Drinking is no excuse
By TMG Editor - 17 June 2014
THE lawyer defending a man charged with raping his four-year-old niece argued in mitigation that he had been drunk at the time of the offence ("Uncle jailed for raping girl, 4," The Herald June 11).
If one drives a motor vehicle while drunk, one commits an offence.
If one handles a firearm while drunk one commits an offence.
So why would anyone believe that committing rape while drunk makes the offence less reprehensible?
It is common knowledge that drinking causes intoxication.
Drunkenness should, therefore, always be an aggravating circumstance, irrespective of the crime.
Derrick Fellows, Port Alfred
