REGARDING the prosecution of Mukesh Patel.

I think it is a travesty of justice. Whether the police or the courts could have taken any other course under present law, I am not qualified to judge, but any right-thinking person can see that what happened to Mr Patel was not justice.

It is a natural reaction to defend one's own home, or business, in a situation that Mr Patel found himself. No one has time to stop and think things out rationally. I would use any means to hand if I or my family were at risk. I would not stop to assess whether my method of resistance was equal to, or more than my attackers.

It is time the law reflected public opinion, keep up the pressure.

Mr S Booth.

Windermere Road, Farnworth.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.