SIR: I write in the deepest depths of despair and disgust at the pitifully lenient sentences dished out to the killers of 'Stag party' victim Tommy Roberts, who was kicked to death by three mindless thugs in Wigan town centre.

Each thug got five years. We all know that means that this low-life scum will be laughing up their sleeves at the system and back on the streets to do the same again if they do so wish, within two and a half years.

What deterrent is that? I repeat, what deterrent is that? Piggot got nearly that just for tax evasion.

How was the murder of an innocent man somehow turned into manslaughter? The whole judicial system is a joke. It's a farce. It's as if the word 'justice' has completely lost its meaning.

It's an insult to the memory of the dead man. He wont be walking about in two and a half years will he?

None of us is safe on the streets whilst pathetic sentences, slanted so heavily in favour of the offender, are still the norm. It's gross.

I'm sick and tired of reading cases like this where the punishment does not fit the crime.

If a proper court and judicial system was in order, it would have seen to it that those three murderous bullying wicked inhuman evil scum-bags got LIFE sentences which meant LIFE, namely that they would rot and die in jail, off the streets for good.

Now that's what I call a deterrent.

Until action is taken how many more innocent people like Tommy Roberts will be murdered on our streets?

You can act! Do something about it!

It's election time soon. Tell your MP we want action and we want action now!

We want a newly structured judicial system which puts the fear of God into those who do evil.

G Baxter, Bromwich Street, Bolton

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