So much for rehabilitation

Published: 11:31 AM February 1, 2008 Updated: 1:10 AM February 23, 2021

THE letter by Trevor Bevis on January 25 reminds me of the time, many years ago, when I was serving in the Hunts Police at St Neots. At that time the Borstal Institution at Gaynes Hall, referred to by Mr Bevis, was fully operational. Believe me, in those

THE letter by Trevor Bevis on January 25 reminds me of the time, many years ago, when I was serving in the Hunts Police at St Neots.

At that time the Borstal Institution at Gaynes Hall, referred to by Mr Bevis, was fully operational.

Believe me, in those days even I felt apprehensive or even nervous in the presence of some of the warders. They would put fear into the strongest man. I was always pleased to get away from the place.

Incidentally, with reference to punishment involving administering the 'birch', I remember an old gentleman once telling me that, as a youngster, he had received a number of strokes of such an 'instrument'. He declined to tell me why he had merited such punishment but he did say he made quite sure he didn't receive it again.

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As regards Mr Bevis saying that the borstal system actually works; there was an occasion when I and a colleague travelled to London to bring back an ex-inmate of Gaynes Hall. He and an accomplice had been arrested having returned to Gaynes Hall, broken into a workshop and stolen a quantity of precision machine tools. So much for rehabilitation.

R G ALDOUS