WITH regard to your report about the four children escaping a ban by Teesside Youth Court on keeping pets after being accused of butchering more than 100 animals on an allotment at Guisborough, east Cleveland, last June (Echo, Jan 19).

These “children” have been treated far too leniently by the court when one considers their mindless, evil actions and the suffering they have caused to defenceless creatures, let alone the anguish caused to the owners of the allotment. Instead of being ordered to pay a paltry amount in compensation they should all receive psychiatric treatment as they surely cannot be classed as “normal”.

I shudder at the thought of them having any future contact with any animals.

C Constance, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.