THERE was a time when an appeal against a court punishment carried the risk that the punishment would be stiffened. In my court reporting days I saw it happen once or twice - a sentence lengthened or a fine increased in response to what the judge considered a "frivolous", i.e. utterly groundless, challenge to a court's decision.

It never seems to happen now. But wouldn't you say it is highly relevant to the appeal being launched by two Middlesbrough teenagers who, high on drink and drugs, repeatedly raped a 66-year-old woman at knifepoint in her home, which they were burgling? It seems the pair believe they were hard done by in being given a life sentence, even though the judge, while describing the offence as "among the worst ever committed on Teesside", set a tariff that means they can be considered for parole after six years.

Six years! You and I might consider that the quality of mercy has rarely been more generously applied. But never mind. Let the appeal system runs its course, hopefully with a punitive option still open to it, though, naturally, I would never dare suggest that this is the one it should take.

Since no appeal is - yet - in view, I need not be so circumspect over a six-year sentence handed out to another rapist, a 24-year-old from Brotton, near Guisborough, whose assault on a young mother, again in her home, where he battered open a door to rape his victim a second time, was relayed to police on her mobile phone. How the judge, Peter Bowers, can imagine that six years - in reality probably three - is sufficient punishment just about defeats comprehension.

But the law has virtually abandoned decent people, leaving them at the mercy of society's thugs and hooligans. A most vivid illustration comes from Barnsley.

Night after night, a gang of 30 feral youngsters made life hell for mother-of-two Samantha Nicolson. They played loud music, wrecked her garden and threw stones at her house, which they also threatened to burn down. They told her: "If your face doesn't fit you can't live here. We decide, and you're not living here.'' When they defiantly added: "You can't touch us,'' she slapped three of them, including two 14-year-old girls, across the face - only to find herself speedily in court.

The judge sentenced her to 18 months' community service, though an absolute discharge would have better fitted his view that "any right-thinking person would have enormous sympathy for you". Too frightened to return home after the case, the mother is moving. The thugs have won hands down.

Naming tackling crime as one of his remaining priorities, Tony Blair should seriously set about relieving the besieged communities of Britain. Yobs and thugs need the fear of death - almost - putting up them.

And David Cameron, take note. In your conference speech you said: "When we see challenges we do not just ask what government can do. We ask what people can do, what society can do.'' What people like that Barnsley mother, and countless others suffering similarly, can do and do do, is call the police, only to receive no help. What do you propose to do about it?