Readers' letters - March 23

The disgraceful spitting incident involving the ex-Liverpool footballer, Jamie Carragher, towards a car with people in it with an open window, was obviously intentional. He clearly filled his cheeks/mouth with the projectile (spit) and directed it towards the open window and spat quite forcefully.As far as the driver, parent of the 14-year-old girl in the passenger seat, is concerned, he is actually filming the incident while driving, obviously having to take his eyes off the road to hurl abuse at Carragher – who has apologised – and to ensure he had a good shot of the ex-player. This beggars belief. He openly displays driving while using a mobile phone.In my opinion, and I am sure in the minds of thousands of other like-minded people, Jamie Carragher should be brought into the police station and charged with Section 5 public order. Likewise, get the driver into the station, and charge him with using a mobile phone while driving. Let the courts deal with any trial, not trial by media and hysteria. Both should plead guilty if they have any self-respect left.As far as any punishment by Sky towards Carragher is concerned, that is between them. Because I am sure the employers of the driver of the car won’t dismiss him for his taunting and driving offences while on worldwide TV.Colin HoworthAddress suppliedWe need new EU referendumThe Brexit referendum is losing credibility by the day. I have argued all along that there is nothing undemocratic in one referendum replacing and reversing an earlier one, just as since the beginning of our democracy (which is precious and must be defended), it has been accepted (and indeed common) for one Act of Parliament to replace or modify an earlier one where the electorate thought such a change desirable. The desirability of a new referendum is now increasing by the day.But the matter is now more serious, and it seems that defence of our democracy might actually require a new referendum. Certainly common sense does. We now know that the supposed £350m a week extra for the NHS as a result of Brexit was a fabrication of the leave campaign, together with much else. We were not warned that the supposed ‘freedom’ to trade with all the world might well be a poisoned chalice. Just one example – a headline recently that “Milk from infected cows could be sold in UK under post-Brexit US trade deal”. Does Brexit mean freedom to infect our kids? Every day we see a government, propped up by and in thrall to the support of the DUP purchased with our money; a government which says the referendum vote must be followed but cannot agree among itself what that means: a hard, a soft Brexit; or maybe a medium rare one! The referendum had nothing to say on this. You cannot abide by a referendum vote which has not addressed the question at issue. As I have said, however, the matter is more serious. As I understand it, the news now breaking suggests to me that the way in which a person was likely to vote might have been improperly influenced, in favour of a leave vote, by the use of personal information garnered from Facebook by certain agencies. It seems that the vote may not have been quite the free vote that a democracy requires, and the absence of which in Russia we mock.What is now urgently needed is a new referendum which does address the central questions, the conduct of which is properly monitored and the complete freedom of which is protected. We are proud to differ from the Russian electoral system. Let us keep it that way.Mike Harwoodvia emailPick up after your dogs

Dog owners, please pick up your dog’s poo from paths and pavements. Paths and pavements are used by people. People tread in the dog poo. Dog poo is trodden into mats and carpets in schools, cars and homes.Dog poo gets on to school shoes and wellies. Shoes and wellies go in bags and lockers. Bags and lockers contain books and toys.Books and toys are handled by our children. Dog poo gets on to our children.Please just pick up after your dogs.Helen Sweetvia email