LAST week, A View From High Row lamented the lenient prison sentence given to a crook who had confessed to dozens of burglaries around Darlington.

This week, there is cause for even more anger. A local family is having to come to terms with the fact that the killer of a father of two girls will probably be free within 14 months.

Paul Simpson lost his life because 21-year-old Alfred Welch was playing a game which involved seeing who he could punch to the floor. Among others, he picked on Mr Simpson, who fell backwards, banged his head on the kerb, and died from his injuries.

Welch, of Harris Street in Darlington, was jailed for three years last week after admitting man-slaughter.

He got away with manslaughter because he did not mean to kill anyone. The truth is that anyone who punches another human being, with the intent of knocking them to the ground, risks killing them.

To Alfred Welch it was a joke. To Paul Simpson, it was the end of everything.

Mr Simpson's sister, Anne, posed this question in The Northern Echo: How could Jeffrey Archer get four years in jail and Alfred Welch get less for taking a life?

It is a very good question indeed.

* ON A far brighter note, A View From High Row congratulates the hundreds of Darlington people who picked up awards last week for taking part in a keep-fit campaign.

Get Everyone Motivated is a joint initiative between Darlington Borough Council and the Primary Care Group to target 55-year-olds and over living in sheltered accommodation.

With the help of wardens working in the sheltered accommodation, the programme helps the elderly to keep fit and enables them to socialise with others.

The beaming smiles on their faces as they received their sashes and rosettes said it all.

There was only one disappointment - that almost all the award-winners were women. Next year, we want to see men getting involved.