WHILE I can well understand Dave Bowes’ call for the reintroduction of the death penalty for acts of terrorism (HAS Sept 20), I disagree with his rationale.

There is an argument that the need for public protection is now so critical in light of the increasing incidence of terrorism attacks that the death penalty is both justifiable and necessary.

However the idea that such a penalty would somehow deter others of a like mind from doing the same does not bear scrutiny.

Terrorists are invariably willing to give up their lives to achieve their ends either through suicide attacks or by confronting armed police officers. They are very unlikely to be deterred by the prospect of legal execution.

In fact the prospect of becoming a martyr through the imposition of capital punishment could act as a catalyst for further terrorist attacks. It also provides extremist organisations like ISIS with a valuable propaganda tool.

In a 2015 poll a narrow majority of the British public for the first time in 50 years opposed the reintroduction of the death penalty, and there is no significant will amongst politicians as a whole to reignite the debate.

John Crick, Bishop Auckland