HOW often have you seen a court case about wrongdoing by someone and the mitigating circumstances offered are that the accused was drunk or high on drugs?

Many times, I bet. The latest is by a Ryanair passenger on a flight from Latvia to Manchester who grabbed a fellow passenger’s breast and pinched an air stewardess’s bottom. He also squared up to the lead flight attendant, pulling off his tie and pushing against his chest with his fists.

He said in his defence that he’d been celebrating at a leaving party the night before and before the flight had drunk half a bottle of vodka and four pints of cider.

In fact, his defence solicitor said that he was so drunk he couldn’t remember any of the flight. He stated that, were it not for the amount the man had drunk, “I don’t think he’d have committed the offence.”

This has become an all too common defence for people getting violent and/or indecently assaulting other people. But it shouldn’t be.

Unless it can be proved that individuals had the drink poured down their throat unwillingly, presumably by being held down, then they took the alcohol willingly. And in full knowledge that this is what alcohol does.

The reality is that it was his choice to drink alcohol because he enjoys the way it makes him feel. The same can be said of people who take drugs and then use the fact that they have taken drugs as an excuse for unacceptable behaviour.

Surely it possible for drinking excessive alcohol or taking drugs not to be admissible as mitigating circumstances in any court case?

Alcohol in particular does not take away responsibility for individual behaviour. If we insist on downing, pints or shots or whatever, we remain to blame for what happens next and the law should recognise this.

To offer being drunk or on drugs as an excuse for committing a crime is plain wrong and the sooner society gets to grips with that, the sooner people will be forced to take responsibility for their behaviour.

These days, incidences of people, for example, driving while drunk AND on drugs appear to be increasing. This suggests a total lack of care about anyone else on the road – or anywhere – but is a decision that individual has taken.

They are to blame for any wrongdoing because of their actions