If you go down to the park today, you’ll surely be in for a big surprise if you end up on the Sex Offenders register. Janet Hood thinks that a reality check is needed all the way from West Lothian to Auchenshuggle, if we are to avoid creeping thought terrorism and punitive, irrational restrictions on alcohol sales.And she still managed to find time to enjoy a good old knees up at the Law Awards, too.

Those of you familiar with A.A. Milne will be aware that Master J.J. M.M. Weatherby George Dupree took great care of his mother and in particular cautioned her in the following terms “Mother,” he said, said he; “You must never go down to the end of the town if you don’t go down with me.”

Well how prescient was he? Very! Especially if you live in Telford, Shropshire where the town council have instructed the park wardens  to confront any lone adult i.e. an adult not accompanied by a child or children -   who strays into their public parks to to ascertain whether they are paedophiles.

Oh hooray! This is described as a common sense approach aimed at safeguarding children.

You can picture the scene....You wander out of your office at lunchtime on a sunny day- sandwich, bottle of water, paper and ipod in hand and settle on a park bench to enjoy a well earned break.

“Hrrrumph excuse me Sir, are you a paedophile?”

“What? I beg your....”

“Now Sir, we just want to establish whether or not you are indeed a pedophile, now would you mind blowing into this bag... no, no  that’s not it ...  would you mind giving us your name,  address, date and place of birth or do you happen to have an enhanced criminal records bureau check about your person?”

“I will not!  I don’t have one of these ! Look here! What right do you have to ask these outrageous questions?”

“Come quietly Sir! You’re frightening the children. You’ll have to leave the park.”

So what does this mean? Is every person who is accompanied by a child “safe?” Well maybe not. Will babes in prams be stolen from shop fronts to enable lone adults to enjoy the sylvan delights of the village green?  Will children shriek “MUM HELP there’s an unaccompanied man in the ....? You can now substitute park, street,  door and school.

Actions like this defy belief, can only increase fear of crime and deprive innocent individuals of yet another freedom.

What other freedoms have we lost in the last wee while?

Well the freedom to open and close our licensed businesses within approved statutory framework – many licensing boards carried away with their new powers are imposing closing hours not just for the sale of alcohol but for the premises entirely. We have boards stipulating that convenience stores must shut at 8pm to prevent trouble. So where’s the word convenient in that scenario? Sugar riots in Auchenshuggle? I don’t think so.

We appear to  have lost the freedom to apply common sense. We have a sixty percent reduction in crime in West Lothian in a village where there has been a voluntary refusal to sell off sales to under 21s. The village has been saturated with police and local authority officers so it’s not surprising there has been this marked downturn in crime. What is surprising however is the fact that on this substantial evidence the Scottish Government has determined to further legislate to prevent off sales to persons aged 18 to 21 to prevent alcohol and social harm.

I suspect this proposal will be virtually impossible to police. Or are we going to have CCTV in every store in the land? AND WHY NOT?  say the health lobbyists.  Even if that occurs imagine the scene. I am going to a party with my 19 year old son (yeah I know that really is stretching the imagination. OK you are going to a party with my 19 year old son). You are over 21 as indeed are many women of a certain age including me. You have purchased a wee carry oot for the event and my wean has chivalrously volunteered to carry same. You are stopped and the bag is searched. Who purchased this? Where? Are you acting as an agent for this lad? No I’m his Auntie – aye aye I’ve heard that one before. Where will this end? It’s good to know that we will be criminalising another large section of society because of course they’ll access alcohol from people who shouldn’t be selling it to them. And of course they’ll go to parties.

One freedom which has not been lost is  the freedom to have a fabulous celebration with  la crème de la crème of Scottish lawyers at the spectacular Firm awards last Thursday in the Glasgow Hilton.

What a fantastic turn out. It was a real honour for me to have been asked to chair the judging panel and it was super to see everyone winners and runners up having a ball. We should celebrate what is best about the legal world. Especially when we are often criticised in the press and political arena. I am proud to be a lawyer, to belong to a profession which has a sound ethical footing. I am proud to be a member of a profession which delivers solutions  for business and ensures access to justice for all in Scotland. I was delighted to accept the  award for legal personality of the year on behalf of Mr MacAskill and can honestly say that he deserves the honour as he has been a good friend to lawyers in this country and has taken cognisance of our requirements in these difficult times. Hooray for the Firm, hooray for the winners and runners up and hooray for the Scottish legal profession in all its many guises.