The case of Barry Martin, attacked by Barry Clarke, previously convicted for assault and firearms offences, had me fuming at the gross injustice of the two-year jail sentence (Argus, July 13).

Politicians repeat their vote-catching formula "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" when in truth they are nothing of the sort.

Whether Mr Martin is homosexual or not is beside the point, except his being so marks him out as a potential victim for vicious brutes such as Clarke. No harmless member of the public should ever have to suffer such dreadful injuries inflicted for no conceivably justifiable reason.

Does anyone really believe someone like Clarke, capable of doing what he did to Mr Martin, is going to be released from prison "rehabilitated" and socially responsible?

A two-year sentence means he will probably serve a maximum of one year and four months, with the other eight months being waived for good conduct, which in reality means not causing the prison staff any trouble.

In this country, there is a world of difference between law and justice and it is only by the merest chance they ever coincide.

The legal profession is concerned with the well-being of its members and the esoteric rigmarole of points of law. Justice is not even considered.

So many cases never come before the pathetically-inadequate courts. One has only to read the Press to see authorities claiming they can "do nothing" or "not within their jurisdiction".

I am convinced the Government has instructed the judiciary to award short prison sentences to keep the prison population small, regardless of injustice involved.

Christian socialism, masquerading as Labour, is responsible for much of the "forgive and forget" attitude.

-G Butler, Wilmot Road, Shoreham-by-Sea