Sir, - I was saddened to read of the harshness of the reduced six year custodial sentence imposed on a young woman heroin addict for stealing a tourist's handbag (The Irish Times, October 13th). While there can be no excuse for any type of crime - even white collar crime - one wonders whether our judiciary and legislature are applying the rule of law to all citizens equally? Long-term jail penalties and drawn-out tribunals will not solve anything. Perhaps its just a simple matter of telling the Irish aristocracy about how the other half live! - Yours, etc., Ciaran Walsh,
Kincora Drive,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.