REGARDING court sentences for youths. We are told by the judges that their crime was of so grave a nature, that they would have faced a much longer sentence had they been an adult, but in view of their teenage status, they have received a more lenient sentence, and their names are protected.

Less of this leniency. If an adult crime is committed, the sentence should be on a par with that of an adult. The do-gooders with their softly softly approach have given teenagers nothing to fear from their actions, knowing they can almost get away with murder and rape, attempted or actual. To have such warped values and seemingly non-existent moral cores is a prospect that should give us all cause for grave concern.

And for the same reasons they should not be allowed to hide behind the "cannot be named for legal reasons" clause. Murder and rape are adult crimes and should be tried as such, if only to protect society from the crimes they will undoubtedly be capable of committing as adults.

Mrs J Taylor,

Tennent Road,

Acomb,

York.

Updated: 10:58 Tuesday, August 30, 2005