SIR - Despite Government pronouncements to the contrary, just about everyone believes the fight against crime is failing.

This was exemplified in your report Player's case is put off for report' (T&A, June 15).

This was a case where the accused had previously been sentenced to three and a half years, in 2005, for the manslaughter of a 17-year-old.

Well if this new case is only just in court, and it was considering an offence from August 2006, then just how long, or short, a period of time was he in prison for?

The incident happened in August 2004 so by my mathematics he spent just over 12 months in, or out, of prison.

Maybe I am old fashioned, but how can anyone be allowed out of a prison having taken a life within, or around, 12 months? What is the price of a life? What message does this send out?

Naturally every case has its circumstances but it seems to me to be somewhat bizarre that 12 months or less for manslaughter is saying that crime pays.

"Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime"? Spare me!

Coun Roger Taylor (Con, Northowram and Shelf), Glenn Terrace, Halifax