IN the UK a life prison sentence usually means that the convicted person will spend, on average, about 15 years behind bars.

But should life mean life?

Should those who commit serious crimes go to jail for the rest of their lives? Or do you think that criminals can be rehabilitated and released back into society?

The issue is back on the agenda following yesterday’s proceedings in Newcastle Crown Court in which two convicted killers who tortured and murdered a mother-of-two while out on licence have been told they will never be freed. Stephen Unwin, 40, and William McFall, 51, murdered nail technician Quyen Ngoc Nguyen after a horrific ordeal and dumped her body in her car before setting it alight.

Given the shocking brutality of McFall and Unwin’s crimes, along with their previous convictions, the judge decided the pair will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

The Echo regularly receives letters from readers who advocate that the death penalty is reintroduced for those who commit the most heinous crimes. We do not support this position.

Too many miscarriages of justice have taken place in the five decades since the death penalty was in this country to give us the confidence to agree that terminating a convicted person’s life is the right and humane way for a civilised society to punish criminals – no matter what crime they commit. Arguments that the death penalty acts as a deterrent are undermined by the levels of serious crimes committed in countries where capital punishment is still enacted.

But we applaud Mr Justice Morris for imposing whole life terms yesterday. It sends out a powerful message that our justice system still has teeth.