Murderers, rapists and those who harm children should be put to death.

Your letters show some people believe they don’t deserve that fate, and that hanging serves no purpose.

When these animals committed their crimes they gave up all rights to ever live among innocent and law-abiding people again.

For those of you who say the death penalty serves no purpose, I say it guarantees that these people cannot re-offend, that these people after being set free cannot cause more misery and suffering to yet more innocent people.

How many victims would not have suffered their fate and how many families would not have been torn apart by grief if the death penalty was law?

There’s too much concern for the criminal’s rights. To hell with them, it’s about time the victims and their families were the only concern.

You can say that not everyone offends. I say, why give them the opportunity?

P Astonie (Mr), Blackburn.