BARRY VAUGHAN, of Higherside, Higher Street, Dartmouth, writes:

One wonders if two of your excitable readers have understood at last my earlier letter in view of the recent dismaying news reports regarding the Mick Philpott case in Derby.

There does appear to be quite a gap in 'proportional justice'.

Philpott's life sentence was advised be for a minimum of 15 years and his two accomplices were jailed for 17 years each for the killing of six children by setting a house on fire, yet Phillip Walton was jailed for 18 years for sexually molesting some children years ago, the exact details of which were not published. I rest my case.