YOUR headline 'A Farce' on the report (LET, September 14), on the first man prosecuted for drinking in Blackburn's alcohol-free zone swigging sherry in the street minutes after being given a conditional discharge, doesn't even come close to the pathetic judgments doled out by magistrates' courts, be they in Blackburn or Hyndburn!

The article stated that the police were now looking at having anti-social behaviour orders placed on offenders. This would be all well and good, were the magistrates to use them effectively.

The maximum sentence for breaching an ASBO is five years' imprisonment. Accrington police went through the legal jungle of taking a transgressor of one to court in Accrington! What did the magistrates deem a fitting punishment? -- 24 hours custody, and as the offender had been in police custody for 12 hours he was immediately released due to "time served!"

Perhaps Community Service Orders would be more suitable, were the offenders made to go around the back streets to remove the filth and rubbish with which they are teeming.

If a few magistrates were the targets for some of the daily crimes which the rest have to suffer, then they would not keep returning criminals to the streets without even a slap on the wrist.

HARRY ROBINSON, Juniper Court, Woodside Road, Accrington.