I am having serious trouble understanding Frank Ormston's letter "Outrageous slur" (August 2).

He is accusing Mike Bentley of having a rant and demonstrating that if you repeat a half truth or insinuation often enough it will become accepted as fact.

The phrase practice what you preach springs to mind.

Mr Bentley obviously wrote his letter based on what he had heard in the media - and Frank Ormston counter claims, obviously on the basis of what he had heard but pillorying and lambasting Mr Bentley in the process.

Media reports will always vary, eye witness accounts will always differ and we will never get a true account of what actually happened. I hope the police officers concerned are not crucified by the armchair lawyers about this shooting.

If Mr Menezes was a terrorist and the police had foiled an attack they would be heroes.

The police just cannot win.

P R Willey

Burnholme Drive,

Heworth, York.

Updated: 10:40 Friday, August 05, 2005