Letter: Spare the rod...

AT 12 years old, a boy has already felt entitled to treat an on- duty officer of the law with gratuitous abuse and contempt, and with impunity (report, 7 April). His parents agreed, and so in due course did the law, proving once again that it is an ass. I agree with, apparently, over 20,000 others who have written in support to PC Hately, that this has nothing to do with common sense.

I suggest that in two to three years time Suzanne Moore ("It's only common sense - hitting children is wrong", 9 April) does a follow-up article on the progress of this lovely lad, who has been given a personalised charter for a career in delinquency. If it turns out badly, it will obviously be nothing to do with pathetic parenting or bad law or facile journalism.

M J KNIGHT

Langley, Berkshire