Victims of sex attacks should be praised for their courage

Many people rely on taxis to ferry them home after a night out and Nilchian's attacks were a huge breach of trust and one which has no doubt tarnished the name of drivers across Hastings.

Women should not have to worry about who they are getting into a car with when that car is a licensed cab. It should go without saying that the person behind the wheel is trustworthy. And in the main, they are.

But it only takes one sicko like Nilchian to scare women into avoiding taking a taxi home. This is dangerous, because the fact remains that getting a cab is far safer than walking home alone.

Often victims of sexual assaults remain silent '“ worried nobody will believe them. For that reason, the two women attacked by Nilchian should be praised for their courage in reporting him to the police.

And well done also to the police who worked hard to make sure Nilchian ended up where he belongs '“ behind bars.

The lesson here is not that women should avoid taxis '“ it is that if reported, sex attacks will not go unpunished.

HASTINGS Police teamed up with Trading Standards to launch a crackdown on local shops selling dangerous fake fags.

And, as we reported at the time, a series of sting operations carried out in April saw the force seize thousands of counterfeit cigarettes and make a string of arrests.

This week three of the men charged appeared in court. And all three were given conditional discharges and ordered to pay a measly 40 in court costs.

Often the courts fail to back up good police work with proper punishment. In this instance though, the sentences (or lack of them) fitted the bill.

The trio hauled before the courts were not the men masterminding the import and distribution of dodgy cigarettes across 1066 Country. They were three people who happened to be working behind the counter at the time the Trading Standards officers visited the stores.

There is no doubt the attention of the authorities will make shop owners think twice before stocking the cigarettes in the future. But there can also be no doubt that until the men at the top are targeted rather than those working on the shop floor, this problem will not go away.

DOG poo has been on the council agenda for as long as anyone can remember.

Almost every survey the local authority carries out sees residents name it as one of their top five complaints about 1066 Country.

And so the council has decided to act '“ launching a new campaign to target anti-social dog owners '“ or inconsiderate people who let their dogs mess in the street in non-council speak.

Eyebrows have already been raised at the council's use of colourful language on its posters, but the authority says it has received just two complaints '“ and hundreds of positive messages.

Lets hope they work, otherwise the council may end up with more than egg on its face.