The recent BBC TV programme on Gary Hart and the Selby rail disaster, along with the Evening Press coverage, highlight the almost obsessive "blame culture" that prevails in our society.

In the television documentary, a relative of one of the ten deceased victims said that Gary Hart was "evil" and he had "killed" people. I feel such a statement is slanderous.

I am not defending Gary Hart in any way, but whether he fell asleep at the wheel of his vehicle, whether he hit something on the road or there was a mechanical fault, it was still an accident. Hart did not set out to kill or injure anyone.

Although Gary Hart does appear to whinge and whine about his own fate, rather than feel genuine compassion for the dead, bereaved and many injured in the Great Heck crash, I think he feels he did nothing intentionally wrong.

I am unsure if Hart appreciates his shortened and, seemingly, almost enjoyable spell in prison, but the issue of people not serving the full sentence handed down to them by the courts is a separate matter.

Colin S Jeffrey,

East Mount Road,

York.

Updated: 08:36 Saturday, October 30, 2004