THE b rutal murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman will reign on the long list of child murders committed in this country since Susan Blatchford and Gary Hanlen in 1970.

As depicted in the press recently, 24 other horrendous loss of childrens' lives have occurred, and the horrid truth is that the punishment never fits the crime. Alas, these sort of crimes will inevitably continue.

In my view "hanging" cannot serve as a substitute for someone else's life, but an indefinite jail sentence would, and should, be implemented. The rough justice meted out to the victims of all heinous crimes is something that our judicial law has much to answer.

Truly, each every generation breeds a callous and murderous cult that entwines a society of decent human beings, and the magnitude of leniency shown to these criminals can only propagate this evil force. Certainly the law has to change.

Thomas Owen

Laburnum Park

Bradshaw, Bolton