I would like to add my voice to that of Ms Rylatt (Letters, July 12) in finding the punishment of Frank Fernie disproportionate on two counts: that his actions were by no means the most extreme on that day; and that away from this particular day of action miscreants of genuine bad character and with long histories of deviant behaviour “get away with” non-custodial sentences time and again.

It strikes me that this young man has been made the scapegoat for all the destructive behaviour of the extremist fringe that attached themselves to the march on March 26.

I knew Mr Fernie when he was younger, having taught him briefly several years ago: he was always slightly alternative and had strong opinions, was bright and very engaged with the rights and wrongs of the world as he perceived them.

I was on that march too, and walked with parents and children, students and the retired to express my concern about the depth and speed of the imminent cuts. There was an unsettling element present during the first couple of hours of the march before I left it.

However, whatever Frank did subsequently, I cannot see his custodial punishment as anything other than a decision to make one young man’s momentary lapse of judgement, being carried along with the crowd, a cover-all deterrent to all who consider political action in the future, and therefore most unjust.

D C Nicholson, Grange Garth, York.

• Having read the Press comment on the jailed York student Frank Fernie (July 11), I must object to the final comment “at least we hope he has learned a lesson”.

I do wonder just what lesson our young people are going to learn from this debacle of justice?

Here we have a gentle young man who became mixed up in an aggressive crowd in London, demonstrating over the impossible increases in student tuition fees.

I can’t say how angry I am about these fees, with one child through university and another wanting to go after 2012.

I can understand how anger must have flared during this demonstration, not only with the cause but also with how the police reacted to these young people, and although not condoning Frank’s actions at all, they were a moment of madness in a hitherto caring life.

To send a young man with such a character to jail for a year is nothing short of scapegoating and makes a mockery of our justice system.

So what lesson will he learn from this? Society is definitely geared around the haves and have nots, and young Frank is paying a very high price for this knowledge.

Claire Lee, Whernside Avenue, York.

• FRANK Fernie sounds to me as if he is a very decent and compassionate person, committed to helping and supporting others (Talented student jailed over riot, July 8).

During the march against government cuts, he behaved illegally, but handed himself in and pleaded guilty.

While one accepts that the courts are using Frank’s case as a deterrent to others, I feel that his sentence of one year in prison is disproportionately harsh.

Ms C Jones, Second Avenue, York.