ELDERLY COURIER readers last night criticised the “soft options” available to deal with young criminals in the wake of three youths being charged in connection with a break-in at Camperdown Wildlife Centre.

One called for parents of young thugs to be taken to task, another described being turned down for a Children’s Panel place because he didn’t favour a “softly, softly approach.”

Courier reader Dave Mason, of Kinross-shire, comes into contact with young people on a daily basis, working as a lollipop man at Fossoway Primary.

Mr Mason said he applied to be on the Children’s Panel in Alloa but was turned down, he claims, because he was in favour of tougher punishment for young offenders.

“I was keen to get involved with the Children’s Panel after giving up work, but they turned me down because I wasn’t in favour of the softly, softly approach.

“It’s seen as the soft option and nothing that happened that day has changed my opinion. As soon as I said I was in favour of punishment, I knew I wouldn’t be joining the panel.

“When I was young the most frightening word I could hear was ‘borstal.’ We knew that if we, as children over 10, got into even the slightest trouble, there was a chance we could end up in ‘borstal’. That was enough to deter any child.

“Why anything that happens to a child under 17 should be done in secret and their parents not share the punishment I do not know.”

Marshall Robb from Arbroath called for parents to be “named and shamed.”

“It’s about time the alleged parents were taken to task on this, it might improve their attitude towards other people and properties,” he said.

“Name the parents—it might shame them into taking more responsibility for their offspring.”

John Marshall (95), of Anstruther, said discipline needed to be tougher from a young age and called for the birch to be brought back in school to get the message across. “People in high places must bring back the birch or tougher punishment,” he said.