IN response to the letter by A Dobinson (January 13) I would like to say that Justin Martin, who was responsible for the death of Blake Spencer, is a kind, caring, hardworking, loving father.

He has received overwhelming support from his family, friends and colleagues. He has taken full responsibility for his crime and suffered tremendously, not only from the guilt of what has happened but from his own injuries and the loss of contact with his own children.

The tragic events of that day will live on with him for the rest of his life and that is the worst punishment imaginable. No amount of custodial time will ever take that away.

His children are traumatised by the loss of their father and distressed at seeing him on the news and in the newspaper being portrayed as a monster. The children are ridiculed by other children at school.

Mr Martin was not speeding, not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, nor talking on his mobile phone. He made a fatal manoeuvre, caused by an error of judgement, and is not a cold blooded child killer.

He is not asking to be let out of prison to carry on with his life as if nothing happened, he is acting on the advice of his legal team who are acting on Home Office sentencing guidelines.

Unless you know the devastating effect on the lives of all parties then it is really impossible to make a judgement as to the character of a person.

This is by no means a way of trying to make light of the death of a young child. It is a tragic loss for his family, something which Mr Martin is familiar with, having lost a son of his own at a young age.

Claire Hampshire,

Furness Drive,

Wrenthorpe,

Wakefield.

Updated: 11:36 Wednesday, January 26, 2005