Innocent until proven guilty?

Dear Editor,
The president of Safe Communities Algarve, himself a retired police officer of many years standing, states that the couple from Northern Ireland, arrested for their alleged drunken behaviour at the Paraíso Hotel in Albufeira, were drunk, or indeed ‘extremely drunk’ in charge of their 14-month-old daughter.
This may or may not have been the case but as they have not been found guilty of breaking the law, this accusation will be hard to prove, being based on the catch-all ‘eye-witness accounts.’
The writer then mentioned the couple’s allegations from the UK ‘through a daily tabloid’ against the Portuguese police without highlighting their serious nature i.e. that they were robbed of €600 by the arresting officers and the man duffed up.
These allegations also are unlikely to be proved or disproved in any court as the incident is over and done with and no charges are being processed.
The writer goes on to blame excessive amounts of drink for tourists being robbed in the early hours when walking home. The reason people get robbed is through the action of robbers, not the state of the victim, although it may be easier to relieve a drunk of his/her wallet when the target is wobbly.
‘Safe Coummunites Algarve is liasing with the British Consulate to look at new initiatives’ as if the Consular teams in Portugal don’t have enough to do. Many young people go on holiday where the booze is cheap and intend to take full advantage of this fact during their stay.
Identifying this as a problem that needs to be reduced and being told or forced not to drink too much will end up backfiring to the benefit of the Spanish costas, Ibiza and other destinations that plan for and welcome youthful exuberance.
Paul Rees
Olhão