This story is in the Echo today - two people walking past a 16-year-old being robbed in the street when he was asking them to help.

Echo website comments suggest people don't stop and help because they are worried about being assaulted themselves or they are worried they'll be in trouble with us if they intervene.

On the first I can understand it but what a pity there is such fear which is often unfounded.

Violence is often threatened but rarely used, as in this case the victim wasn't physically harmed.

On the second, is this just an excuse?

The law comes from Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 which says, "A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large."

So, as long as what is done is reasonable then we shouldn't fear coming to the assistance of someone being robbed. What we should all fear is the spreading of a general unwillingness to act to protect ourselves and each other.

I think of another quote: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".