THE Home Office is supposed to oversee the protection of UK citizens. That is its main duty. So what does it do?

John Reid sends out a letter which results in two paedophiles not going to prison, despite downloading a mass of vile pictures of young children and sexually abusing other children. One of them is put back into the community to live near a school - marvellous!

Then we get a newspaperman jailed for four months for hacking into royal texts. Yes, he invaded areas of deep privacy, but he was and is no danger to the public.

Surely he should have had to pay a large fine and spend four months doing community work, rather than being put in prison. That would have created space for the paedophiles in cells rather than out on our streets.

Is there no one with any common sense in our Home Office or among the judiciary?

David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.