Convicted rapists could soon be spared jail… I’m sick and tired of women’s safety being overlooked

WHAT exactly are women meant to make of the news that convicted rapists could soon be temporarily spared jail?

Lord Justice Edis, the senior presiding judge for England and Wales, has said that from Monday the sentencing of criminals who are currently on bail should be delayed.

The TimesLord Justice Edis has said that from Monday the sentencing of criminals who are currently on bail should be delayed[/caption]

GettyBritain must keep its citizens safe and criminals locked up[/caption]

It has sparked fears that serious offenders — including rapists and burglars — may be sent back into their communities.

There’s no denying our prisons are at breaking point.

Jails in England and Wales are close to full.

Figures published on Friday showed there were just 557 spare places as the prison population passed 88,225 — the highest total since records began more than 120 years ago.

But the idea the rapists may have their sentence hearings delayed is astonishing and depressing in equal measure.

We need crimes against women to be taken as seriously as they are.

And if there’s not enough room in our prisons then — here’s an idea — let’s build some more.

The Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC announced this month that the Government was in discussions with European countries, such as Estonia, to rent spare prison cells.

It may sound far-fetched but surely that is a better alternative than kicking sentencing down the line.

Concerns have been raised by senior crown court judges.

One asked: “What am I going to do if a jury finds someone guilty? Do I release that person who is now convicted back into the community, where the victim might see them?”

I can only imagine the horror of going through a gruelling court trial only to see your rapist back in the local community.

Here are some sobering statistics.

The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds.

Yet it is estimated that less than a quarter of these crimes are thought to ever be reported to the police.

Sick and tired

And an average of two women a week are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales.

One in five women in the UK will experience sexual assault during her lifetime, while one in four will experience domestic abuse.

Violence against women is an epidemic.

And I know I am not alone in feeling sick and tired of women being overlooked.

The priority for any government is to keep its citizens safe, and that includes women.

Any party looking to get elected should be aware of that.

A General Election is looming and, in my view, any party that offered the following basics would win a landslide.

Keep citizens safe and criminals locked up.

Stop illegal migration.

A good education for all.

Access to a world-class healthcare system.

Make sure everyone has a home they can live in.

That is all we want.

Not much, is it?

Inside tip for Katie

WHEN someone actually admits to having body dysmorphia, it should probably be enough of a red flag for surgeons to at least question whether to agree to giving them more surgery or not.

I’m talking about Katie Price.

PAKatie Price has had too many plastic surgeries to count[/caption]

She has had too many surgeries to count, including boob jobs, nose jobs, fillers and Botox, and who has recently described her cosmetic procedures as leaving her looking like a “freak” and an “alien”.

On a recent podcast Katie said: “I have never thought I’m good looking and . . . I have to admit I have got body dysmorphia because I am always changing stuff.”

She also said she knows that, at times, she has gone too far, especially with the fillers and the Botox, which she has recently given up due to looking “shiny, like a balloon”.

I think what is clear, hearing Katie talk, is that when you don’t feel great about who you are, then no amount of external tweaking and remodelling is likely to even begin to change that.

My heart goes out to Katie, as she is clearly struggling.

But I can’t help hoping she finds a way to fix how she’s feeling on the inside, rather than continuing to mess around with what she looks like on the outside.

Bangs bother

THE noisy season is about to start – that’s fireworks to you and me.

I don’t know about you but my poor dog gets scared out of his wits.

However, it usually only lasts minutes so no real damage done.

But think of the poor residents living near Thorpe Park after the theme park blared Halloween sound effects all night long.

The mixture of noises included wails, scary music and screams – which were played for 12 hours straight.

One resident said the noise was so loud that he had to put ear defenders on his dog.

I’m surprised they didn’t need them for themselves!

Terror crisis

IT is impossible to fathom the tragic events that have unfolded in Israel this week.

We have all been chilled to the bone by descriptions of the atrocities perpetrated by the members of Hamas, who will literally stop at nothing to fight their cause.

AFPThe world is appalled by Hamas’ brutal attacks on Israel[/caption]

There is so much I could say about this but the one thing I keep asking is why the hell won’t the BBC call Hamas what they are, and use the word terrorists?

Kim shines in shapewear

GOODNESS me, Kim Cattrall is flying the flag for 60-something fabulousness, isn’t she?

There aren’t many 20 or even 30-somethings who can look decent dressed only in shapewear.

Capture Media AgencyKim Cattrall blew me away in a recent photoshoot[/caption]

But she seriously pulled it off in her recent photoshoot wearing nothing but a set of SKIMS, which is Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line.

I am, frankly, blown away by seeing a 67-year-old woman who can look this good in a plunging nude bodysuit.

And I thought no one looked good in Spanx.

Cardi B’Day

SEEING Cardi B out celebrating her 31st birthday on Wednesday made me feel a bit nostalgic for those days when your only real mission in life is to enjoy it and have a bit of fun.

We all need a bit more of that these days, don’t we?

BackGridCardi B is living her best life[/caption]

Cardi was out for dinner with her husband and friends at Delilah, a trendy hotspot in West Hollywood, wearing a plunging red satin and lace dress.

It gave new meaning to the phrase eye-popping.

You never really know what is going on behind the scenes.

But as far as I can see, she looks like a young woman in her prime, loving and living her best life.

Good for her.