Sandra Howland (Letters, July 10) could not have better expressed the abysmal failure of the law in dealing effectively with women who bring false rape claims.

I am sick and tired of reading about how few rape cases end in conviction. Everyone seems hellbent on securing punishment whether the alleged rapist is innocent or guilty.

It is about time true justice came to the fore and the false accusers were made to face trial, heavy fines or prison.

While real rape is a vile crime, it is nowhere near as bad as that committed by lying women out to blacken the names of innocent men.

So few so-called rapists are convicted because, luckily, few juries are convinced that women are ever telling the truth in the face of the many lies they tell. I hope men are convicted in only absolutely watertight cases.

When a woman accuses a man of rape, the man should never be named, and the whole investigation should be held out of the public eye. Only in the unlikely event that true rape is proved beyond all possible doubt should the man be named.

If women knew that their spite will go unrewarded, perhaps fewer would stoop to this despicable, and unforgivable, crime. Also, they should have their names kept on record so if they accuse anyone again, their accusation will be treated with suspicion from the start.

That would be true justice.

Heather Causnett,

Escrick Park Gardens,

Escrick,

York.

...Andrew Mackie has been banned by York courts from carrying any kind of camera because he films women's bottoms and bra straps.

I don't condone Andrew Mackie's strange obsession, but if women don't want their bottoms and bra straps recorded for posterior - sorry, posterity - I suggest that they cover up these items while in public areas.

Lynne Kinder,

Sirocco Court,

York.

Updated: 11:17 Tuesday, July 13, 2004