The long running case of west Belfast man Kieran Milnes has finally reached a happy conclusion for the man. Faced with charges of assaulting a youth he had alleged was stealing his girlfriend’s car, Kieran spent time in jail, until the force of public opinion led to a retrial being announced, which he won today, thus ending the traumatic episode. The case resonates across the north of Ireland, no where more so than in areas like West Belfast, where the scourge of joyriding has created many victims- indeed, the headline story on this morning’s news was about a car-jacking in the south-west of the city. The sight of a victim of this crime being hauled through the courts, serving time in jail and having his life turned upside down for the past 18 months outraged many who believe the law exposed itself as an ass on this occasion. It also left the question hanging for many: if you find yourself in a position to confront a car thief/burglar, is it in your own interests to contact the ‘proper authorities’ north or south?
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