Sir, I was appalled by the custodial sentence handed down to the unfortunate Shona Waugh for the “crime” of stealing a credit card to buy food for her children (Melanie Reid, Opinion, Aug 15). I am more than happy to pay back the amount used and am writing to the Home Secretary to demand her immediate release from prison and return to her children and would ask other readers to do the same.

Is this the Britain we want, where a woman let down by the government departments set up by New Labour to help people exactly like her is sent to prison and her innocent children made to suffer the loss of their only parent? I hope Gordon Brown read your excellent article and was ashamed — he should be.

Anna Warburton
Cork, Ireland

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