’s rarest and most precious books – a first folio Shakespeare – that Raymond Scott was trying to sell, but can that really compare to the reckless ending of a human life? The book was even recovered, admittedly badly damaged, but absolutely nothing can recover the life of Sergeant Chris Chacksfield and his loss to his wife and three-year-old daughter.

This is not to argue for leniency for Scott. But it is to argue for the law to fully understand the human consequences of a crime.

If you are handing out eight-year sentences for crimes relating to a book, it is not consistent to punish a sickening, fatal assault with only five years, no matter what the sentencing guidelines say.

Not a hero

THE state of Britain’s mental health is rarely discussed. But the exhibitionist, grandiose fantasies of Raymond Scott suggest his crimes were caused at least in part by mental instability.

The appalling crimes of Raoul Moat were certainly committed by someone who was unwell.

While we understand his family’s need to mourn one of its members, it is impossible to comprehend how anyone could regard him as a hero. No matter how marginalised you feel and no matter how much you dislike authority, there are no redeeming features in the murder of one man and in the blinding of a police officer.