THE News of the World's campaign to name and shame known paedophiles was, to many, over the top.

As we witnessed on TV, it stirred up the feelings of many worried parents and resulted in scenes reminiscent of vigilantes from the Wild West, attempting to have offenders removed from their neighbourhood.

The protesters to some extent achieved their object, through publicity. But how must they have felt about the signals sent out by Judge Stuart Fish who freed a convicted paedophile, considering he had suffered enough because the family had received bad publicity and they had a window smashed in their home.

What does one have to do to serve out a justly- warranted sentence these days? Once again, justice seems not to have been carried out and the wishes of the law-abiding majority has counted for nothing.

K SOWERBUTTS (Mr), Southwood Drive, Baxenden.