Fate of Australian exiled to Scotland shows why UK’s deportations are so wrong

  

My column in the Scotsman.

“Visiting a community project in my constituency reminded me why justice is best delivered close to home. Youngsters in danger of going off the rails and the not-so-young seeking to get back on them were all being helped. Good work was being done and the community that had sometimes suffered from them appreciated it.

“Atonement or payback call it what you like is best dealt with locally. The same applies to imprisonment which is necessary for crimes where only that sentence can be appropriate but even then it should be dealt with as locally as possible. It’s vital in assisting rehabilitation which surely must be part of the purpose, as well as punishment.”