[West Ender]

Some years ago, in the early 1990s, I worked with a chap who stole money through his job as a Tax Collector. Inevitably, he was found out and prosecuted and he was sentenced to 2 years in Kirkham Open Prison. While in prison he had a TV in his cell and played squash regularly. He also studied for a degree in Economics (ironic, given his offence) and was allowed out alone every Thursday to go to Lancaster University for lectures which, needless to say, he hardly ever attended.

In my opinion, no matter what the offence, if an individual is sent to prison his "rights" should end at the prison gates. He should be made to work for his keep and the experience should not be pleasant. We are not sentencing offenders to punishment, just a change of address.