So, Glenn Rycroft, who extorted money from friends and workmates in the belief he was suffering from cancer, has been sent down for four years (The Argus, December 5).

I'm no penal reformer but it baffles me how that helps anyone.

Those who have been defrauded can kiss goodbye to their money.

The taxpayer is left to pick up the bill for feeding, clothing and educating Rycroft at Her Majesty's pleasure - at least £20,000 a year.

He is incarcerated with professionals of the criminal world so gets to pick up more tricks of the trade.

Heinous though his crimes might be, there is no evidence he is a threat to society.

Far better in my view to have him on the outside working to repay in compensation those he has defrauded while being confined to his home, perhaps by way of tagging, in the evenings until he has.

This would free prison space to deal with those characters who practise physical violence, who invariably in today's climate seem to get away with inexplicable non-custodial sentences.

Let's be clear, reparation can be made to those defrauded but not to an innocent, violently attacked, irreparably scarred mentally and physically for life.

Judicial sentencing should reflect this.

-Shaun Steer, Hove