Our crime correspondent, Neil Hunter, emailed me first thing this morning to propose launching a campaign.

As a journalist who covers many North-East court cases, he has been disturbed by what he perceives to be a growing trend in sex offenders walking free because of a loophole in the law.

It is a loophole which defence lawyers are clearly exploiting and which is frustrating judges.

Every week, Neil reports on sex criminals (often those who have obtained indecent images of children) who do not go to jail, even though judges believe they deserve to.

That is because in order to get sex offender treatment in prison, you have to serve at least two years and custodial sentences are routinely being suspended because of this anomaly. 

Defence lawyers are using the same argument every time - "he needs help, wouldn't get it in jail, so let him walk".
 

This morning's Northern Echo front page highlighted the case of a Bishop Auckland deputy head teacher - Glen Rogers - who was able to walk free for that very reason.

Surely, it cannot be right for sex offenders to dodge justice in this way.

Tomorrow's front page will, therefore, be used to launch a campaign calling for tougher penalties for those downloading or making images of abuse.

We will also demand a change to the system in which only those sentenced to two years or more can get the treatment they - and the public - need.