Express & Star comment: State of law and order is big mess

Over the past week we have seen thousands of officers despatched to London for Donald Trump's visit, some of whom were forced to sleep on mats in a sports hall.

Today we report that only one in five rape cases end up with a conviction, while West Midlands Police says it is having to cease some investigations as a result of how stretched its resources are.

Meanwhile, the Government instructs our cash-strapped force to spend tens of thousands of pounds producing a report that reveals... well, not very much, really.

This all comes at a time when crime is going through the roof, police stations are closing down at an alarming rate and the sight of a bobby on the beat in some areas is a rarity.

Among many people in this country, crime is the biggest concern.

Yet time and time again we see criminals walk away from court with suspended sentences, apparently spared a stint behind bars due to our jails being overcrowded.

To put it bluntly, the criminal justice system in this country is in a complete mess.

There was a time when one thing you could absolutely guarantee from a Conservative administration was a tough stance on crime.

This was certainly not the case under the ineffective David Cameron, and the situation has deteriorated further since Theresa May took over.

Distracted by Brexit and internal party strife though she may be, the dire state of law and order surely cannot have escaped the Prime Minister's attention.

Mrs May's days in Downing Street are undoubtedly numbered, and in quieter moments she may want to consider what her legacy will be.

At the moment, it looks like she will go down as the leader who made a complete mess of Brexit, but her failure to get to grips with the soaring crime rate will not be forgotten by a frustrated public.

Politicians from all parties should realise that our legal system requires a complete overhaul.

It is not just about funding.

Perhaps one day we will finally get a leader who realises that when it comes to law and order, the 'softly softly' approach has failed miserably.