AS a member of the Scots Guards destined for Afghanistan, 19-year-old Andrew Gibson was a young man who accepted that his life was in danger.

His loving family also knew the risks involved in his profession as a soldier.

What they did not expect was for him to be killed on a night out in Darlington.

Yesterday, 17-year-old John Flannigan, from Darlington, was jailed for two and a half years for killing Andrew with a single punch to the back of his head.

You could be forgiven for wondering if The Northern Echo had made a mistake in reporting the length of that sentence – but it hasn’t.

No wonder Andrew’s family believe that justice has not been done.

His killer will probably be free before he reaches the age at which Andrew died.

OK, it was not a cold-blooded murder – it was manslaughter. And Flannigan’s young age has obviously been taken into account.

But it simply cannot be right.

Saving our steel

IT is wonderful news that the Corus Teesside Cast Products plant on Teesside is poised to be sold to Thai firm SSI.

The mothballing of the site was a devastating blow for the people of Teesside and the wider region, but there is now genuine optimism that it will be brought back to life.

There is still work to be done before the deal is finalised, but those who never gave up hope of saving steel jobs on Teesside can be proud that such a significant step has been taken.