THE case of two hideous, uncontrollable brats from Edlington, near Doncaster, hits the headlines. The inhuman, callous activities of two brothers who tortured a pair of young boys are censured by all (Echo, Jan 23). Again the usual suspects stand at the sidelines wringing their hands in sorrow and hollow apology.

Yet, this is not news – we have all seen the outcome of, or acceptance of, the underclass before. Look at the Jamie Bulger and Shannon Matthews cases among others.

Doncaster Safeguarding Children Board was quick to say the Edlington case could have been prevented. Why wasn’t it? It is because few have the stomach to stand against unacceptable behaviour; those who do find the authorities reluctant to support them.

We are guilty of witnessing below-standard behaviour yet shirking from our civic duty to challenge those who breach the standards of decent society.

We know we will receive no backing from the police, the courts and, more importantly, our peers. Society is broken. We, as a society, have lost the will to reclaim good behaviour and standards in day-to-day life.

Let us all start afresh, challenge bad manners, littering and general uncouth behaviour.

Support those we see make that challenge and make life once again worth living.

Colin T Mortimer, Pity Me, Durham.

THE perpetrators of evil have no trace of humanity because it has been denied to them and they are incapable of showing it.

The two young brothers from Edlington, near Doncaster, who inflicted torture on two young boys, were said to have parents who are feckless.

But that is no excuse for their actions.

Evil is not just borne out of some dysfunctional family; the sadistic acts performed by those who derive pleasure and satisfaction from them lie deep in the minds soured by those influences that linger like smell and taste.

The features of evil are an infestation of society and therefore we all have some responsibility to address it.

Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe, Durham.