We must all be equal under the law

Should punishments for crimes be linked to the wealth or social circumstances of the offender? Some 30 years ago, the then Tory government abandoned means-related fines, introduced in the 1991 Criminal Justice Act, after anomalies were exposed. They included a man asked to pay £1,200 for dropping a crisp packet and a motorist handed a £500 fine for parking on a double yellow line when his car broke down.